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Law (SQE1)

LLM

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Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Start date:
October 2026
Study route:

  • One year full-time, on campus

  • Two years part-time, on campus

Status:
Fully approved
Location:
Birkbeck Campus, Central London
Awarding body:
University of London
Study options:
Full-time | Part-time | On campus

Course overview

The LLM Law (SQE1) at Birkbeck is a professionally focused master's degree designed to combine essential professional preparation alongside internationally recognised, research-led teaching.

As well as offering you the opportunity to follow a specialised pathway, this postgraduate degree allows you to undertake comprehensive preparation for Part 1 of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1) with expert support from BARBRI, a global leader in professional legal education.

  • Why choose this course?
    • This LLM Law (SQE1) is ideal if you already hold a qualifying law degree (LLB) or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and wish to take the first major step toward qualification as a solicitor.
    • With employability at the heart of this course, it is particularly suited to motivated students who want to secure their functioning legal knowledge (FLK) for the SQE1 exam while dedicating significant time to a specialist area of law.
    • It will appeal to legal professionals looking to validate their legal knowledge for the SQE1 while gaining a master’s qualification in their specific area of interest. It will also appeal to those seeking a career change and wanting a structured, academically rigorous foundation before proceeding to qualifying work experience.

  • What will I learn?

    This LLM Law teaches you the functioning legal knowledge required for SQE1 alongside a specialist pathway to equip you with a rigorous grounding in black-letter law, expertise in specialist topics, and commercial and contextual awareness.

    You can also choose to specialise by taking one of the following pathways through this course:

    • Commercial and Business Contexts
    • Technology and Sustainable Governance
    • International Law, Justice and Human Rights.

    Whether you focus your attention on commerce, governance or international law and human rights, you will graduate from this course ready to pass the first stage of your solicitor qualification exams and to offer strategic value in your chosen sector.

  • How will I learn?

    This is an intensive course, taught via lectures and seminars, in which you will balance postgraduate coursework with SQE1 preparation. You will need to be organised, committed, and ready to engage deeply with both black-letter law and advanced academic topics. You will gain access to industry-leading SQE preparation materials and mock assessments through Birkbeck’s partnership with BARBRI.

    This course can be taken either full- or part-time, with classes in the evening, and some modules available to study as Hyflex with on-campus or online attendance. The SQE preparation module is delivered fully online and asynchronously.

    Please note that if you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you will not be able to apply for this course as the online study element may affect the conditions of your visa.

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Full-time: Two to three evenings a week, October to July.

    Part-time: One to two evenings a week, October to July.

  • Course disclaimer

    Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

    Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.

More highlights

  • This course offers you the chance to undertake the SQE1 assessment while also gaining a prestigious, specialised LLM degree.
  • This course is taught in partnership with BARBRI, to offer students expert professional support in their preparation for the SQE1.
  • Birkbeck's Law School is internationally renowned for its pathbreaking theoretical, political and humanities-based scholarship.
  • You will be able to attend our Law School Annual Lecture and specialist research seminars which feature international scholars speaking on current issues and their interdisciplinary research. 
  • We are home to the Birkbeck Law Press which publishes Law and Critique. You can also take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including those of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE Library) and the British Library.

Modules and Teaching

Birkbeck Law School

The Law School is recognised for research excellence, professional connections and student support, as well as courses that combine multidisciplinary insight with practical skills.

Visit the school

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in law. We will also consider law graduates with less than a second-class honours degree where they also have other legal qualifications and/or substantial professional legal experience.

We will also accept a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or LLM covering the seven foundations of legal knowledge (as recognised by the Bar Standards Board).

Non-law graduates may be considered on the basis of exceptional professional experience (of at least five years) in a legal area, or an area directly related to their programme of study as well as a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate honours degree.

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered, and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

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Fees

LLM: One year full-time or two years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £7,440 per year
Full-time home students: £14,880 per year
Part-time international students: £11,490 per year
Full-time international students: £22,980 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing their course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.

Careers and employability

On successful completion of this LLM Law (SQE1) you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including developing your ability to:

  • demonstrate self-direction, effective time management and resilience in balancing the demands of intensive master’s-level academic study
  • apply critical thinking, adaptability and professional judgement in addressing novel or uncertain legal problems and communicate complex legal ideas clearly and persuasively to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

You will find LLM Law (SQE1) graduates pursuing career paths in the following kinds of roles:

  • Solicitor - qualifying through the SQE route to practise in England and Wales in commercial, criminal or private client work
  • Barrister - combining the LLM’s advanced legal research and advocacy skills with Bar training to practise as a barrister
  • In-house legal counsel - advising corporations, charities or public bodies on contracts, compliance and risk management
  • Paralegal or legal executive - gaining professional experience that counts toward SQE qualifying work experience (QWE)
  • Compliance or regulatory officer - working within financial services, healthcare or data protection to ensure organisations meet legal and ethical standards
  • Policy adviser or legal policy officer - influencing legislation, justice reform or human rights initiatives in government or NGOs
  • Legal researcher or academic - contributing to research, teaching or public legal education in universities or think tanks
  • Legal technology or innovation specialist - developing or managing digital tools and AI systems transforming modern legal practice
  • Human rights or NGO legal officer - providing legal advocacy and casework in international or social justice organisations
  • Contracts or risk manager - overseeing legal agreements and managing compliance risks for companies or institutions

Legal reasoning, research and analytical skills gained from the LLM and SQE training are highly valued within and beyond the legal profession, so graduates may also pursue career paths in areas such as dispute resolution, corporate governance, project management or consultancy.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Student support

Birkbeck offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.

Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.

Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.

Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.

Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at Birkbeck.

How to apply

You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more about how to apply.

  • When should I apply?

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

Related courses

Study routes for Law (SQE1) (LLM)

Please select a study route below to continue your application.

Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.

Starting in October 2026

Full-time

Part-time