University of Edinburgh Virtual Diploma Fair 2024
Course information for 2024/25
144 spaces on the Diploma course available (total including part time)
Full-time and part-time study options available
Full-time course fees for home students: £10,735 (£5,370 for part-time which is subject to an annual increase in year 2). No additional costs for materials
University of Edinburgh's full application criteria can be found on their website.
Open day
If you're interested in Edinburgh's course, the best way to find out more is by attending their online open day.
Date: TBC (please check Edinburgh's website for updated information)
Why study at the University of Edinburgh?
The Diploma is much more than an academic qualification. It serves as a bridge between academia and professional practice. The Diploma provides students with a thorough grounding in the knowledge and skills they need to commence a traineeship feeling well-equipped and confident. Students have the opportunity to study in the heart of the legal profession in Scotland, within minutes of the Court of Session, High Court of Justiciary and the Scottish Parliament – an ideal location in which to build your professional network.
The Diploma teaching team have substantial experience as solicitors and advocates, meaning that you benefit from exceptionally practical teaching and learning based on real-world legal work.
In addition to the core and elective courses listed below, Diploma students also have a range of opportunities available to them such as advising a client through our award winning Free Legal Advice Centre, delivering a plea in mitigation before a Sheriff in Edinburgh Sheriff Court, participation in a range of competitions to develop their professional skills and access to the University Careers service for the duration of their studies and for up to 2 years after completion of the Diploma.
Compulsory modules
Courses on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice are designed to provide you with the core practical skills and knowledge to enter the legal profession. All students must study the following:
- Civil Court Practice
- Company and Commercial
- Criminal Court Practice
- Conveyancing
- Financial Services and Related Skills
- Private Client
- Professional Skills and Responsibility
Elective course options
We offer an extensive range of elective courses to enable students to tailor their learning on the Diploma to their areas of interest and career aspirations. Students will study three electives (part-time students will choose one elective in year one and two electives in year two):
- Advanced Commercial Leasing
- Advanced Private Client
- Banking Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Finance
- Criminal Advocacy
- Employment Law
- Environmental / Renewable Energy Law
- Family Law
- Human Rights
- Intellectual Property
- Mediation
- Personal Injury
- Scottish Contemporary Public Law
In addition to the above we intend to launch a new elective for academic year 2023/2024 which will focus on technology law, alongside the issues and opportunities presented by legal technology.
Timetable for the 2024/25 course
Full time timetable
Students attend for, on average, 17 contact hours each week, scheduled over a maximum of 4 days (Monday-Thursday). Teaching is not scheduled for a Friday, save for set skills sessions (such as interviewing) which are scheduled at the start of the year and students are informed of these dates in advance. Court Practice teaching and some elective teaching is scheduled on an evening due to tutor availability.
Nine months (two semesters, over one academic year)
Semester One
Students commence teaching for:
- Criminal Court Practice
- Conveyancing*
- Company and Commercial*
- Financial Services and Related Skills*
- Professional Skills and Responsibility
- Private Client*
Semester Two
Students commence teaching for:
- Civil Court Practice
- 3 x electives**
*teaching for these courses concludes in week 4 of Semester 2.
**elective teaching commences on week 5 of Semester 2.
Part time timetable
Students attend for, on average, 6-8 contact hours each week scheduled over a maximum of 2 days. In Year 1 teaching will be scheduled over 1 day, subject to the student’s choice of elective. Teaching is not scheduled for a Friday, save for set skills sessions (such as interviewing) which are scheduled at the start of the year and students are informed of these dates in advance. Court Practice teaching and some elective teaching is scheduled on an evening due to tutor availability.
18 months (four semesters, over two academic years). Part time students study alongside our full-time students, with teaching taking place at the same time as for full-time students. All of our students are therefore taught together as part of one cohort and learning community.
Year One, Semester One
Students commence teaching for:
- Criminal Court Practice
- Financial Services and Related Skills*
- Professional Skills and Responsibility
Year One, Semester Two
Students commence teaching for:
- Civil Court Practice
- 1 elective**
Year Two, Semester One
Students commence teaching for:
- Company and Commercial*
- Private Client*
- Conveyancing*
Year Two, Semester Two
Students commence teaching for:
- 2 electives**
*teaching for these courses concludes in week 4 of Semester 2
**elective teaching commences on week 5 of Semester 2
Further information
Fees and payment options
Full time fees: £10,735 inclusive of all course materials and books)
Part time fees: £5,370 (inclusive of all course materials and books). Part time fees are subject to an annual increase in year two.
Payment options: The payment methods available to students depend on how their fees are being funded, e.g. externally or self-funded.
Further information is available on the University website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/finance/students/fees
Special guidance for international students
Fees for full-time international/EU students are as follows: £25,670 (inclusive of all course materials and books). Part-time fees are subject to an annual increase in year 2.
Fees for part-time international/EU students are as follows: £12,835 (inclusive of all course materials and books).
EU applicants may find the following webpages helpful:
General information for EU applicants:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/eu/applicants
General fees and funding overview for EU students:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/eu/applicants/fees-and-funding
EU fee status information for EU students:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/tuition-fees/fee-status/work-out/eu
Key Dates
Course start date week commencing 09 September 2024
Entry requirements
To be a candidate for the Diploma students must either:
- have a qualifying Scottish law degree*; or
- have passed or obtained exemption from the professional examinations of the Law Society of Scotland in all subjects required under the Admission as Solicitor (Scotland) Regulations 2011.
*in order to be ‘qualifying’ your degree must include the study of subjects designed to meet the Law Society’s foundation programme outcomes. The subjects required will depend on where you completed your LLB – your university will be able to advise. These courses are generally completed during the first two years of the LLB (or throughout the accelerated LLB).
Places are offered to students based on academic merit demonstrated in the marks obtained in the Law Society of Scotland’s foundation subjects at first sitting.
Virtual Diploma Fair
Before applying for the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, it's essential for you to be as informed as possible about your options. That's why we run the Virtual Diploma Fair every year.
Additional
Virtual Diploma Fair Registration
Find out more
Contacts:
Laura McBrien(Diploma Director)
0131 650 9476
Ali Stapely (Senior Postgraduate Administrator, Diploma)
law.diploma@ed.ac.uk
0131 651 4254