Professional Legal Practice
PGDip
The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is a postgraduate, vocational qualification which must be obtained by students who wish to pursue a career in the legal profession in Scotland, either as a solicitor or advocate.
We aim to give you confidence that when you leave Dundee Law School, you will be professionally trained to cope with real situations that you will encounter in practice.
Why study Professional Legal Practice at Dundee?
Dundee Law School has an excellent reputation as a Diploma Provider. We have three decades of experience of delivering the legal practice programme in collaboration with dedicated members of the local legal profession who bring their enthusiasm and expertise to the enterprise. We pride ourselves on the accessibility of our staff and the fact that students are treated as individuals and valued members of our legal community.
The Diploma aims to bridge the gap between the conclusion of undergraduate study with its emphasis on academic study and the start of practical, hands-on experience in a solicitor's office.
Flexible study routes
This course is offered on both a full-time and a part-time basis, taking either 9 months (full-time) or 2 years (part-time) to complete.
Professional accreditation: Law Society of Scotland
All teaching of the Diploma is based on achieving the outcomes set by the Law Society. These outcomes emphasise the development of practical legal skills within a backdrop of ethical and professional behaviour.
As a student you will be supported and encouraged to develop the knowledge and skills demanded by each of the compulsory and mandatory outcomes of your training and to reflect upon and record your professional development as part of that process.
You will consolidate and build on the black letter law and the research and analytical skills that you acquired as undergraduates and apply them to practical situations through interactive learning.
You will be assigned to a law firm, elect a senior partner, and develop your group and team-building skills as part of the learning process. You will be trained in video-recording so that you can electronically record your progress in many of the key skills of lawyering, such as interviewing, negotiating and advocacy.
What's so good about Professional Legal Practice at Dundee?
In the Times Good University Guide 2012 Dundee Law School was placed 7th in the United Kingdom law school rankings, and we were ranked 1st in Scotland in the 2011 National Student Survey (NSS).
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise Dundee Law School was one of only two law schools in the United Kingdom to achieve a 100% international standard classification, with half of our submissions being graded internationally excellent or world leading. Our commitment on is to provide high quality instruction, with a focus on matters of practical relevance, to prepare students for a successful legal career, whether at home or abroad.
Postgraduate culture
Dundee Law School prides itself as being a friendly Law School where all members of staff are accessible and students are treated as individuals and valued members of our legal community.
We offer all new students an induction programme at the start of each semester, to ensure that all students have the necessary understanding of the UK and European legal systems as well as core principles of public and private law.
We seek to integrate all LLM students into the life of the Law School, and invite you to all guest lectures and seminars. We also have an annual reading party to a beautiful country house location, where you are joined by senior staff and can work on academic skills and dissertation preparation.
Who should study this course?
This course is designed for students holding a law degree who wish to enter into a career in legal practice as either a solicitor or an advocate.
Related courses
Teaching & Assessment
This course is taught by staff in the School of Law.
This course can be taken either full time or part time. The full time course lasts for 9 months and the start date is September.
The course for part time students lasts for two years.
Careers
This course will give you the skills necessary to work as a solicitor or advocate.
We have close links with employers and we offer programmes to support and develop the employability of our students. Our good reputation throughout the profession and close links to employers help Dundee graduates find employment.
The Law School runs an annual Law Fair which attracts law firms and employers from around the UK and further afield. Law firms also regularly visit the law school on an individual basis for recruitment purposes.
Find out more about legal careers from our Careers Service.
Entry Requirements
You should have, or expect to have LLB in Scots Law to include all subjects required by the Law Society of Scotland.
Entry to the programme is restricted to approximately 80 places determined by the academic merit of applicants. The main criterion for academic merit is the average mark obtained at first sitting in the subjects required by the Law Society of Scotland.
Find out more on the course webpage.
English Language Requirement: IELTS of 6.5, with minimum of 6.0 in the writing component (or equivalent), if your first language is not English. Please check our Language Requirements page for details of equivalent grades from other test providers, and information about the University of Dundee English Language courses.
Fees and Funding
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Sources of Funding
From 2012, eligible postgraduate students on this course can apply to SAAS for a tuition fee loan to help with the cost of their fees, (up to £3,400 for full-time students and up to £1,700 for part-time students). Find out more about eligibility criteria on our SAAS postgraduate funding webpage.
Information about the School of Law scholarships can be found on the School of Law scholarships webpage.
Other sources of funding for postgraduate students can be found on our Scholarships webpage.
Living Costs
- Dundee is ranked as one of the most affordable places for students to live in the UK, and the cost of living is around 15% cheaper than the UK average.
- Increasing numbers of students are successfully undertaking part-time work to supplement their income. You can get advice from our Careers Service, both about job opportunities and how to find a suitable study/work/life balance. EU and international students are also allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.
- As a student in Scotland, you have free access to the National Health Service. Visits to doctors and hospitals, as well as prescriptions, sight tests and dental checkups, are available free of charge.
Your Application
Dundee University students should contact the School of Law in January for an application form.
Students at other universities should contact their own Law School for an application form.
Find out more on the Diploma in Professional Legal Studies course webpage.
Programme Director
Miss Elizabeth Comerford
School of Law
University of Dundee
Nethergate
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland
Telephone: 01382 384597 (from the UK)
Telephone: +44 1382 384597 (from outside the UK)
Email: e.comerford@dundee.ac.uk
Diploma Secretary
Miss Donna Hendry
School of Law
University of Dundee
Nethergate
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland
Telephone: 01382 384454 (from the UK)
Telephone: +44 1382 384459 (from outside the UK)
Fax: 01382 386737 (from the UK)
Fax: +44 1382 386737 (from outside the UK)
Email: d.c.hendry@dundee.ac.uk
Admissions Contact
Postgraduate AdmissionsAdmissions and Student Recruitment
University of Dundee
Nethergate
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland
Telephone: 01382 384 384 (from the UK)
Telephone: +44 1382 384 384 (from outside the UK)
Fax: 01382 385 500 (from the UK)
Fax: +44 1382 385 500 (from outside the UK)
Email: postgrad-admissions@dundee.ac.uk
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