LLM Bar Practice

Entry requirements

• A minimum of an upper second class (2:1) LLB Honours or Joint Honours degree which covers the seven foundations of legal knowledge as set down in the Bar Standards Board qualification manual or a commendation on the Graduate Diploma in Law or master’s equivalent.
• Students should have achieved a 2:1 average in the seven foundations of legal knowledge.
• Exceptionally applicants with lower second class LLB/JH Honours degrees or a high 2:2 average in the foundations will be considered.
• One satisfactory reference as part of the admission process.
• Applicants who satisfy the academic criteria will be invited to interview
• Students must have membership of one of the following Inns of Court before enrolling on the programme. It is recommended that membership is applied for at least 12 weeks prior to the start of the Course to ensure the membership application is processed in time. If you are still awaiting the outcome of your membership application at the point of enrolling, please contact us for further advice.
• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
  The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
  The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
• Fluency in the English language is equivalent to IELTS 7.5 in each section or 73 in each part of the Pearson test. Please contact our Admissions Tutor to discuss entry requirements further.

Additional application information

To apply for the LLM Bar Practice you need to create a new account with us and fill in the online application form below in the ‘How to Apply' section. If you have already studied with us, please sign in.
You will be required to upload evidence of your QLD or GDL; if your degree result is pending, note this is in the qualification section of the application form (i.e. pending result TBC).

You will also be required to upload your personal statement and one satisfactory reference.

If you are invited for interview (which will usually take place online), you will be expected to demonstrate the following as part of your application:

• The potential to fulfil the BSB Professional Statement Competences
• A commitment to a career at the Bar/in law
• Why you want to study at the University of Hertfordshire

Months of entry

September

Course content

The LLM Bar Practice programme combines the vocational elements of training for a Barrister (previously the BPTC) within an internationally recognised master’s level qualification. Its innovative design and professional support and enhancement programmes focuses on developing you to manage both a face to face and digital practice.

The course is experiential with a focus on developing excellent personal and legal skills which are relevant for professional practice as a barrister or in any other professional career.

You will learn by doing and, in several ways. Significant contact time of on average 10-16 hours a week, supported by small class sizes means you get to practise your skills weekly. The programme is predominantly delivered in-person and is supported by a rich on campus co-curricular programme. You will be taught in small class sizes ranging from 1:1, 1:6 and 1:12. Teaching is conducted by qualified legal professionals and academics who have experience in teaching and legal practice.

Advocacy is taught in our multi-million-pound replica Crown Courtroom, and conference skills are usually taught in groups of 6 students. You will use case papers to apply the knowledge you learn and develop your skills.

Your practice will be regularly recorded, giving you the opportunity to watch and reflect on your practice anytime. Your contact time is supported by rich resources enabling you to learn, practise and reflect in a variety of ways. You will have access to hard copy and online practitioner texts, giving you maximum flexibility over how you use your resources including annotation, bookmarking and printing.

At the end of the programme, you will leave us with a valuable master’s qualification, the knowledge and skills required by the legal profession and other potential employers and, with the opportunity to be called to the Bar of England and Wales (subject to you completing your Inn’s Qualifying Sessions and any additional requirements set by the BSB).

If you want to work in the legal profession, the full-time one-year LLM Bar Practice offered by the University of Hertfordshire is the course for you. Our course not only will offer an established route into the legal profession, but also enables you to obtain a valuable and internationally recognised masters.