Solicitors Practice Course (LLM)
- Duration: 1 year
- Mode: Full time
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Why study this course
Prepare for your SQE assessments and build a strong foundation for your future career as a solicitor.
Centrally located
Study in the heart of Wales’s capital city.
Expert and established
Benefit from our 30+ years of experience providing professional training to future generations of solicitors.
Informed by practitioners
Learn from qualified solicitors and barristers.
Qualified for the future
Combine your SQE preparation with the opportunity to obtain an LLM from a Russell Group University.
Our Solicitors Practice Course is an academic LLM programme with the dual purpose of helping you in the process of qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales.
To qualify as a solicitor, most students must (1) sit the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) centralised assessment, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), (2) undertake a 2-year period of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), and (3) pass the SRA’s Character and Suitability test.
SQE itself is divided into two parts:
- SQE1 - the assessment of functioning legal knowledge (FLK)
- SQE2 - assessing a range of legal skills.
Your studies on the Solicitors Practice Course at Cardiff will allow you to explore a range of legal subjects. You will have the opportunity to develop your critical thinking skills and your ability to evaluate so that you are able to apply the knowledge you acquire to client facing problems. This will also provide you with an in-depth preparation for the external SQE1 assessment and for your QWE with a law firm or other employer.
You will have the opportunity to acquire and hone valuable legal skills through a process of reflection and refinement that will support your progress towards a professional career in the legal sector. This will also provide a base level for your future sit of the external SQE2 assessment (something you are likely to do towards the end of a 2-year QWE).
Through the LLM research project or reflective portfolio you will learn further important transferable skills that will help you in your future professional life: how to write and critically reason, how to write for and engage the reader, and how to reflect critically on your experience.
Overall, your study on the course will allow you to develop intellectual expertise and practical skills across a breadth of legal topics providing you with a strong foundation for your future career as a solicitor. You will acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to prepare you for your qualifying work experience, equip you to deal with the demands that are likely to be made of you in practice, and lay the foundation for your future practice as a solicitor by encouraging habits of competence, confidence and professionalism. Your studies will also help prepare you for your SQE1 assessments and give an introduction and foundation for SQE2.
Please note: The SQE assessments are external centralised assessments run by the SRA’s appointed assessment provider, Kaplan.
Where you'll study
School of Law and Politics
Our vibrant student body combined with highly qualified academic staff provides the perfect environment to explore the dynamic and fast-paced fields of law, politics and international relations.
Admissions criteria
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements and submit an application via the Central Applications Board (CAB).
With your application you will need to provide:
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have either: a) achieved a 2:2 honours UK Law degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates. Or b) achieved a 2:2 honours degree in any subject, or an equivalent international degree, and have achieved a qualification in a relevant graduate or postgraduate law conversion course (such as the GDL) that has covered the law foundation subjects (contract, tort, land law, trusts, criminal law, public law, EU law, and the legal system of England and Wales). If your degree or conversion course certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
- A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 6.5 in writing and 6.0 in all other subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
- A personal statement which outlines your commitment to the legal profession, general work experience (if any), and reasons for wanting to study the Solicitors Pratice Course at Cardiff University.
- At least one academic reference which outlines your suitability for the programme.
Application Deadline
We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications to the CAB open on 1 October and close on 31 July in each application cycle, however, we operate our own deadline of 30 April. If you submit an application to the CAB after 30 April, we will only consider it if places are still available.
Please note that the CAB will only release applications to us once a fully completed application form has been submitted, along with all supporting evidence including references (where required by the CAB), and the application fee paid.
Selection process
We will review your application and make a decision based on all of the following factors:
- if you have met the entry requirements and provided available evidence to support your application (e.g. academic record, references, personal statement)
- your degree of commitment to the legal profession (shown, by example, by placements with solicitors’ firms or equivalent experience)
- general work experience
- reasons for wanting to study the LLM Solicitors Practice Course at Cardiff University
- date on which the application is received by Cardiff University
- order of preference of institution
- any extenuating circumstances which may affect your ability to study elsewhere.
Find out more about English language requirements.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
The Solicitors Practice Course is divided into two stages:
- Stage 1 - the Taught Stage
- Stage 2 - the Dissertation Stage.
The Taught Stage begins in September and finishes in May. After this you will begin the Dissertation Stage, culminating in the submission of the research project or reflective portfolio in August.
Stage 1
In Stage 1 you will study three core modules which will give you the opportunity to explore a wide range of legal topics and develop your professional legal skills.
- SQE1: Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 (Business Law and Practice, Dispute Resolution, Contract, Tort, Legal System, Public Law, Legal Services)
- SQE1: Functioning Legal Knowledge 2 (Property Law and Practice, Wills and the Administration of Estates, Solicitors’ Accounts, Land Law, Trusts, Criminal Law and Practice)
- SQE2: Legal Skills (Client Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis, Advocacy, Case and Matter Analysis, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Legal Drafting)
You will also study the topics of Ethics and Professional Conduct and Taxation in the two SQE1 FLK modules.
