Program Overview
The Professional Legal Practice at The University of Edinburgh is a Postgraduate Diploma programme in Law over 9 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of law. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Professional Legal Practice programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across United Kingdom and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 9 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Professional Legal Practice programme are prepared for diverse careers in law:
- Solicitor / Barrister
- Legal Counsel
- Policy Advisor
- Legal Researcher
- Compliance Officer
- International Arbitrator
Program Curriculum
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. The programme commences with a Foundation Skills Week which forms part of core teaching.
Courses will be taught by lectures and workshops. You are expected to prepare in advance for all workshops by reading the required materials and by reflecting on the issues to be discussed.
Compulsory courses
Core courses
- Civil Court Practice
- Company and Commercial
- Conveyancing
- Criminal Court Practice
- Financial Services and Related Skills
- Private Client
- Professional Skills and Responsibility
Option courses
We offer one of the widest ranges of practical electives in Scotland, enabling you to focus on specialist areas in which you have a real interest or to tailor your learning to reflect the areas of practice of your future employer in the legal profession.
Over the past few years we have run the following elective courses:
- 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
- Personal Injury
- Scottish Contemporary Public Law
- Technology Law, Innovation and Legal Practice
Find courses for this programme
Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.
The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.
Full-time
Part-time
We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Disclaimer
Courses shown above are scheduled to run in the 2025-26 academic year and are subject to change in future academic years. Courses for the 2026-27 academic year will be confirmed by May 2026.
Due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
Either of the following:
- passes in the following Ordinary LLB courses: Public Law of the UK and Scotland, Legal Reasoning and the Legal System, Family Law, Delict, Contract and Unjustified Enrichment, Trusts and Succession, Public Law and Individual Rights, Property 1, Property 2, Evidence, Criminal Law, Commercial Law, Business Entities, EC/EU Law (required to graduate but not a pre-requisite for the Diploma), or their equivalents
or:
- passes in all the appropriate Diploma pre-requisite subjects if you are an applicant from a university other than Edinburgh, a Law Society or Faculty of Advocates applicant
You will graduate with the degree of LLB or have already done so (unless you are a Law Society or Faculty of Advocates applicant).
Tuition & Financial Information
Detailed tuition information is not available. Please contact the university for the most current tuition and fee information.
Application Deadline
14 September 2026
About The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh (Universitas Academica Edinburgensis) is a historic and globally respected public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, founded in 1583, making it one of the...
University Profile- Application Deadline 14 September 2026
- Start Date 14 September 2026
- Language English
- Duration 9 months