The Legal Cheek View
The City Law School, part of City, University of London, covers all aspects of legal training — offering the LLB, LLM, GDL and vocational bar training. The LPC has now been replaced by the Solicitors’ Practice Programme, City Law School’s new SQE prep course.
Two routes at City
The Solicitors’ Practice Programme has been designed with leading law firms around employability. Students will have the choice of two routes leading to a Postgraduate Diploma or an LLM. Students on the LLM route are eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
City Law School’s new SQE Programme combines SQE1 and SQE2 prep into a single course. The course will cost students £11,500 if they choose to go down the Postgraduate Diploma route, or £16,500 with an added LLM. A bonus for City, University of London alumni is a 10% loyalty discount.
Former City lawyer James Catchpole is leading the law school’s SQE strategy. Catchpole is the associate dean for postgraduate and professional degree programmes as well as the law school’s director of legal practice. He has years of experience as a curriculum and course designer, having led teams at law school competitors The University of Law and Queen Mary, University of London.
As part of City Law School’s SQE offering, students complete two 10-week terms covering everything you need to pass SQE1 and SQE2. The optional LLM adds an additional five-week term, during which students submit a research project in their preferred area of legal practice. The course is full-time with a mix of face-to-face teaching and online activities.
Courses
Law conversion courses
Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
This course is for non-law students who wish to qualify as a lawyer in the UK. It covers of the seven foundation subjects including public law, contract law, criminal law, equity & trusts, EU law, land law, tort law, as well as a general module entitled ‘foundations of law’. A strong emphasis is placed on developing analytical and research skills to fully prepare students for legal practice.
• Full-time: 1 year
• Cost: £12,940
Graduate Entry Law LLB
This course enables non-law students to secure a senior status law degree in just two years. It is comprised of seven core modules, as well as a further six elective modules, such as media law, competition law, child law, labour law, cross border commercial law, international human rights law, or international economic law. Students are also required to study and pass a test in the English Legal System, worth 15 credits, and complete a dissertation, worth 30 credits.
• Full-time: 2 years
• Cost: £9,250
SQE courses
Solicitors’ Practice Programme (LLM/PGDip)
This course is designed for those preparing for the SQE route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. Students have the option to take this course as a Master of Laws (LLM), or a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip).
Master of Laws (LLM)
This route includes seven core modules (professional legal knowledge 1 + 2, written professional skills, preparation for practice, analytical professional skills, interpersonal professional skills), as well as two elective modules chosen from a variety of options.
• Full-time: 1 year
• Cost: £16,500
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
This route includes six core modules (as above).
• Full-time: 9 months
• Cost: £11,500
Postgraduate law courses
Law LLM
City’s Master of Laws (LLM) programme enables students to choose from over 30 modules covering a diverse range of subjects, such as admiralty law, arbitration, carriage of goods by sea, international banking law, law and war, marine insurance, mergers, oil & gas law, world trade law, project finance and law. The full course consists of 180 credits, including 150 credits of elective modules as well as a research dissertation or project worth 30 credits.
If students successfully complete 150 credits, they have the opportunity to graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDip).
If students successfully complete 30 credits, they have the opportunity to graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Law (PGCert).
• Full-time: 1 year
• Part-time: 2 years
• Cost: £14,220 full-time, £7,110 part-time per year
• Start dates: September or January
Bar courses
Students who opt for this route are required to study the 10 compulsory modules set by the Bar Standards Board, as well as two elective modules from a ‘specialist practice’ area of their choice. This route also includes a practice-focused dissertation and a clinical legal project with a real client (only available to full-time students).
• Full-time: 1 year
• Part-time: 2 years
• Cost: £19,730 full-time, £9,860 part-time per year
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
Students who opt for this route are required to study the 10 compulsory modules set by the Bar Standards Board.
• Full-time: 8 months
• Part-time: 20 months
• Cost: £16,670 full-time, £8,330 part-time per year
• Start date: September
Postgraduate Diploma with Specialism (PGDip with Specialism)
Students who opt for this route are required to study the 10 compulsory modules set by the Bar Standards Board, as well as two elective modules from a ‘specialist practice’ area of their choice.
• Full-time: 10 months
• Part-time: 22 months
• Cost: £18,710 full-time, £9,350 part-time per year
• Start date: September
Locations
City’s law courses are only available at the university’s campus, situated in the heart of London.
Scholarships
The City Law School Bar Vocational Studies
This scholarship is awarded to those who have secured a first class undergraduate degree.
Value: £2,000
The City Law School Dean’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence
This scholarship is offered to the most outstanding candidates across all postgraduate and professional programmes.
Value: full fee
The City Law School Scholarship for Academic Excellence
This scholarship is offered to students on the basis of academic excellence.
Value: £3,000-£5,000 depending on programme of study:
• Master of Laws: £5,000
• Bar Vocational Studies: £3,000-£4,000
• Graduate Entry LLB or Solicitors Practice Programme: £3,000
• Graduate Diploma in Law: £2,000
The City Law School Solicitor’s Practice Programme Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to applicants for the Solicitor’s Practice Programme with outstanding qualifications.
Value: £2,000