Legal Practice (SQE Preparation)

LLM

Location

Stoke-on-Trent campus

Start dates available

  • September 2026

Gain the professional skills and knowledge you need to go on to become a solicitor with our comprehensive preparation course.

Through the structured, academically rigorous and practical programme, you’ll be ready to take the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam (SQE) once you complete the Masters.

Using real-world scenarios, you’ll practise interviewing clients, drafting advice for them and setting out a legal case. We’ll also cover advocacy skills and get you to present arguments in front of a judge in our mock courtrooms.

Personalised support

You will benefit from lots of support and interaction with staff, including one-to-one meetings with an assigned academic mentor. Students are taught by qualified solicitors and academics with a wide range of legal expertise and professional experience. There will also be guest speakers, who will give you invaluable insights into current legal challenges.

Individual careers advice

You will have access to databases used by real solicitors too, along with opportunities for individual support from our careers advisors.

The SQE is the new route towards legal qualification introduced by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA). Although the course is primarily designed for people who want to become solicitors, you will gain transferable skills that could lead to careers in fields such as policy, compliance and working for international NGOs.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: LLM Legal Practice (SQE Preparation)

Duration

University of Staffordshire postgraduate courses are usually 1 academic year duration when studying full-time and 2-3 academic years duration for part-time.

Course content

The course will develop your advanced legal research, analytical and professional skills. It’s designed as comprehensive preparation for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination (SQE), which you will need to take separately.

Essential legal knowledge and skills

The modules which prepare you for SQE1 will focus on the legal knowledge required for practice. These cover key legal domains, including dispute resolution, criminal litigation, business, property, and private client work. You will also apply your knowledge to complex legal problems and develop practical, client-focused solutions.

The modules which prepare you for SQE2 will focus on legal skills for practice. This will include practising client interactions and advocacy work using simulated environments such as our mock courtrooms.

Real-world scenarios

The assessments will involve real-world scenarios as well. You could be drafting legal advice for a client, written submissions, carrying out one-to-one interviews and other hands-on tasks which mirror real law firm practices.

For your dissertation, you can put your research skills into action by focusing on a specialist area or topical issue of your choice.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Entry requirements

  • A UK undergraduate degree in law at 2:2 honours classification or above, or an equivalent international qualification.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 6.0 in each component), or another recognised English language qualification.

Facilities

Mock Courtrooms

One room is designed as a crown courtroom and the other for cases at magistrates’ court. Read more

Students can present legal arguments, act as expert witnesses, or take part in mooting.

Our digitally enabled mock court rooms are designed to create simulated scenarios for students to put theory in to practice and gain confidence, skills and knowledge to take forward in to their career. 

One room is designed as a crown courtroom and the other for cases at magistrates’ court. Students can present legal arguments, act as expert witnesses, or take part in mooting. Each space includes a dock, lawyers’ area and a bench for the judge or magistrates.

The courtrooms are used by a wide range of students from different perspectives including law students, policing, forensics, international relations and more, to give practice with not only mooting but also in presenting evidence and various other aspects of trials.

In our video, learn about simulation in our Mock Court Room, used by students to practice their skills to prepare them for their future career.
Watch video

The Catalyst

The building will combine business, networking and apprenticeship opportunities with dynamic teaching spaces and state-of-the-art digital facilities – the perfect launchpad for you future career. Read more

The Catalyst brings together the delivery of apprenticeships and skills, in a flexible, high-quality, digitally enabled space. It offers open, social and flexible learning spaces, emulating real world working environments and opportunities for digital engagement. The Catalyst is a unified building, bringing together social, study, teaching and support functions, where students can browse digital and physical resources, including books and a number of special collections. 
Watch video

Libraries

We have Libraries and service desks at both sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. Our experienced and friendly staff can answer your IT queries, help you to access resources, show you how to research for your assignments and help with referencing.

Careers

Students on this programme have the opportunity to enhance their studies with a placement year, gain valuable work experience, and take part in international activities—potentially supported by the Turing funding.

All students have access to Careers, Placements & Employability, our dedicated careers team.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The LLM Legal Practice (SQE Preparation) is underpinned by a pedagogical commitment to practice-informed, student-centred, and research-led learning. It aligns with the University’s Academic Strategy by promoting inclusive, active, and experiential learning opportunities that support the development of autonomous, reflective, and employable legal professionals. The programme integrates academic rigour with the demands of legal qualification, preparing students to succeed in the Solicitors' Qualifying Examinations (SQE) and to thrive in a rapidly evolving legal profession.

Teaching and learning are delivered through a blend of interactive lectures, problem-based seminars, skills workshops, and independent research. Students engage with real-world legal scenarios that replicate the structure and expectations of contemporary legal practice. The programme is carefully scaffolded to enable students to build foundational knowledge (SQE1), develop core legal skills (SQE2), and apply critical and analytical thinking through an extended research dissertation. Technology-enhanced learning tools, including access to online databases, digital assessment simulations, and virtual law firm environments, ensure students are confident in navigating both academic and professional digital platforms.

In terms of inclusivity, core learning materials are made available in multiple accessible formats to accommodate a range of accessibility needs, and assessment methods include a variety of formats to offer students multiple ways to demonstrate an advanced understanding of legal concepts.

Assessment

Assessments are designed to be authentic, developmental, and reflective of the modes of evaluation used in professional legal settings. Students are assessed through multiple-choice questions (MCQs), simulated client interviews, oral advocacy, legal drafting, written submissions, and a final research dissertation. These varied assessment types are carefully aligned to the learning outcomes of each module and to the SQE framework. 

The programme adopts a progressive approach to assessment, encouraging students to demonstrate learning incrementally across modules while cultivating a reflective legal mindset. Peer engagement, structured formative feedback, and embedded opportunities for self-evaluation are core to the learning process. This holistic design ensures that students not only acquire the knowledge and skills required to qualify as solicitors, but also develop critical, reflective, and ethical awareness essential for lifelong learning and responsible legal practice.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

  • Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
  • Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
  • Academic writing (including how to reference)
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

Feedback is timely, dialogic, and constructive, enabling students to identify strengths, address areas for development, and build confidence in preparation for the high-stakes SQE assessments. 

Staff

Giles Gater

Senior Lecturer

Giles is a solicitor, senior lecturer, and course leader for the two-year accelerated law degree programme. Giles is a University of Staffordshire alumni, specialising in property law, tax law, cyber law, and artificial intelligence law.

Giles's profile

Dr Rachael Stretch

Lecturer

I am a Lecturer in Law, specialising in Family Law, Law and Disability and SEND, Equity and Trusts, Quantitative Methodology, Comparative Methodology and Professionals and Mandatory Reporting.

Rachael's profile

Dr Md Jobair Alam

Lecturer

I lead the LLM in International Law. I teach and conduct research in international law, refugee law, human rights, and minority studies. My research addresses the challenges vulnerable groups and refugees face in securing their rights.

Md Jobair's profile

Natasha Thomas

Senior Lecturer

Natasha is a Solicitor & Senior Lecturer and the Course Lead for the LLB (HONS) Law degree. She is the clinic manager for the Legal Advice Service which provides free legal advice to the public in conjunction with our law students.

Natasha's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 21 September 2026 the tuition fees are:

Study option UK / Channel Islands
Full-time £11,300 per course

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you've previously completed a University of Staffordshire undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the alumni discount page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,570 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning. 

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date
Stoke-on-Trent campus LLM Full-time 21 September 2026 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations. 

Have you considered?

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021