Law and Legal Practice (SQE)
Earn your law degree, work with real clients, and prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination - with unmatched preparation for a successful legal career.
How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to Us/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/08-subjects/law/subject-law-clinic-team-52540-800X800.jpg)
Key Course Details
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UCAS Code
Y54L
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Start Date
September
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Location
Pontypridd
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Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£9,790*
International students
£16,800*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
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Start Date
September
-
Location
Pontypridd
-
Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£804*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Our LLB Law degree prepares you for legal practice and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). Through our Legal Advice Clinic, you'll solve real legal problems, developing the practical skills and experience that make you highly employable and ready to hit the ground running as a junior legal professional.
Designed for
Feedback from the industry shows that you’ll be highly valued by legal firms, not only for your exceptional legal knowledge but also for your strong interpersonal skills. If you want to develop these standout qualities, this course is perfect for you.
Professional Gateway
The course maintains a focus on the law foundation subjects as recommended by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board as satisfying the academic stage of training.
Career paths
- Solicitor
- Barrister
Skills taught
- Legal knowledge
- Legal procedures
- Legal research
- Empathy and communication
- Problem-solving
Course Highlights
Module Overview
Start with a solid foundation in essential legal knowledge and then apply it to develop practical, 'soft' skills through both simulated and real scenarios. In your second and final years, you’ll study practical modules and also choose optional modules to tailor your specialisation.
Year one
Academic and Professional Legal Skills*
Criminal Law
Law and the State
Legal Systems and Methods
The Law of Contracts
The Law of Torts
Year two
Clinical Practice 1
Criminal Law in Practice
Dispute Resolution and Advocacy
Foundations of Legal Practice
Land Law
Commercial Law (optional)
Employment Law (optional)
Law and Technology in Practice (optional)
Law on Trial (optional)
Public Legal Education (optional)
Year three
Business Law in Practice
Clinical Practice 2
Equity of the Law and Trusts
Property Law in Practice
Child Protection and Youth Justice in Practice (optional)
Employment Law in Practice (optional)
Commercial Law (optional)
Employment Law (optional)
Family Law in Practice (optional)
Law in the Community (optional)
Medical Law (optional)
Mergers and Acquisitions in Practice (optional)
Private Client in Practice (optional)
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
In your first year will focus on developing academic and professional legal skills, as well as exploring foundational legal areas to gain a clear understanding of the court systems and structure.
Academic and Professional Legal Skills *
This module builds essential skills for studying and applying law and enhances your academic abilities, ensuring you excel throughout your course.
Criminal Law
Develop knowledge, understanding and application of criminal law, looking at different types of offences and analysing liability.
Law and the State
Looking at the nature, principles and history of law within the UK constitution as well as EU law.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Legal Systems and Methods
Understand the operation of the Anglo-Welsh system; its sources, institutions, personnel and processes, and the social and political context in which it operates.
The Law of Contracts
Learn the fundamentals of contract law, the cornerstone of civil liability and the foundation for many other parts of the course, applying it through a range of scenarios.
The Law of Torts
Learn the fundamentals of the law of torts, the cornerstone of private and public tortious liability, again laying the foundations for future study throughout the course.
In your second year, you’ll undertake your first formal placement in the Legal Advice Clinic (LAC), and you will study practice-area modules that form part of the SQE assessments, and which will enable you to gain the additional experience and skills required for a successful legal career.
Clinical Practice 1
Undertake a 20-week placement at the Legal Advice Clinic (LAC) for 4 hours per week, developing key legal practice skills and shadowing real client interviews.
Criminal Law in Practice
Develop knowledge, understanding and skills around criminal procedure and criminal courts, from advising clients at the police stations through to sentencing in court.
Dispute Resolution and Advocacy
Develop knowledge, understanding and skills around civil procedure and civil courts, including the techniques and conventions required of a presenting advocate in the context of a civil claim.
Foundations of Legal Practice
Grow your knowledge of key areas of law including taxation, solicitors accounts, wills and administration of estates, ethics, professional conduct and legal services.
Land Law
Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of land law including the nature of land, titles to land, leases, co-ownership and trusts.
Law and Technology in Practice (optional)
Explore how the tech landscape impacts legal practice, looking at AI, big data, cybersecurity and more, as well as professional and ethical issues.
Law on Trial (optional)
Critically examine the structures, personnel, methods and substantive laws of the English Legal System and other legal systems, appreciating different legal perspectives.
Public Legal Education (optional)
Work in groups to develop a research project to educate members of a local school, charity, community group or organisation.
Commercial Law (optional)
Examine legislative and judicial decisions and their impact on business, covering sale of goods, remedies, transfer of property, delivery, acceptance and payment.
Employment Law (optional)
Develop your knowledge of essential principles and how the law relates to the relationship between employers and workers, covering contracts of employment, statutory rights, wrongful and unfair dismissal, redundancy and discrimination at work.
The optional modules are subject to change. You can see an example of optional modules provided above.
In your final year, you’ll take on a more in-depth placement in the LAC, gaining greater responsibility and autonomy. You will continue your study of SQE assessed practice areas and develop your areas of specialisation by choosing from optional modules such as family law in practice or private client in practice.