Stage 2
In Stage 2 you will submit an assessed piece of work of 15,000 words - either a Research Project or a Reflective Portfolio.
The Research Project is a practice-focussed piece of work, on a subject of your choice from a range of topics, based on areas of legal practice. This option is available to all students.
The Reflective Portfolio is a reflection and evaluation of your experience in legal work experience or pro bono activities. As such, only students with significant experience of legal work experience will be able to pursue this option.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
The taught stage comprises 3 core modules.
Two of the core modules, SQE1 (FLK1 &2), will allow you to increase your expertise in fundamental areas of law and legal practice and to develop your ability to analyse, evaluate and ultimately advise a client. You'll also consider the ethical issues a solicitor may face in practice and formulate judgements as so how approach them. These modules will also prepare you for the external SRA SQE1 assessments.
The third core module provides an introduction to professional legal skills and will give you the opportunity to develop your oral and written skills in the context of the legal topics you are studying. This module will additionally give a foundation to SQE2 Legal Skills.
On successful completion of the taught stage you'll progress to the dissertation stage, where you'll submit a research project or reflective portfolio to complete your LLM.
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
Study for an LLM is intensive and challenging and you will need to take advantage of the teaching that is provided in order to succeed. The Solicitors Practice Course will be delivered face to face with elements of blended learning. Face to face small group sessions (SGS) will be supplemented by lecture recordings, online resources and skills exercises..
SGS will usually be taught in groups and most SGS will be of 2 hours duration, but some will be longer or shorter depending on the skills and topics being considered in the SGS. The teaching in all subjects will have a strong practical element and many SGS will also involve an element of practical work. This will help to embed your knowledge through practical application of the law and allow you to develop your analytical skills. You will also be given lots of opportunities to practise answering the relevant types of questions and reflect on your learning to prepare for your SQE1 assessments.
The teaching across the stage one modules is designed in a holistic way so that the modules will complement each other. The skills that you will practice in the SQE2 modules will each be taught in the context of a different FLK subject so that the learning activities that you will undertake in the FLK subjects will underpin the skills activities by giving you the subject knowledge that you need. The skills lessons in SQE2 will, in turn, allow you the opportunity to develop your subject expertise by reinforcing that knowledge and giving you further opportunity to apply, analyse and evaluate while additionally creating original work in that legal area. Lessons in the SQE1 subjects and SQE2 skills will run throughout the year (from early September to the following May).
You will be introduced to legal research during semester one and two which will assist you in preparing for the 15,000 word Research Project or Reflective Portfolio. Supervision of your Research Project/Reflective Portfolio will begin after completing the taught stage.
How will I be assessed?
The Solicitors Practice Course includes both formative and summative assessment. Formative assessments do not count towards your degree but instead give you the opportunity to practise for your summative assessments and allow both you and your tutor to reflect on the progress you have made. Summative assessments count towards your degree. Your marks in these assessments count towards your formal progression from stage one (taught modules) to stage two (the dissertation), and towards the determination of your final award. Summative assessments in stage one will vary by module:
SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) modules (FLK1 and FLK2)
Each of these modules is assessed by way of two summative examination papers, in the form of multiple-choice tests, containing a range of multiple choice questions and single best answer questions. The questions in these assessments are designed to test the application of fundamental legal principles which can be expected of a newly qualified solicitor of England and Wales without reference to books and notes. You will be required to analyse short factual scenarios and then evaluate the options given to you and select the correct or best advice to give the client. The assessment for these modules follows the method of assessment used in the external SQE1 assessment which is run by the SRA. Formative assessments on the FLK 1 and FLK2 modules will take a similar approach.
SQE2 Legal skills module
The assessment will include an exercise in each of the six SQE2 skills:
- Client Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis
- Advocacy
- Case and Matter Analysis
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing; and
- Legal Drafting
You will have the opportunity to practise each skill several times and will receive feedback from your peers and your tutors. You will reflect on own your work in order to select the examples you want to use as your summative assessment.
Please note that you will need to register directly with the SRA to sit both SQE1 and SQE2 externally and pay the examination fees charged by the SRA and its assessment provider, Kaplan. Those external SQE examination fees are not covered by the course fees for the Solicitors Practice Course.
The Research Project/Reflective Portfolio
You will have the opportunity of building upon the legal research skills and knowledge acquired on the Solicitors Practice Course by submitting a 15,000-word piece of work. This will either be a Research Project (a piece of in-depth independent research on an area of legal practice) or a Reflective Portfolio (reflecting on and evaluating your experience in pro bono or legal work experience). The latter option will only be available to you if you have significant experience of legal work or pro bono activities.
How will I be supported?
The emphasis on the Solicitors Practice Course is on face-to-face learning and you will have substantial contact with your tutors and fellow students through the large number of small group sessions.
