Guide to Law Courses in UK

Courses in Law

1. Undergraduate Law Degree (LLB)    
2. Postgraduate (Masters / LLM)   
3. Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)   
4. Legal Practice Course (LPC)   
5. Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)  

• Undergraduate Law Degree (LLB): The main aim of the LLB (Hons) is to develop knowledge and understanding of the law and legal skills. The students will  also be equipped with the principles and technical rules of law and how to apply them to analyse complex problems, construct arguments and form reasoned conclusions.
  Duration: LLB degrees usually take three years to complete.
  Eligibility: If you are going from India to study law ion the UK, you should have completed 3 years of graduation course in India.
  Application: You can apply to law schools in the UK through UCAS. Click here to check application procedure to UK law schools. You can apply at any time between mid-September and the end of June in the year, unless you are applying for Oxford University or University of Cambridge.

• Postgraduate Law Degree (LLM): LLM is a postgraduate qualification which builds on your already acquired knowledge as a law graduate. However, an LLM alone does not allow you to practice as a lawyer in the UK. It only allows you to develop an expertise in a specific area of law.
  Duration: An LLM takes nine to ten months’ full-time study, or two years of part-time study based at an institution or by distance learning.

• Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL): Graduate Diploma in Law also known as the Common Professional Exam (CPE) enables students to convert their existing education into law and proceed towards the next step of becoming law.
  Duration: Part-time and distance learning courses are available but the entire course must be  completed within four years. The minimum duration of a full-time CPE/GDL course is 36 weeks including examination weeks

• Legal Practice Code (LPC): This is the final qualification required for becoming a solicitor in the UK. This is a practical course designed specifically to equip trainee solicitors with skills of a solicitor.
  Duration: This is a one year full time or two years part-time course.
  Application: Application forms (for full-time courses) are available from September until the first of December in the year prior to you requiring a place with offers announced in the following February.

• Bar Professional Training Course: This is the second stage of becoming a barrister. It is a vocational course that will give the student skills and knowledge required for becoming a barrister.
  Duration: This is a one year full time or two year part-time course.
  Application: For the BPTC courses starting in 2011, students should submit applications between 16 October 2010 and 10 January 2011.