Our LLM Professional Law course, which incorporates the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) / Common Professional Examination (CPE), will provide you with a Master’s-level qualification. You don't need a Law degree to apply - the course is available to any student with a qualifying honours degree in any subject.
While most providers deliver the course at graduate level as the Common Professional Examination / Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), we have designed this course so that successful completion provides both a qualification at Master’s level and professional body accreditation.
This course is accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board, which represents the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and the Bar Standards Board of England and Wales, and upon completion you are eligible to undertake the next stage of legal training (the Legal Practice course if you want to become a solicitor or the Bar Professional Training course if you want to become a barrister).
Why Choose Us?
-You’ll have regular support from tutors in a friendly and supportive learning environment.
-This course is a conversion LLM – you don’t need a degree in Law to be eligible to study it.
-The course is focused on practice-led, skills-based teaching and assessment.
-You may have the opportunity to undertake an internship in the US, strengthening your employability prospects.
-You’ll also have the chance to get involved with pro-bono projects in the UK, as well as other legal work experience that contributes towards your final award for the course.
-Birmingham City University has just launched the UK's first Centre for Brexit Studies, researching all aspects of the UK's vote to leave the EU, including the impact it has on domestic law and legislation.
Course Structure
For the first part of the course, you will learn primarily through a focus on problem-based learning supported by face-to-face teaching sessions and directed learning exercises provided through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle).
In this first part of the course (the PGDL stage) you will learn about how to study law and how to present legal argument, as well as the key substantive legal rules and principles relating to certain ‘foundation’ areas of law. For those who have enrolled for the LLM version of the course, the Masters stage of the course enables you to further develop your legal knowledge, research, presentation and analysis skills either in relation to a particular theoretical topic of interest to you or in the context of a practical placement.
Teaching sessions and directed learning exercises will be designed to help develop the skills and techniques needed to successfully complete the module assessments, and to forge a successful career in the legal sector. Engagement with teaching sessions and materials on the VLE is monitored by teaching staff to encourage engagement and provide a basis for individual and group feedback.
There are a range of assessments on the course, including oral assessment, written coursework, portfolios, employer assessment, reflective essays and more traditional exams. The range of assessments has been designed to ensure achievement of the course learning outcomes and the development of skills that we view as essential for a future successful career in practice or the further study of law, while retaining balance to ease assessment pressure points.
Employability
Previous students have gone on to successful careers in the legal professions. We have recent ex-students currently working as solicitors at regional law firms such as Duncan Lewis, Syeds Law Office Solicitors and Wragge & Co, as well as national and international firms, such as and at national and international firms such as DLA Piper. We also have ex-students who have qualified as barristers and one who is a QC.
We also have a number of students who have used the course to further their own business or current career paths and those who have entered non-legal professions (such as banking).
Our GDL includes several ways you can help improve your employability:
-Graduate Plus Scheme
-US internship (within an optional module)
-UK work placement (within an optional module)
-Pro bono projects that provide voluntary legal work experience opportunities and networking opportunities
-Parliament and Supreme Court trip
-Legal careers sessions and networking events
-Debating and Mooting societies
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