Bar Practice Course (BPC)

Course Details

Bar Practice Course (BPC)

We pride ourselves in offering the best legal training, and our Bar Practice Course (BPC) is no exception.

It is designed to help you secure pupillage and prepare you for life as a barrister. You'll receive dedicated support from our specialist careers service from the moment you accept your place, giving you the best chance of securing pupillage and acquiring as much varied experience as possible. This is why 65% of our students graduating in 2019 have secured or completed pupillage.**

When you study the Bar Practice Course with us you will receive:

• Up to 50 hours advocacy training, so you're fully prepared for the Bar: test your skills in front of real barristers and judges at prestigious mooting competitions organised by our Advocacy Committee and also at mock trials in court.
• Tuition in small classes alongside the brightest students: we require all students to undergo a live selection process before being offered a place.
• Access to an engaging and innovative online learning environment, plus face-to-face tutor and peer support when you need it most.
• Flexible study options to suit you: choose to study with us full-time or part-time at a number of locations across the UK.
• Success in pupillage applications and beyond with our Future Pupil Programme, part of our award-winning Careers and Employability Service, available from the moment you accept your place.
• A choice of three pathways to success with our Bar Practice Course LLM: complete real-life legal work experience via our Pro Bono clinics, write a dissertation or study additional modules and sit the exams after you finish your Bar Practice Course.
• Exclusive access to our Synap learning and revision tool: complete multiple-choice questions to monitor and review your progress.
• All of the course materials you need: hard copies of the White Book (Civil Procedure) and Blackstone’s (Criminal Practice) are included in your course fee.

^{**65% of our full-time UK/EEA 2018/19 BPC students graduating in 2019 have successfully secured or completed pupillage (based on student data collated summer 2022). Previously the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).}

Benefits of our selection process

Our virtual Selection Process allows us to identify the brightest and most able students, creating a stimulating learning environment for all. As a result, when you undertake our BPC you can guarantee that you will be studying alongside committed, focused and intelligent students, which in turn will push you to succeed.

• Gain confidence in knowing whether a career at the Bar is right for you
• Practise your advocacy skills in a 5-minute "plea in mitigation"
• Take the opportunity to compete for Advocacy Scholarships
• Get vital practice for pupillage interviews

Important Information

The University of Law fully complies with equal opportunities legislation and actively encourages diversity within the legal profession. Our admissions process acts fairly and aims to enable students to make the best use of their talents. You are encouraged to tell us about any special requirements at the earliest opportunity. This will allow us to discuss how we may go about meeting your requirements.

Please see important information issued by the Bar Standards Board for those wishing to study for the Bar of England and Wales.

Go to Important BPC Information ➔

Progression for full-time PgDL and MA Law (Conversion) students

Due to the projected end date of our full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PgDL) and Master of Arts in Law (MA Law Conversion) courses, you may not be eligible to commence our Bar Practice Course (BPC), LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) or SQE1 Preparation Course in September 2023.

Please note: If you require a visa to study in the UK and wish to progress on to one of our on-campus vocational courses, please refer to our UK visa requirements page for information about applying for a Student Route visa.

Find out more ➔

Programme Demands

These documents explain the demands of the course in order to assess your ability to undertake the course.

BPC Full Time and Part Time Programme Demands ➔

Course Structure

Knowledge areas

• Civil litigation, evidence and resolution of disputes out of court
• Criminal litigation, evidence and sentencing

Core skills

• Advocacy, including examination-in-chief, cross-examination and civil applications
• Conferencing
• Drafting
• Opinion writing
• Professional Ethics
• Legal Research

Mock trials

We give you as many opportunities as possible to hone your essential advocacy skills and put what you learn into practice:

• Participating in mock trials in real courtrooms with real judges and senior barristers
• Online advocacy skill demonstrations with feedback from practising barristers
• Visits to the High Court, Magistrate’s Court, Crown Court and County Courts

Master of Laws (LLM)

Choose to study this award and you will have the opportunity to add an internationally recognised LLM qualification to your CV and pupillage applications.

You can complete your Master of Laws (LLM) qualification via three routes:

1. Complete real-life work experience via our Pro Bono clinics - you will advise, manage and represent clients on a variety of cases in legal areas. You will also be paired with a Master’s Supervisor, who will guide you through a reflective learning process so that you can complete your reflective assessment and obtain your Master’s Degree.
2. Study additional modules** - increase your knowledge of legal practice areas which are of interest to you and can help shape the direction of your career. You will sit the exams once you’ve finished your Bar Practice Course.
3. Write a dissertation - immerse yourself in an area of law and become expert in it, allowing you to demonstrate your knowledge in your applications to chambers and beyond.

If you study our Bar Practice Course LLM, you could also be eligible for a SLC Postgraduate Loan.

^{**Students studying additional modules at our Liverpool campus in 2022/23 will have to attend regular sessions (1-2 days per week) at our Manchester campus for a single semester. Students studying additional modules at our Newcastle campus in 2022/23 will have to attend regular sessions (1-2 days per week) at our Leeds campus for a single semester. International students cannot study the additional module route in Liverpool or Newcastle, as they must complete all of their studies at one campus.}

 

Get help financing your BPC

We have a variety of funding options available for our BPC.

Find out more

Course Start Dates

June 2023

• Bar Practice Course (BPC)
  • Full-time: London Bloomsbury

September 2023

• Bar Practice Course (BPC)
  • Full-time: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London Bloomsbury, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham
  • Part-time Weekend: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury

January 2024

• Bar Practice Course (BPC)
  • Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury