The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice ensures your preparedness for entering the legal profession in Scotland.

Programme overview

• PgDip: 9 months (two semesters) full-time

The Programme is contemporary and innovative and comprises a number of compulsory subjects which are delivered in conjunction with a wide range of electives.

You can tailor your programme to suit your future career in the legal profession. Our courses are delivered mainly in small group tutorials (12 or less) by our team of 125 highly experienced, enthusiastic and committed tutors, almost all of whom are practising solicitors or advocates.

Tutorials are very practical and seek to replicate the work undertaken by trainee solicitors and qualified solicitors in a supportive learning environment.

Core

• Criminal litigation (Incorporating Advocacy, Evidence and Procedure and Negotiation)
• Civil litigation (Incorporating Advocacy, Rules of Procedure, Evidence, Negotiation and Pre-action protocols)
• Property Law and Conveyancing (Incorporating ARTL)
• Private client (Incorporating Wills, Trusts, Deeds of Variation and Guardianship)Business, ethics, finance and practice awareness.

Optional courses

• Advanced civil litigation (Incorporating Advocacy, Remedies, Debates, Proofs and Appeals)
• Advanced criminal litigation (Incorporating Advocacy)
• Corporate
• Family law (Incorporating Negotiation, Mediation, Collaboration and Litigation)
• Human rights (Incorporating Employment, Asylum and Immigration, Legislative Competence, Prisons)
• Contemporary Scottish Public Law

Career prospects

Upon successful completion of the programme you will be eligible to progress through your traineeship to work as a solicitor or advocate. The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is a requirement for entry into these roles in the legal profession.

Academic entry requirements

To be a candidate for the Diploma you must

(1) Possess a law degree from a Scottish University, or a qualification accepted by the Senatus as equivalent thereto.

(2) Have passed or obtained exemption from the professional examinations of the Law Society of Scotland in those subjects required in terms of the Admission as Solicitor (Scotland) Regulations.

(3) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph 2, the Director of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice shall have discretion to admit you if you are deficient in one element of these requirements, but could satisfy them during the period of study for the Diploma.

You will not be awarded the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice until those requirements are satisfied.

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of foundation courses.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training):

• overall score 6.5
• no sub-test less than 6.5
• or equivalent scores in another recognised qualification (see below)
   

Common equivalent English language qualifications:

• ibTOEFL: 92; no sub-test less than 24
• CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): B minimum
• CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): C minimum
• PTE Academic (Person Test of English, Academic test): 68; minimum 60 in writing

Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the Language Centre Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:

• Language Centre, University of Glasgow
• BALEAP guide to accredited courses 

Visa requirements and proof of English language level

It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.

If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:

• UK Border Agency Tier 4 English Language requirements
• UKBA list of approved English language tests [pdf]

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office: pgadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk

To apply for the Diploma in Legal Practice, please see: How to Apply/Fees and Funding.