Why Leeds?
With great music venues, culture, shopping, and parks - we've got it all. Leeds city centre has been named one of the Best Places to Live in the UK*.
*The Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide, 2026
Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Course overview
-
L27 -
City Campus -
Full-Time -
6 Months -
21 Sep 2026
As part of this course, you'll:
- Start preparing to sit the externally set SQE2 (Solicitors Qualifying Examination) as part of your route to qualification as a solicitor*
- Develop your legal skills in interviewing, advocacy, case and matter analysis, legal drafting, legal research, and legal writing
- Apply the law correctly and comprehensively to given situations to meet clients' needs
- Analyse and synthesise concepts to devise realistic and coherent strategic solutions to legal problems
- Evaluate how the rule of law and ethics apply within legal, as well as broader, economic, commercial, and ethical settings
- Explore concepts of professionalism to build your understanding of the demands of professional practice
- Identify relevant issues and investigate them in depth, with a practice-based legal research project
*Separate fee payable to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to sit these external examinations.
Collaborative working
At Leeds Law School, you'll join a diverse community of students from a wide range of backgrounds with whom you can share and challenge ideas of best practice.
Professional links
We have strong connections with local, regional and national law firms, so you'll have the opportunity to network with potential employers during your studies. Some of the firms and organisations we work in conjunction with include:
- Addleshaw Goddard
- Advocates for Animals
- Blacks Solicitors
- Crawford Legal Services
- Crockett & Co Solicitors
- DAC Beachcroft
- Ison Harrison Solicitors
- John Delaney & Co Solicitors
- Leeds Building Society
- Leeds City Council
- Levi Solicitors
- Military legal services
- Pinsent Masons
- Squire Patton Boggs
- Switalskis Solicitors
- Various governmental departments, such as the Government Legal Department, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Work and Pensions, and HM Treasury
Mentoring scheme
Our professional mentoring scheme is an integral part of the educational experience at Leeds Law School. You can apply to have a mentor who works as a solicitor in legal practice who'll be able to advise on CVs and applications and offer an insight into professional life. We offer a professional mentor guarantee; any student who would like a mentor can have one.
SQE resources and Law Trove
As a student on this course, you'll have free access to new SQE resources, including tailored online texts and a large bank of SQE-style multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Leeds Law School also subscribes to Law Trove, an online service offered by Oxford University Press. This means you'll have free access to all Oxford University Press Law textbooks to support you in your studies.
Support Through Court
Volunteer with Support Through Court, a national charity supporting litigants in person. You'll work with clients to complete law forms, draft witness statements, and attend court hearings. Leeds Law School students have exclusivity to this partnership within the city of Leeds.
Why study the PG Cert Professional Legal Practice Skills course at Leeds Beckett University?
- Prepare to become a solicitor - this PG Cert is tailored to support your preparation for working in legal practice and sitting your SQE2 exam
- Learn from experts - this course is delivered by qualified legal practitioners and academics with significant professional expertise and experience
- Apply your learning and volunteer with Support Through Court, a national charity supporting litigants in person
- Professional mentoring scheme - gain insight and advice on professional life, CVs and applications
- SQE resources and Law Trove - an online service giving you free access to specialist SQE resources and focused preparation materials, as well as over 200 legal textbooks, meaning you spend less, if anything, on textbooks
Everything you need to know
Discover all there is to know about the course, from entry requirements and fees to exploring the school you’ll be joining - we’ve got it covered.
Entry requirements
Applicants should have either passed the SQE 1 exam or the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, or equivalent (e.g. a SQE 1 prep course).
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion. Please note references should be accompanied by a covering letter on headed paper or emailed directly by the referee.
All applicants should satisfy our University English language requirements.
Entry requirements
Applicants should have either passed the SQE 1 exam or the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, or equivalent (e.g. a SQE 1 prep course).
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion. Please note references should be accompanied by a covering letter on headed paper or emailed directly by the referee.
All applicants should satisfy our University English language requirements.
IELTS
IELTS 6.0 with no skills below 5.5, or an equivalent qualification. The University provides excellent support for any applicant who may be required to undertake additional English language courses.
