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Legal Practice - LLM

Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.

Looking to pursue a career in Law? At Birmingham City School of Law, we don’t just teach law, we advocate it; We don’t just focus on professional practice, we actively break down barriers to social justice and human rights throughout the world....

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Full Time/Part Time
  • Location City Centre
  • School School of Law
  • Faculty Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences

Overview

Looking to pursue a career in Law?

At Birmingham City School of Law, we don’t just teach law, we advocate it; We don’t just focus on professional practice, we actively break down barriers to social justice and human rights throughout the world.

The LLM Legal Practice course is designed to prepare you for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE 1) by utilising our excellent legal expertise and providing a unique mix of study and real-world experience.

Whether you have a first degree in law or any other subject or discipline, this course is perfect for anyone wanting to be a legal practitioner and develop their legal knowledge and skills. It is designed to help prepare you for legal practice in a changing world through encouraging you to reflect on your practice and develop transferable skills alongside legal knowledge. In addition to taught study, you will have the opportunity to work on real-world legal cases through our Law Clinic where students, under the guidance of legal professionals, work on live cases brought by people in the community.

You are also encouraged to engage in extra-curricular activities to support your learning, with student societies such as the highly successful Mooting Society. Furthermore, you will have the ability to engage with the wider Birmingham legal community through our connections with the Birmingham Law Society, the largest regional law society in the UK.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

Our LLM Legal Practice course brings together a mix of led study and real-world experience to reflect on the role of legal professionals in society generally and in specific legal contexts.

The LLM encourages you to research and apply critical knowledge of the law and legal practice accurately and effectively in at least one additional area of legal practice, identify the extent to which clients can legally achieve a desired outcome and offer appropriate explanatory advice and demonstrate the ability to act honestly and with integrity, and in accordance with the SRA Standards and Regulations

Upon completion of the LLM Legal Practice, you will be able to demonstrate competence in a variety of practical lawyering skills which should include several of the following: client interview and attendance note/legal analysis; advocacy; case and matter analysis; legal research; legal writing; legal drafting.

You will also be able to demonstrate the ability to deal professionally with members of the public through work experience, volunteering or public legal education projects as well as research and apply critical knowledge of the law and legal practice accurately and effectively in at least one additional area of legal practice and reflect on personal development as a legal practitioner and identify development and training needs

Why Choose Us?

  • You will learn from an outstanding and dedicated teaching team.
  • You can study this course whatever subject your undergraduate degree is. You do not require a degree in Law to study this course.
  • We have strong links with law firms and companies based right here in Birmingham, which allow us to host guest speakers from industry regularly.
  • On all of our courses you will gain a professional focus and real-world experience of law, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in the legal world.
  • Our Law Clinic can give you opportunities to volunteer with local charitable legal advice providers and to work alongside legal professionals undertaking pro-bono work, allowing you to make a genuine difference to the lives of Birmingham residents.
  • You will be able to benefit from the newly-introduced postgraduate loans. For more information, visit UCAS.

Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic

The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.

OPEN DAY

Join us for an on-campus open day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Event: Saturday 24 June

Register Your Interest

Entry Requirements

Essential Requirements
Typical Offers (UK Students)

Minimum 2:2 class UK degree or international equivalent in any subject area.

Additional information for EU/International students
Essential

Applications from international applicants with equivalent qualifications are welcome. Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept.

In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table.

English language requirements 
IELTS

6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum in all bands

If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: LLM

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 1 Year
  • £11,500 in 2023/24
  • Apply
  • £1278 per 20 credits.

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: LLM

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 1 Year
  • £16,870 in 2023/24
  • Apply

If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead.

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites and available through our library. We also offer access to Westlaw, Lexis, HeinOnline and other legal databases.

Free Adobe Creative Cloud Licence

Students studying on a course with a requirement to use Adobe software can request a free licence to install the entire suite of applications on up to two personal devices.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books

Some modules may suggest that you purchase a key textbook. All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. Many students choose to purchase a copy.

Optional field trips

This course may include the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience.

Accommodation and living costs

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Personal statement

You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.

Course in Depth

Modules

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules:

In order to complete this course a student who does not have an undergraduate degree in Law or Law conversion course must successfully complete all the following CORE modules:

In order to complete this course a student who does not have an undergraduate degree in Law or Law conversion course must successfully complete at least 20 credits and a student who has an undergraduate degree in Law or Law conversion course must successfully complete at least 80 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.

Download course specification

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This course is an intensive introduction to the areas of Functioning Legal Knowledge which are examined as part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE 1). The course is designed to help you to develop the knowledge and legal skills needed to pass the centralised examination and thus work towards qualification as a solicitor.

In addition, the course prepares you for practice by encouraging you to reflect on the role of practitioners in specific legal contexts, offering opportunities to study additional areas of legal practice and develop your practical lawyering skills.

Employability

Employment Opportunities

You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement or complete a project as an alternative to a dissertation.

In addition we have active, student-led Legal, Mooting and Debate Societies. Our Student Mooting Society is one of the most successful in England, with our students reaching five finals in the past six years, regularly beating teams from some of the country’s most prestigious universities.

We also have a staff and student led Pro-Bono Unit that provides legal advice to the public.

International

The School of Law at Birmingham City University is home to students from a wide number of countries studying on traditional degree programmes and short-term international courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

A legal education at Birmingham City University is widely recognised and many of our international students return to their home country to either pursue legal practice or requisite professional qualifications in their jurisdiction.

As a law student you will not only develop and refine knowledge in discrete areas of English and international law but also develop key transferable skills designed to enhance your employability profile. Many international students have travelled thousands of miles to study at Birmingham City University and the School offers you an engaging and diverse study experience based in the city of Birmingham which is the second largest city in the UK.

Due to our proximity close to the legal and business district of the city we enjoy strong links with Birmingham Law Society and law firms around the West Midlands. The benefit of these links is passed directly onto you so that you can enhance your network of contacts whilst seeking relevant legal practice experience to enhance your employability profile.

More information for International students

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Facilities & Staff

Curzon facilities eatery
Curzon facilities staircase
Curzon facilities student hub

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £260 million on learning facilities.

The Curzon Building

This course is based at the City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Law, Business and Social Sciences courses.

The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.

The facilities at the Curzon building include two bespoke Law Courtrooms, replicating a Crown court and a Magistrates court. These rooms will play a key part in your learning experience, allowing you to try your hand in mock court cases, whilst also being the venue for our Mooting and Debating Societies.

On top of this, the Curzon building houses an extensive Law library, with books covering every aspect of Law history.

The Curzon Building also features:

  • An impressive library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
  • Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
  • A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
  • Accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
  • Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point

Our staff

Dr Jessica Guth

Head of School

Dr Jessica Guth is a legal academic with particular interests in legal education and pedagogy as well as in EU law and policy. She has experience designing courses and modules and teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate course.

More about Jessica