BAR Practice Course (BPC)

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BAR Practice Course (BPC)

The qualifying postgraduate course allowing law graduates to prepare for practice as barristers in England and Wales. Develop confidence and the advocacy, communication and leadership skills needed to thrive at the Bar. Our students achieve consistently strong results in Bar Standards Board litigation assessments, with Leeds ranked 1st in the UK for Criminal Litigation and Bristol 2nd for Civil Litigation (April 2025).

Academic Journey

Information	Details
Programme	Bar Practice Course (BPC)
Description	Vocational training for barristers
Duration	Full-time: 1 year / Part-time: 2 years
Study Mode	Full-time, Part-time, Part-time Weekend
Entry Requirements	Qualifying Law Degree (2:1+) OR postgraduate law conversion
Next Start Date	July 2026
Selection Process	Live selection event required*
Award Option	BPC or BPC LLM (Master of Laws qualification)
Inn of Court	Must be member before starting
Advocacy Training	Up to 50 hours with real barristers and judges

CAMPUSES

Full-time: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London Moorgate, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham

Part-time: Birmingham, Leeds, London Moorgate

Part-time Weekend: Birmingham, Leeds, London Moorgate

FEES 2026/27

Category	Standard BPC	BPC LLM
London	£18,100	£21,100
Outside London (ex. Newcastle)	£16,450	£19,200

Includes Bar Standards Board (BSB) fee of £840

Alumni Discount: £500 (ULaw graduates)
BPC Scholarships: Available
Postgraduate Loan: Eligible (BPC LLM)
StepEx Financing: Available for eligible students

Inside the Learning Segments

Core Modules:

Civil litigation, evidence and dispute resolution
Criminal litigation, evidence and sentencing
Advocacy (examination-in-chief, cross-examination, civil applications)
Conferencing
Drafting
Opinion writing
Professional Ethics
Legal Research

Practical Training:

Mock trials in real courtrooms with real judges and barristers
Online advocacy skill demonstrations
Visits to High Court, Magistrate’s Court, Crown Court, County Courts
Prestigious national and international advocacy competitions

BPC LLM Options (3 routes):

Pro Bono Route – Real-life client work + reflective assessment
Additional Modules Route – Study extra modules in practice areas of interest
Dissertation Route – Write specialist dissertation in chosen law area

Academic:

Qualifying Law Degree at 2:1 or above, OR
Postgraduate law conversion course (MA Law, PgDL)

Selection Process:

Live Selection Event required
Practice 5-minute “plea in mitigation”
Advocacy skills assessment
Opportunity to compete for Advocacy Scholarships

Exemptions from Selection:

Eligible LLM graduates (55%+ in Advocacy and Bar Skills, Civil/Criminal Litigation, and Mediation modules)

Pre-requisite:

Must be member of Inn of Court before starting (apply 12 weeks in advance)

English Language (International):

IELTS 6.5 or above with minimum 6.0 in each component

Visa Requirements:

No visa sponsorship for part-time study

ASSESSMENT

10 assessments in total
Practice assessments for every module
Prizes sponsored by chambers for highest scorers in each subject
Practical advocacy assessments
Mock trial evaluations

KEY FEATURES

✓ Small class sizes with selection process ensuring quality cohort
✓ Up to 50 hours of advocacy training
✓ Mock trials in real courts with real judges and barristers
✓ Leeds 1st in UK for Criminal Litigation (April 2025)
✓ Bristol 2nd in UK for Civil Litigation (April 2025)
✓ Future Pupil Programme support from day one
✓ Award-winning careers and employability service
✓ BPC LLM option – add Master’s to CV
✓ Pro Bono clinic opportunities
✓ Exclusive access to Synap learning tool
✓ All course materials included (White Book, Blackstone’s)
✓ 120+ international student nationalities
✓ Pupillage interview workshops
✓ Bar networking events

FUTURE PUPIL PROGRAMME SUPPORT

✓ CV starter pack
✓ Employability platform access
✓ Pupillage health check with specialist careers advisor
✓ Pro bono and advocacy opportunities
✓ One-to-one appointments (in-person, email, Teams, Zoom)
✓ Pupillage interview workshops (groups of 4)
✓ Pupillage panel events
✓ Bar Mailing List newsletter
✓ Post-BPC advice and support
✓ 5-year access to careers service after graduation

BPC LLM OPTIONS

Route 1: Pro Bono

Real-life client work advising and representing
Master’s Supervisor guidance
Reflective learning assessment

Route 2: Additional Modules

Study modules in practice areas of interest
Sit exams after BPC completion
Data Protection/IP module option: IAPP certification access

Route 3: Dissertation

Immerse in chosen law area
Become expert in specialist subject
Enhance chamber applications

After BPC Completion:

Pupillage (1-year apprenticeship)
Called to the Bar
Practice as a Barrister

Practice Areas:

Criminal Law
Civil Law
Commercial Law
Public Law
Family Law
Personal Injury
And more

Interested in this course?

We’re here to help you take the next step in your educational journey. Contact us for more information or to apply for this course.