Business Law in Practice
Apply knowledge to solve legal problems involving business rules and procedures, finance, corporate governance and compliance, partner authority, insolvency and more.
Clinical Practice 2
Work at the LAC for the equivalent of 1 day per week for 20 weeks, developing your practical skills in a legal environment under supervision but with greater autonomy.
Equity of the Law and Trusts
Apply the law to complex problems involving express and implied trusts, the fiduciary relationship, trustees’ duties, powers and liability and equitable remedies.
Property Law in Practice
Understand and apply the critical steps in residential and commercial property transactions incorporating freehold and leasehold land, planning, and property taxation.
Child Protection and Youth Justice in Practice (optional)
Understand and apply law relating to children’s rights, child protection (family court), and children in conflict with the law (youth court).
Employment Law in Practice (optional)
Work through scenarios involving issues such as employment status, termination of contracts, transfer of business, whistleblowing, employment tribunals and more.
Family Law in Practice (optional)
Carry out the tasks of a family law practitioner, applying legal knowledge and skills to issues such as divorce, domestic abuse, and child maintenance.
Law in the Community (optional)
Complete a 20-week, 4-hour-per-week placement at the LAC, working on community-based projects to complement your Clinical Practice experience.
Mergers and Acquisitions in Practice (optional)
Learn and apply the principles of business acquisitions and corporate takeovers, considering issues such as due diligence, warranties and taxation.
Private Client in Practice (optional)
Focusing on tax and estate planning, wills, inheritance claims, and powers of attorney, apply the law to a range of scenarios.
Commercial Law (optional)
Examine legislative and judicial decisions and their impact on business, covering sale of goods, remedies, transfer of property, delivery, acceptance and payment.
Employment Law (optional)
Develop your knowledge of essential principles and how the law relates to the relationship between employers and workers, covering contracts of employment, statutory rights, wrongful and unfair dismissal, redundancy and discrimination at work.
Medical Law (optional)
Develop your foundational knowledge, covering autonomy and consent, clinical negligence, reproduction, birth and parenthood, and end of life issues such as euthanasia and organ donation.
The optional modules are subject to change. You can see an example of optional modules provided above.
Course Highlights
How you’ll learn
Get ready to start your legal career confidently with extensive opportunities to work in our Legal Advice Clinic and practice various legal scenarios in our Hydra simulation suite. Your assessment heavily focuses on practical legal skills, including drafting legal documents. Most modules also feature SQE-style exam questions, building on knowledge from lectures and seminars. Your learning is also enhanced by guest talks from industry professionals, field trips, and voluntary placements.
What is the SQE?
The SQE 1 and SQE 2 examinations are the route to qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales. SQE 1 is centrally assessed over two days in the format of single best answer multiple choice questions. SQE 1 tests a candidate’s legal knowledge in core areas, this is known as Functioning Legal Knowledge.
SQE 2 is centrally assessed over several days and tests a candidate’s practical legal skills such as interviewing and advising, and case analysis.
In addition to passing SQE 1 and SQE 2, candidates must also hold a degree (or equivalent qualification) in any subject, complete two years’ worth of Qualifying Work Experience and satisfy the SRA’s character and suitability requirements.
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Teaching Staff
You'll be taught by practising and former solicitors who are up to date with the latest legal trends and legislation. Their experience in law firms means they know exactly what employers look for and can help you develop those key skills, boosting your employability. Plus, you'll get insights from guest speakers across various fields - government officials, crown prosecutors, coroners, social workers, victim support experts, and legal professionals - enhancing your understanding of the legal landscape.
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Facilities
Our award-winning Legal Advice Clinic offers a unique opportunity to get invaluable practical experience with real legal clients. We provide unmatched preparation through our facilities. Use our moot courtroom to refine your court skills, and benefit from interview rooms where staff can observe your interactions and provide feedback. The Hydra simulation suite further enhances your training by allowing you to practice key decisions in diverse scenarios, offering ideal preparation for real-world legal practice.
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Placements and work experience
Your formal, compulsory placements will be within our Legal Advice Clinic, where you'll work with real clients, assess their issues, categorise them legally, and draft legal advice - all under the guidance of experienced legal professionals. This hands-on experience counts towards the work experience needed for the SQE to become a solicitor. You can also take advantage of optional work experience opportunities, such as educating school pupils or community members about legal matters or interning with our legal partners like Capital Law or Hugh James.
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Brandon Rees
Law student
Emily Harding
Law student
Gayanga Shacheni
Law student
Shayla Virgo
Law student
Kayode Aseweje
Law graduate
Why USW?
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Why USW?
Law at USW is top in Wales for Teaching Quality.
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
UCAS points: 104 (or above)
Typical qualification requirements:
- A Level: BCC
- BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit
- Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate: Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC at A Level
- Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points.
Additional requirements include:
Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS Check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions. Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
English language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
We're here to help
Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.
Fees and Funding
£9,790
per year*£16,800
per year*£804
per 20 credits*Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Upon successful completion of the course, students may wish to sit the external SQE exam. Students will need to book and pay for the external exams directly with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Fees shown are correct as of October 2025.
Cost:
SQE 1: £1,934
SQE 2: £2,974
University Quality Assurance
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
Life at USW
Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
Advanced entry
If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International admissions
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
