Professional Legal Practice Swansea University
| Award | Attendance | Study | Duration | Start | Domestic fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLM | On-Campus | Full-time | 1 years | September | £11500 per year | £11500 per year |
Course overview
The LLM Professional Legal Practice is a professional course for law graduates that has been designed to align with the requirements of the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations 1&2 (SQE1&2).
The programme combines core knowledge and practical legal skills to provide essential preparation for law graduates looking to qualify as Solicitors in England & Wales via the SQE.
It offers you the opportunity to gain a master’s award, attain legal knowledge and skills, and prepare for life in legal practice.
The programme is delivered over the course of one academic year and is taught in two stages – stage 1 focuses on the core practice areas, with stage 2 focusing on developing your professional legal skills within the context of those core practice areas.
The programme culminates with an opportunity for you to undertake directed independent learning, authentic to the legal profession, which focuses on practical legal research and drafting.
If you are a non-law graduate looking for a conversion course to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination 1 (SQE1), please see our LLM Law & Legal Practice course page.
Why Professional Legal Practice at Swansea?
As a postgraduate student at the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, you will be part of a globally recognised law school, with a thriving academic environment, that offers an exceptional student experience.
The Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law is recognised as a source of expertise, and as having an impact in a diverse range of fields of practice. The School is wholly committed to continuous improvement in learning and teaching, and to putting students at the centre of its activities. You will be supervised by academics and qualified practitioners with a wealth of real-world experience, who are ideally placed to provide ongoing guidance and support.
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)
The introduction of the SQE from September 2021 marked a significant change in the route to qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales.
The SQE, which involves two stages of centrally assessed examinations (SQE1 and SQE2) and a period of qualifying work experience, aims to provide a fair and consistent assessment for all candidates.
The SQE will eventually replace the current routes into practice. If you have already begun or accepted a place on a GDL or LLB on 1 September 2021, there are transitional arrangements for you to qualify via the Legal Practice Course route until 2032*.
*Applicants need to have accepted their offer of a place on a GDL by 31/8/21, or for an LLB by 30/9/21 to retain the ability to qualify via the LPC.
Entry requirements
Our standard entry requirement is a 2:2 undergraduate degree in law or the successful completion of a Graduate Diploma in Law (or other equivalent post-graduate conversion course for non-law graduates), but each applicant will be assessed on an individual basis.
We are happy to consider applicants who have been out of education for a while, who have equivalent professional experience, or similar.
English language requirements - IELTS 6.5, with a minimum 6.0 in each component or an equivalent approved English Language test.
For students who fall short of only the English language requirement, we offer a range of pre-sessional training programmes that you may take before starting your degree programme.
We welcome applications from students from around the world and require evidence of previous study that is equivalent to the entry requirements.
Why study at Swansea University
There are many reasons to choose Swansea University for your studies; from the stunning beachfront locations of our Singleton Park and Bay campuses, to our global reputation for research and academic excellence, we offer a safe, supportive and fun environment to live and study, and our vast range of courses and subject areas mean you are sure to find the future career for you.
- Top 30 UK research-led university (Research Excellence Framework 2014-2021)
- Ranked within the Top 350 of universities globally (QS World University Rankings 2027)
- 95% of students surveyed would recommend Swansea University (Uni Compare 2026)
- 95% of graduates are in employment, study and/or other activities (HESA 2025)
Whether you join us for your undergraduate degree, postgraduate studies or research, you’ll receive a modern approach to learning, backed by cutting-edge facilities and an excellent research and teaching faculty.
Join Swansea and start your journey, studying in a picturesque, student-friendly city by the sea with so much to offer.