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PgDip Legal Practice

About the course

If you want to be a solicitor and work in the legal profession, the full-time one-year PgDip Legal Practice course is your great starting point prior to a full masters LLM programme.This course offers an established route into the legal profession preparing you to obtain a prestigious LLM.

In Semesters A and B, you will study Stages 1 and 2 of the Legal Practice Course (LPC), both of which are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA):

  • Stage 1 includes compulsory modules on Professional Conduct and Regulation, Wills and Administration of Estates, Solicitors' Accounts, Legal Writing, Legal Drafting, Practical Legal Research, Advocacy, Interviewing and Advising, plus 3 core practice areas of Business Law and Practice, Litigation (both Criminal and Civil) and Property Law and Practice.
  • Stage 2 elective modules (choice of 3) include Employment Law, Family Law, Immigration Law, Personal Injury, Private Client and Estate Planning, Commercial Law, Commercial Property Law and Private Acquisitions.

Why choose this course?

University of Hertfordshire is well known for its great links with industry and the professions, its first-class teaching, high-quality facilities and dedicated staff. Naturally, this PgDip Legal Practice course is no different. Taught by experts, including practising solicitors and barristers, it will equip you with all the up-to-date, transferable, interpersonal and practical skills you will need for your career in the legal profession.

Our innovative teaching methods utilise experiential learning to prepare you for practice, including our state-of-the-art courtroom where you will develop advocacy skills – a core component of the LLM Legal Practice. You will also have many opportunities to undertake co-curricular activities to strengthen your skills in areas such as commercial awareness, adjudication and family mediation and to participate in a range of pro-bono projects, including our award-winning Law Clinic.  

We limit class sizes to ensure that you receive the best teaching and pastoral support. This also enables the teaching to be flexible and focused on the needs of the individual students, setting them on their chosen pathways into highly successful legal careers. 

You may be eligible for financial support from Student Finance England, so you can focus entirely on your studies to maximise your potential. Find out more about a Postgraduate Master's Loan on the Government website. 

Hertfordshire Law School has helped graduates forge successful careers for 40 years. You’ll benefit from our reputation for being forward thinking, innovative, and responsive to the world around us.

Award-winning: Best Contribution by a Team of Students helping vulnerable people at risk of homelessness in Hertfordshire (Law Works Student Pro Bono Awards, 2022). Ranked 3rd overall for law in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES, 2024).

What will I study?

Hertfordshire Law School have a genuine interest in your career aims. We'll do all we can to guide and support you in your steps towards your career goals.

As well as embedding key professional skills into your modules, we work closely with the University’s Careers Team to organise career talks and events to support you in gaining the relevant knowledge, skills and experience needed to enhance your employability in the legal profession and other graduate roles. For example, we have a series of ‘conversation with’ sessions involving alumni and other speakers who share their career journeys and tips for success. We run and participate in graduate and law fairs, as well as hosting our annual law ‘speed-networking’ event with local employers.

We have a dedicated Law School ‘Employability and Career Enhancement’ site with a large number of career resources and up to date information about events and opportunities. We also have a LinkedIn group for Hertfordshire Law School students and alumni. Our University Careers platform ‘Handshake’ gives you access to wide range of support, events, job vacancies and skills enhancement resources. One to one support is readily available with our Director of Employability and the University’s Careers Team, as well as your own Academic Support Tutor.

  • Level 7
    ModuleCreditsCompulsory/optional
    Commercial Law LPC15 CreditsOptional
    Commercial Property (LPC)15 CreditsOptional
    Practical Legal Research LPC0 CreditsCompulsory
    Personal Injury (LPC)15 CreditsOptional
    Private Client and Estate Planning (LPC)15 CreditsOptional
    Employment Law (LPC)15 CreditsOptional
    Family Law (LPC)15 CreditsOptional
    Immigration Law15 CreditsOptional
    Business Law and Practice (LPC)30 CreditsCompulsory
    Litigation (LPC)30 CreditsCompulsory
    Property Law and Practice (LPC)15 CreditsCompulsory
    Wills and Administration of Estates (LPC)0 CreditsCompulsory
    Solicitors Accounts (LPC)0 CreditsCompulsory
    Professional Conduct and Regulation (LPC)0 CreditsCompulsory
    Interviewing and Advising LPC0 CreditsCompulsory
    Legal Writing LPC0 CreditsCompulsory
    Advocacy LPC0 CreditsCompulsory
    Drafting LPC0 CreditsCompulsory
    Private Acquisitions15 CreditsOptional
    Employability Skills and Career Planning0 CreditsOptional
  • Key staff

    Dr Raashi Chauhan
    Programme Leader
    Find out more about Dr Raashi Chauhan

    Further course information

    Course fact sheets
    PgDip Legal Practice Download
    Programme specifications
    PgDip Legal Practice Download
    Additional information

    Sandwich placement or study abroad year

    n/a

    Applications open to international and EU students

    Yes

    Student experience

    At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

    Find out about how we support our students

    You can also read our student blogs to find out about life at Herts.