All modules are supported by resources on the virtual learning environment through which you will access a wide range of materials for your modules, including lecture recordings and multiple choice tests.
You will receive dedicated pastoral support through our personal tutor scheme. We offer an extensive programme of careers lectures and workshops within the School with an in-house Careers Consultant and the opportunity to engage with one of the School’s Pro-Bono schemes. A designated Disability and Diversity Officer ensures that reasonable adjustments are made for students with disabilities.
The University has a range of services to support you, including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service and excellent library resources, both online and on-site.
You will also be supported during your Research Project or Reflective Portfolio by your supervisor, including scheduled supervision meetings.
Feedback
You will receive feedback on your formative and summative assessments throughout the course to help you improve your work. Your tutors will also provide you with oral and written feedback in small group sessions, and you will have the opportunity to give and receive feedback from your peers. Your supervisor will provide you with feedback on the Research Project or Reflective Portfolio, supporting you in developing your proposal and conducting the initial stages of your research.
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.
On successful completion of your Programme, you will be able to:
Knowledge & Understanding:
KU 1: Identify and evaluate authentic client-facing problems across the key practice areas of Functioning Legal Knowledge.
KU 2: Construct appropriate and effective solutions through the application of a comprehensive understanding of the Functioning Legal Knowledge areas applying this understanding to complex legal, procedural and evidential principles.
KU 3: Systematically comprehend ethical problems within the framework of professional and regulatory requirements, formulating appropriate and effective responses and courses of action.
KU 4: Develop an extended piece of work utilising reflection or research focussed on one or more areas of legal practice, drawing on appropriate methodologies and analytical skills.
Intellectual Skills:
IS 1: Demonstrate a critically informed approach to gathering and evaluating information, reflecting on any gaps in the information, and identifying the source of the required knowledge.
IS 2: Develop and defend persuasive arguments orally and/or in writing, drawing upon independent legal research and/or an analysis of the legal, factual, procedural, and evidential aspects of a case.
IS 3: Synthesize large quantities of legal information and use it to analyse practical client transactions and cases.
IS 4: Express intellectual curiosity through your research, in order to pursue further knowledge and understanding within an area of specialism.
Professional Practical Skills:
PS 1: Utilise written and oral key Legal Skills, to achieve client objectives and apply and transfer skills to different contexts.
PS 2: Appreciate a client’s objectives, taking into account the financial, commercial and personal priorities, constraints and risk and benefits involved and recommend appropriate means of achieving the objectives.
PS 3: Analyse complex legal problems by evaluating and synthesizing available data and opposing arguments in order to create a methodology for solving them.
PS 4: Communicate complex ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, contribute to discussions, and present with impact.
PS 5: Critically evaluate a range of appropriate sources, drawing on your research skills to judge the validity of legal conclusions.
PS 6: Critically reflect on own learning and feedback, setting goals for continuing personal development and future professional practice.
Transferable/Key Skills:
KS 1: Present information, methodologies, and outcomes in writing to standard suitable for a range of audiences including practitioners, clients and academics.
KS 2: Plan, organise and manage work effectively, demonstrating independence and initiative.
KS 3: Develop logical reasoning and critical thinking skills through discussion and debate.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £13,450 | None |
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £23,700 | £2,500 |
More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
Your course fees cover the cost of books, materials and online resources that you need for the course. You do not need to purchase any other books for the course.
For oral skills assessments you will be required to wear suitable clothing - a business suit for advocacy assessments, and appropriate office wear for interviewing assessments.
The cost of sitting external SQE assessments is not included on the course fee. You will need to book and pay for SQE assessments yourself. These fees are paid directly to the SQE assessment provider for each sit of SQE1 and SQE2.
Living costs
We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Funding
Careers and placements
The learning on this programme enables the development of the six Cardiff Graduate Attributes to prepare students for employment with effective communication, collaborative skills, independent and critical thinking, social and commercial awareness, reflectiveness and resilience as key skills.
The Solicitors Practice Course will give you the opportunity to develop many skills and attributes that will encourage autonomy and which support employability by preparing you for life as both a citizen in society and a professional solicitor .
Your study of the SQE1 subjects will provide you with the opportunity to develop your ability to analyse facts, evaluate an authentic scenario and to apply your legal knowledge to be able to advise a client. This will also give you an in-depth preparation for the external SQE1 assessment and for your qualifying work experience (QWE) with a law firm or other employer.
Your study of the SQE2 skills will build on your knowledge and allow you to develop a range of written and oral legal skills. It will also help prepare you for your QWE and provide a base level for your future sit of the external SQE2 assessment.
In addition, through the LLM research project or reflective portfolio you will learn important transferable skills that will help you in your future professional life.
Overall, your study on the Solicitors Practice Course at Cardiff will provide a strong foundation for your future career as a solicitor.
Placements
We offer a work placement for all students who do not have offers to train and qualify with law firms or other employers and who also do not have substantial prior work experience.
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