Selection Criteria
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
Independent study is a crucial part of learning at university and you will be required to undertake many hours of self-directed research and reading, and preparation and writing of assessments. Your course is delivered through a number of modules, which will help you to plan your time and establish a study routine. Outside of your lectures, workshops and tutorials, a range of support is available to assist with your independent study. Our subject-specific librarians will be on hand to direct you to the specialist learning and study-skill resources. You’ll also be assigned an academic advisor to give you tailored feedback and support.
Modules, teaching and learning
What you'll learn
Develop your legal skills competence. This module supports your learning, knowledge, understanding and application of key legal skills in the context of realistic client-based situations, preparing you to work in legal practice. You'll demonstrate your ability to act honestly and with integrity and in accordance with the Statement of Solicitor Competence (SoSC), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Principles and the Code of Conduct. This module will assist you in preparing to sit the SRA Solicitors Qualifying Examination 2 (SQE2).
Develop your critical thinking, research, writing, and reflective skills as you undertake a sustained piece of practice-based legal research. You'll present your research through an extended project in an independently selected area. Upon completion, you'll demonstrate a significant awareness and understanding of relevant legal and/or practice-based issues. You'll also critically explore, evaluate and analyse ideas, outcomes and findings as appropriate.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course are not yet confirmed.
Fees for this course are not yet confirmed.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course are not yet confirmed.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Law Trove, an online service offered by Oxford University Press worth over £200. This means you'll have free access to all Oxford University Press Law textbooks, as well as access to OUP SQE 1 practice questions for the relevant subject areas. These will be available through BlackBoard pages for the core modules you're studying.
- You'll have access to the majority of your core texts as e-books through Leeds Law School.
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
Fees for this course are not yet confirmed.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Law Trove, an online service offered by Oxford University Press worth over £200. This means you'll have free access to all Oxford University Press Law textbooks, as well as access to OUP SQE 1 practice questions for the relevant subject areas. These will be available through BlackBoard pages for the core modules you're studying.
- You'll have access to the majority of your core texts as e-books through Leeds Law School.
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
Funding support for your studies
Discover more about our range of postgraduate funding options including a Master's Loan of up to £13,206, and our 20% alumni discount*
*Terms apply
Career prospects
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a course. Take a look at the team you’ll be working with, employability statistics and career prospects to help make up your mind.
Career Prospects
Leeds Law School's employability strategy adopts a practice-based community, promoting academic belonging and a shared purpose.
This course supports your journey to becoming a solicitor, preparing you for legal practice and the SQE2. Whether you're completing qualifying work experience or looking ahead to it, you'll develop the skills needed to succeed.
You'll be prepared for a career within a legal setting, whether that be private practice or an in-house role, in local law firms or multinational organisations. Students may already be working as a paralegal or similar role.
Designed in consultation with students and legal practitioners, this programme offers a practice-based curriculum to support your preparation for SQE 2 and professional life in legal practice as a solicitor. The course has the advantage of mixed assessment methods and optional modules, tailored to your needs."
Dr Rachel Dunn
Head of Subject (Postgraduate)
Dr Rachel Dunn
Head of Subject (Postgraduate) / Leeds Law School
Rachel is the Head of Subject (Postgraduate), overseeing all academic and professional postgraduate courses in the Law School. She completed her PhD in 2017 which explored knowledge, skills and attributes developed in law clinics. Rachel continues to research legal education and is a specialist in animal law.
Leeds Law School - Career Opportunities Rachel Dunn, Course Director for Pro Bono and Employability, talks about some of the career opportunities on offer for students within Leeds Law School.
Law in Practice events
Our guest lecture events provide opportunities for you to network and hear from speakers from a range of backgrounds and contexts, providing insight into developments and key issues of relevance to the legal sector and professional practice. Our events are open to legal professionals, students and those with an interest in the subject area.
Beckett Careers Team
Our careers service is not just there for undergraduates, we support our postgraduate taught and research students too.
Your postgraduate degree will boost your CV and help you stand out from the crowd. Whether you're just starting out on your chosen career path, changing careers or moving to the next level, we can provide you with expert advice and resources to help you take the next steps to achieving your goals.
Student life
At Leeds Beckett your experience is important to us, find out more about what to expect from your time on this course and life at uni.
Experience Leeds Beckett
Our state-of-the-art facilities and learning environments give you everything you need to succeed – whether that’s completing your current studies or joining our cutting-edge research teams.
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