LPC part-time course structure

Apply now for the part-time LPC to secure your place. First round deadline is 28 February 2012. 

The part-time Legal Practice Course is designed to attract those for whom study on a full-time LPC is difficult, whether for domestic, financial or other reasons. Most part-time students are also engaged in employment but not necessarily under a training contract or within a legal environment.

Stage 1

Our broad-based Stage 1 will provide a sound foundation for your career whether you choose to work in a City practice, a commercial firm, a small firm on the high street or a niche area of law. The LPC is integrated, so that you practice your legal skills in the context of the other subjects, just as you will when you are a solicitor.

Stage 2

To complete Stage 2 you will study 3 vocational elective subjects. We offer you a choice of 15 subjects - one of the widest selections of any LPC provider, allowing you to pursue a specialist careers path or keep your options open. The Legal Practice Course for each subject is made up of 8 study units, one of which is dedicated to revision.

We anticipate that most people will want to study Stages 1 and 2 together but, if you wish, you could sign up for just one or the other or for a single elective subject.

Overall Approach

The part-time LPC is almost identical to the full-time course in content but it extends over 2 academic years. As a part-time student:

• You work from the same materials as the full-time students
• You participate in face-to-face tuition once a month at weekends
• You undertake the same assessments as the full-time students

You will attend 2 days of face-to-face study sessions each month at weekends. There are normally 9 monthly sessions from September to May in each academic year. In addition to study days, students are required to attend skills assessments and examinations held at various stages throughout the course. These will take place during the week. Students are required to undertake approximately 13 hours of study per week, but there are weeks when there will be more or less study time required.

Year 1

• Pre-course Foundation Work
• Introduction to the Course Skills
• Business Law and Practice (a Core Practice Area)
• Probate and Administration of Estates
• Taxation
• Further work in the Course Skills of Drafting, Practical Legal Research and Interviewing, which are assessed in Year 1
• Solicitors' Accounts (beginning in March)
• 1 elective subject (beginning in March)

Year 2

• Litigation & Advocacy, Property Law & Practice (the remaining 2 Core Practice Areas)
• The remaining Course Skills sessions, with assessments in Legal Writing and Advocacy
• 2 elective subjects (beginning in March) from the following:

• Acquisitions
• Advanced Criminal Litigation
• Banking and Capital Markets
• Charity Law
• Commercial Law
• Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Commercial Property
• Corporate Finance
• Employment Law
• Family Law and Practice
• Intellectual Property and Competition Law
• Media and Entertainment Law
• Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
• Private Client (Estate Planning)
• Public Childcare and Housing Law Practice

Assessment

The assessment areas and methods of assessment for all Legal Practice Courses are largely determined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Most of our written examinations are open book. There are also a number of assessed written and oral skills exercises. Such assessments are held at different points during the year in order to obtain an appropriate balance between the learning process and assessment of student achievement.

We believe the programme not only prepares our students for practice but also provides excellent preparation for assessment. Throughout the programme there are regular mock or practice assessments including online testing. We provide students with detailed feedback

For an indication of the time commitment of the programme and what is taught in each session, take a look at our sample timetable