LLM Professional Law - LLM/PGDL/CPE

Looking for a law conversion course in Birmingham? Our LLM Professional Law is open to graduates from all subjects.

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.

What's covered in the course?

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.
• 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.
• 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.

Find out more

• Our Facilities
• Our Graduates
• Our Placements
• Our Students
• Our Trips

Essential Requirements

Additional information for EU/International students

Additional costs

Students are required to purchase textbooks for each module, which range from roughly £30. Although not required, on some modules students may be advised to purchase a ‘cases and materials’ book, but second-hand versions are often appropriate.

The US placement also requires students to self-finance travel and accommodation while they are there. 

Find additional costs for your course

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.

For more information on attendance requirements, course contact time and suggested self-study hours, download the course specification.

For those who have enrolled on the full time LLM version of the course, in semester three you will undertake an online course on advanced legal research methods/practical legal research, and either a dissertation or an extended placement and reflective piece of writing on your placement experiences. This module will take place in semester 5 for Part Time students

Students choosing the dissertation option will need to communicate with their supervisor on regular occasions throughout the module. 

Our course is accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board (representing the Solicitor’s Regulatory Authority and the Bar Standards Board).

Employment Opportunities

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

OpportUNIty

OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.

It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.

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.

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

• Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here
• Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies
• Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country
• Learn where to find financial support for your studies

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

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities.

The Curzon Building

This course is based at the City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Law, Business, Social Sciences and English 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 new 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
• Brand new, accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
• Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point