Please note this course is closed to new applications for September 2024 entry.
Page last updated 1 August 2024
Our course offers an inclusive opportunity for anyone with or without experience in law to pursue a career as a solicitor, offering diversity across the profession. Progress your pathway to qualify as a solicitor through a rounded learning experience.
Our Solicitors Training Course LLM enables you to pursue a career as a solicitor with or without a legal background. The holistic structure integrates qualifying work experience with LLM and SQE prep modules, preparing you for professional practice.
This course will prepare you to sit the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE) 1 and 2 by focusing on applied exam techniques. Passing these exams is one of your first steps towards qualifying as a practising solicitor in England and Wales.
In addition to the SQE modules, you'll choose between four taught options or three taught options plus a written project.
Through face-to-face group tuition, you'll engage in interactive teaching sessions to consolidate your understanding, practise exam technique, and develop your skills for legal practice.
Established for over 40 years, UWE Bristol Law School is one of the UK's largest and most respected full-service law schools. The School has an excellent reputation as a postgraduate legal education and training provider for those progressing to qualify as a solicitor or barrister.
Taught by our highly experienced teaching team of legal professionals, you'll receive high-quality training. Many of our staff used to work in the courts and law firms around Bristol, offering strong links with local industry experts.
Study in our state-of-the-art £55 million business and law school building, complete with purpose-built teaching facilities, including mock courtrooms.
Find out whether you may be eligible for a UWE Bristol alumni discount for this course.
Open to both law and non-law graduates, our course enables you to train as a solicitor whether or not you already have a law degree. On completion, you'll be ready to sit the SQE exams needed to qualify as a practising solicitor in England and Wales.
You'll be equipped with broad transferable skills, from analysing documents to client handling. Your skillset will open the doors to many careers, from legal professions in small practices and large city law firms, to business and banking.
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
You will study:
The topics covered by those modules is as follows:
You'll study
Plus optional LLM modules (the number depending on credit requirements) from:
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up-to-date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course and if any changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
Develop your exam technique, legal knowledge and skills, which you'll apply to the SQE assessments. Our dedicated tutors, with extensive experience as practising solicitors and barristers, will support you to continually build your expertise.
You'll study your SQE 1 and 2 Prep in conjunction with interactive workshops, which you'll prepare for in advance to reinforce your understanding of key legal concepts.
SQE 1 Prep starts with online self-study interaction with tutors during the first few weeks, followed by group face-to-face tuition. You'll develop your exam technique for multiple-choice questions which test Functional Legal Knowledge in the SQE 1 exams. SQE 2 Prep comprises of small face-to-face tutorial groups, honing your Legal Skills for the SQE 2 exams.
Alongside the SQE 1 and 2 Prep, you'll also get the opportunity to pursue your interests by choosing from a range of LLM taught options. These cover areas such as Family Law, Employment Law and Commercial Law.
See our glossary of teaching and learning terms.
To achieve the LLM, you'll need to complete the Solicitor Training Course core modules, a choice of taught options and/or a written project. You'll study the SQE 1 and 2 Prep content concurrently.
This course starts in September with an induction day on campus to introduce you to the course and provide guidance for a four-week online learning period, during which you'll be required to attend campus one morning a week for further guidance lectures and tutors will be available to answer your queries.
From October, you'll need to attend classes on three fixed days per week for most of the academic terms. On occasion, you'll need to attend classes on more than three days a week, such as at the start of the year and at assessment points.
Each day will include six-hours of face-to-face group tuition, except for the four-week online learning element at the start of the course. You'll also need to spend around 30 hours per week on independent study, on top of your taught contact hours.
The course prepares you for the externally assessed SQE assessments, which you must pass to qualify as a solicitor. The SQE assessments don't form part of the course itself, so the cost of undertaking the SQE assessments isn't included in the course fee.
Our module assessments mirror the SQE assessments, preparing you to sit these exams. For SQE 1 Prep, you'll undertake four x 2 hours and 33 minute online closed book multiple choice tests, as you would in the SQE assessment.
For SQE 2 Prep, the module assessments reflect the role-play and computer-based skills of the SQE 2 assessments. These are scheduled in five consecutive half days of assessments, just like the real thing.
You'll also complete additional elective module assessments, where you'll demonstrate a mixture of oral and written skills.
You'll receive full tutor feedback after your module and practice assessments. We'll arrange your module and practice assessments on campus, not remotely, offering you greater face-to-face interaction with your tutor team.
Learn more about assessments.
You'll be based in the Bristol Law School on Frenchay Campus, where you'll have access to extensive facilities to support your learning, including:
You'll also have access to all our other fantastic facilities on our Frenchay Campus, including our 24-hour library with a digital library, and a wide range of academic support, wellbeing and careers services, and more.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Law facilities and see what's on offer here for you.
Our support includes access to fantastic facilities, study tools and career consultants, plus practical help to access everything from funding to childcare.
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Our new LLM SQE Prep course will prepare you to undertake the SQE exams, which you need to pass to qualify as a practising solicitor. The course is designed to equip you with skills and knowledge you'll need to secure a role in the legal profession, business, or banking. From dealing with clients and providing advocacy to case analysis and legal research, you'll gain a strong skillset.
If you've already completed and passed your SQE 1 Prep at another institution, you can study the SQE 2 Prep at UWE Bristol. To qualify for the LLM qualification, you'll need to complete both the SQE 1 and 2 and a choice of taught options and/or a written project. On completion, you'll have the option to progress to further study.
Our graduates secure roles in many different law firms, practising various types of law. These include working in small high-street practices undertaking criminal defence work, working as partners in City law firms, and in-house counsel, for example.
Some of our Law School students have undertaken or secured qualifying work experience before undertaking our courses, some combining legal work. Others benefit from our award-winning Careers Service, where you can access CV clinics, careers talks, 'ask the experts' events and mock interviews, all to help you stand out from the competition.
You'll benefit from a personalised learning experience, complemented by individual support from an academic personal tutor. Your tutor will work closely with you during your studies and offer you careers guidance.
You can also take advantage of our mentoring scheme, where you'll be paired with an external solicitor or barrister, many of whom are former students. This will provide you with a valuable opportunity to learn more about your career options from a professional in practice.
Plus, our pro bono Business and Law Clinic will enable you to gain a range of qualifying work experience in the legal profession. You'll have a chance to give back to the community, while enhancing your employability. Any work you undertake in the Clinic, or secure through our local links, contributes towards the qualifying work experience you need to become a solicitor.
Your course fees include the costs of tuition, books and electronic resources. You should allow around £250 each year for additional costs, such as printing.
Please note that the course fee doesn't include the cost of the SQE exams. You can find out about the cost of the SQE exams on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website.
See our funding pages for more information.
Find out whether you may be eligible for a UWE Bristol alumni discount for this course.
You'll need to have:
We recommend that you visit the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) website before you apply, to check the latest guidance for students.
If English is not your first language you will also need to demonstrate your English Language proficiency. For example, you should have IELTS 7.5 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components. See further details of our English Language requirements.
Applications must be made online via the Central Applications Board.
The deadline for applications is: 31 July 2024.
We recommend you apply well before the application deadline. Submitting your application early will allow time for our Admissions team to process your application and for you to pay your deposit.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.