Postgraduate Prospectus 2013 - Swansea University

Law: Professional Legal Training
Entry requirements
Please see individual course details
English Language requirement:
IELTS 6.5 or Swansea University
recognised equivalent.
Scholarships and Bursaries
A range of postgraduate scholarships and
bursaries is available. For details, please
visit: www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/
scholarships/
The School of Law provides vocational law
training at the highest level in order to
provide the optimum learning experience for
students and practitioners. This includes the
delivery of the Graduate Diploma in Law
(GDL) for non-law graduates seeking a
change of career, and the Legal Practice
Course (LPC) for law graduates seeking to
enter the profession. The School also runs a
number of training and professional
development courses for practitioners and is
an accredited provider for the Higher Rights
of Audience qualification, the Criminal
Litigation Accreditation Scheme and Police
Station Representatives Accreditation Scheme.
The GDL and LPC will:
• provide recognised legal qualifications
that provide a foundation for a
rewarding career in the legal profession
• help you to gain transferable skills,
including team working, communication,
presentation, and analytical skills
Students also have the opportunity to gain
practical experience of interviewing and
advising clients by participating in the
School’s Pro Bono Law Clinic, a free legal
advice service for students, run by students
under the supervision of qualified local
solicitors. The LPC also offer a successful
work experience programme which is
supported by a number of local law firms.
How the courses are structured
Teaching is delivered through a combination
of large group introductory and interactive
sessions, and small group sessions with the
emphasis on transactional work. Students
are supported by a dedicated team of
experienced professional practitioner
tutors.
For a full list of the compulsory and
optional modules available, please
contact the Admissions Tutor.
Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
The GDL (also known as the Common
Professional Examination or CPE) is a
36-week, full-time intensive course
primarily intended for non-law graduates
wishing to embark on a career in law,
although the programme is also of benefit
to those intending to undertake other
careers where a sound knowledge of law
is desirable.
The course, which is designed to provide
students with a thorough knowledge of the
core areas of law, commences with an
introductory block of interactive classes on
the English Legal System, the acquisition of
legal skills and the law of the European
Union, whilst the foundation subjects of
Contract, Tort, Public, Equity and Trusts,
Land Law and Criminal Law are taught
over two semesters through a combination
of lectures and seminars. An additional
legal subject is studied by means of a
supervised research project.
The successful completion of the course,
which is recognised by professional
bodies, enables students to progress to the
vocational stage of training for both
solicitors and barristers.
“I chose Swansea for my GDL
study as it is one of the a few
providers in the UK accredited by
the Law Society, and enjoys a very
good reputation both in terms of its
teaching excellence and graduates’
future careers prospects. I also
completed my LPC at Swansea and
have secured a training contract
with a national law firm.
”Jing Xu,
Graduate Diploma in Law
Entry requirements
GDL: A degree in any non-law discipline
(normally at 2.2 or above). However,
candidates with alternative qualifications
or experience are also encouraged to
apply.
Please note: that prospective students who
hold a degree from a non-UK or Republic
of Ireland institution will normally be
required to obtain a Certificate of
Academic Standing from either the
Solicitors Regulation Authority (www.sra.
org.uk) or The General Council of the Bar
(www.barcouncil.org.uk). Applications
should be made through the Central
Applications Board (CAB) and can be
made online at: www.lawcabs.ac.uk
Assessment
The Graduate Diploma in Law is assessed
through a variety of methods, ranging from
multiple-choice and unseen examinations
to coursework and mini-dissertations.
How can I find out more?
Visit our website:
www.swansea.ac.uk/law
Contact the Admissions Tutor (GDL):
Email: Karen.Davies@swansea.ac.uk
Contact the Admissions Tutor (GDL):
Email: m.e.leyshon@swansea.ac.uk
Tel: + 44 (0)1792 602374
Visit the University:
see page 174 for details
Legal Practice Course (LPC)
Postgraduate Diploma in Law
The LPC at Swansea is a high quality
professional course designed to prepare
students for practise as a trainee solicitor
in England and Wales. The course, which
consists of two stages, runs full-time for 36
weeks and is the new style of LPC as
validated by the Solicitors Regulation
Authority in 2009.
Stage One
Compulsory modules:
• Business Law and Practice
• Property Law and Practice
• Criminal and Civil Litigation
• Wills and Administration of Estates
Pervasive Areas:
• Professional Conduct and Regulation
• Solicitors Accounts
Skills:
• Practical Legal Research
• Interviewing and Advising Clients
• Writing
• Drafting
• Advocacy in Court
Applications should be made through
the Central Applications Board (CAB)
and can be made online at:
www.lawcabs.ac.uk – see pages
176 – 177 for further information
For details of taught Master’s degrees
in Law, please see page 68, or for
information about research degrees in
Law, please see page 122.
Stage Two
Students choose three optional modules,
usually determined by the type of legal
environment in which they wish to
practise. A range of modules is available,
including:
• Advanced Commercial Law
• Business Leases
• Employment Law and Practice
• Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
• Advanced Criminal Practice (Advanced
Criminal Advocacy available in Welsh)
• Family Childcare Law and Practice
Entry requirements
LPC: Normally a minimum of a qualifying
lower second-class Honours degree in
Law, a Graduate Diploma in Law (CPE) or
a similar qualification such as FILEX.
To be eligible to study the LPC, students
must have student membership of The
Law Society and have a Certificate of
Academic Standing from the Solicitors
Regulation Authority.
Assessment
The LPC is assessed by open and closed
book examinations. Skills and Pervasives
are assessed simply as competent/not yet
competent as they are completed.
“I enjoyed my LPC at
Swansea and the tutors were
professional and approachable.
They supported me during my
course and with helping me
find a training contract.
”
Rebecca Dunn,
PGDip Legal Practice
Master’s Degrees – Law: Professional Legal Training
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