Program Overview

LLM in Legal Practice

Course Overview

The LLM in Legal Practice at Winchester is designed to prepare students for employment as a trainee solicitor. The program develops legal knowledge and skills needed to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination required for practice as a solicitor. Students will also enhance their specialist knowledge and research capability, and have the opportunity to extend their practical experience through a work placement.

Course Features

• Earn a Master’s qualification whilst simultaneously studying for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE 1 & 2)
• Taught collaboratively with the University of Winchester and the College of Legal Practice
• Boost your legal research skills, or gain work experience so that you are ready for the workplace
• Learn about contemporary legal issues in public and private law
• Blended study featuring both online and campus-based delivery

Course Details

Suitable for Applicants from:

• UK
• EU
• World who have a Law degree which contained the law of England and Wales

Learning and Teaching

• All modules develop an independent learning culture and provide a challenging learning experience for students
• Innovative, student-centred teaching and learning which develops students' intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis and critical evaluation
• Delivered via a blended approach of campus-based, weekly workshops, supported by personal tutor, and supervisor meetings, and online through a combination of asynchronous guided self-study learning, online supervisor and town hall meetings

Location

• Taught elements of the programme take place both on campus in Winchester and online via The College of Legal Practice

Assessment

• Variety of formative and summative assessment strategies, that blend authentic, practice-based assessments with more traditional written forms of assessment
• Alternative assignments set for students with recognised disabilities to ensure equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes

Feedback

• Timely and appropriate feedback to students on their academic progress and achievement
• Encouragement to seek additional feedback from course tutors

Further Information

• For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures

Modules

Year 1

• Solicitors Legal Knowledge (30 Credits)
• Solicitors Legal Skills (30 Credits)
• Law and the State (30 Credits)
• Law and the Individual (30 Credits)
• Legal Research Project (60 Credits) or Work Placement in Law (60 Credits)

Entry Requirements

• A first or second-class honours degree
• Normally a first or second-class UK Law Degree (LLB) or a law conversion course such as the GDL or CPE
• Applicants with relevant alternative qualifications or professional experience who have an excellent level of foundation legal knowledge may be admitted subject to the programme leader’s discretion
• If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in writing or equivalent

Additional Costs

• The fees for the programme do not include the fees for the externally set Solicitors Qualification Examinations
• For information on the fees and registration process, please see the Solicitors Regulation Authority website

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

• We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course
• To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards

Career Prospects

• The LLM in Legal Practice, with its SQE preparation modules, is specifically designed to support law graduates in their preparation for the SQE exams which are a mandatory requirement for anyone wishing to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales
• For law graduates who decide not to pursue a career as a solicitor, our LLM in Legal Practice, as a postgraduate award, provides an intellectually stimulating course which indicates that the graduates have acquired advanced, specialist legal training, which would support students wishing to gain employment in a wide range of industries and roles where law plays an integral part or enhance their opportunities for promotion in their existing organisations
• The LLM in Legal Practice also provides a platform for interested students to pursue a higher-level research qualification such as a doctorate

Programme Leader

• Dr Thomas Webber, Lecturer in Law
• Engaged in pedagogic research around inclusion and belonging among law students particularly in relation to extra-curricular activities
• Interests in widening access in law