Interested in becoming a solicitor? Then our newly designed online LLM in Professional Legal Practice is just the course for you. Whether you're looking to fast-track your qualification or balance study alongside work, we offer both full-time and part-time study modes to suit your needs.
Interested in becoming a solicitor? Our newly designed online LLM in Professional Legal Practice is built to support both law and non-law graduates on their journey to qualification — with dedicated SQE1 and SQE2 preparation.
Now available in full-time (12 months) and part-time (approx. 24 months) formats, this course gives you the flexibility to fast-track your legal career or study at a manageable pace alongside work.
You’ll gain practical legal skills, build your QWE portfolio, and develop career-ready competencies — all through fully online learning. The programme goes beyond SQE prep to equip you with essential skills in legal research, drafting, and real-world practice.
With intakes in April and October, the course is aligned with SQE exam timelines, giving you structure, flexibility, and a clear route to becoming a solicitor in England and Wales.
Divided into diploma and master’s stages, our LLM course provides comprehensive training for the SQE1 and SQE2 examinations. It has been designed for graduates from any recognised undergraduate degree programme and is therefore a great opportunity for either a career change or a full refresh for returning law students. After completing the programme, all students will have access to SQE1-related learning materials for up to a year. In addition, those who complete the SQE2 module will leave with a portable e-portfolio record of their legal skills training to use as a revision and preparation tool for the exam. We have also designed the course to have a dedicated consolidation period before SQE1 to enhance your chances of success.
Alongside SQE exam preparation, the LLM offers practice-based options to provide you with a wide range of skills, knowledge, and aptitudes for your future career as a law practitioner. Each module has been carefully designed to impart key legal and workplace expertise that will help further your professional development. Your learning material will also encourage creativity, problem-solving, and ethics so that you learn to address issues from an innovative and socially responsible perspective.
You will undertake a compulsory diagnostic module covering the key principles of the English Legal System at the start of your programme. This will both ease your transition onto the course and provide a legal knowledge base on which to build.
I would recommend Arden University to anyone and I could not have achieved my results without the brilliant support I had from all my tutors. I understand that online learning is not for everyone and you really do need to be motivated, determined and very resilient if you want to do well. However, it is definitely within your grasp if you really want to change your life and do something different.
The course is fully online and can be completed in 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time, with part-time students progressing one module at a time
*It is compulsory to complete at least one research module
The assessments on the course have been designed to test and strengthen your SQE readiness and provide opportunities for constructive feedback. We have been careful to ensure that we have spaced out the assessment you will undertake to give you enough opportunity to fully absorb your learning in a sequential manner.
At the diploma stage of the course (first 120 credits), each module’s assessment contains two parts. The first is an MCQ exam assessing your comprehension of key module content in the format of SQE1. Then, depending on the module being studied, your second assessment may be a timed written exam, a presentation, or coursework assignment.
We have also incorporated dedicated time within the programme to help you consolidate your learning, practice SQE-style multiple-choice questions and zero in on your career development, providing you with a great opportunity to start or enhance your QWE portfolio. Throughout this time, our teaching and careers team will be on hand to offer personalised help and guidance.
In the master’s stage (final 60 credits), assessments range from an e-portfolio of skills to a research project, with a focus on SQE2 preparation. These aim to develop your practical and research experience, so that you graduate from the course with transferable skills that are valued within the profession.
Lexis+ is an advanced legal research platform that provides users with instant access to a vast collection of legal resources, across an extensive library of legal documents that includes case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources.
This course is delivered fully online and offered in both full-time and part-time modes, giving you the flexibility to choose a pace that fits your lifestyle and career goals.
Whether you complete the course in one year or over two while working, Arden’s online format lets you study from anywhere — on your terms and at a lower cost.
With 24/7 access to materials, workshops, simulations, and interactive tools, you’ll gain real-world legal experience through cutting-edge online learning
I chose Arden University because I thought it was well structured and, unlike other universities, they were more concerned with the student’s progress and understanding of the law rather than receiving money from the students. Doing the Law degree has opened a lot of new job opportunities and made me more marketable within the job sector.
Our LLM in Professional Legal Practice is delivered fully online — so whether you study full-time or part-time, you’ll benefit from a flexible, career-aligned legal qualification designed to fit around your life.
You can choose between two study modes:
Full-time (12 months): An intensive route that prepares you to sit SQE1 after 9 months and SQE2 three months later, allowing you to fast-track your legal career in just one calendar year.
Part-time (24 months): Designed for working professionals or those needing more flexibility. You’ll study one module per block, making it easier to manage your workload alongside personal and professional commitments. SQE1 prep aligns with January/July sittings, and SQE2 follows in April/October. If you miss an exam window, don’t worry — you'll retain access to your SQE learning materials for up to 12 months after finishing the course.
Studying online with Arden gives you the freedom to learn from anywhere in the world — without the need to attend in person. All learning is delivered through iLearn, Arden’s virtual campus, offering 24/7 access to:
iLearn also integrates seamlessly with Zoom for live sessions, and even syncs with Kindle for learning on the go.
Workshops and guided learning:
During the course you will have access to facilitated virtual workshops to give you a highly interactive learning experience. These will be conducted synchronously over several weekends and supported by digital materials and audio-visual content covering key concepts and principles. Your tutors will supplement this with further guided reading, activities, and research to encourage you to pursue self-directed learning.
Simulated practice environment:
Immersive experiential learning will also be provided through our simulated practice environment, providing you with opportunities to apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios and bringing you closer to what it’s really like working in legal practice.
At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.
Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study in a flexible and convenient way. That's why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you'll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing thousands of ebooks, as well as tools for creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.
To be eligible for the LLM Professional Legal Practice degree, you require:
Harriet is the head of the Department of Law at Arden University and former associate head with a focus on access to justice, mediation, and practical legal training. She is an RICS accredited mediator who is hoping to start a PhD on international mediation and access to justice. Harriet graduated from the University of Hull with a LLB Law (Hons) degree and later went on to achieve a Bar Professional Training Course. Harriet was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 2012 and continues to be very actively involved with the legal profession. Now, Harriet is responsible for the management and academic delivery of the LLB Law programmes at Arden University. She is currently working to improve key metrics within the Law programmes to ensure our programme portfolio reflects changes to professional legal education.
The LLM is designed for any graduates who are interested in pursuing a career as a solicitor. The programme will provide you with a solid foundation for your future career and allow you to take control of where your degree takes you.
The LLM course will give you the chance to:
Our LLM is tailormade to guide you through the SQE pathway to becoming a qualified solicitor. To be eligible for this route, you will need to:
Whilst the LLM is designed to guide on your journey to becoming a qualified solicitor, it will also prepare you for a variety of roles in the legal sector. Our careers team is here to support you both during and after the course and to give you guidance on all of the future career possibilities available to you.
Arden University is a member of the Campaign for Social Science.
The Campaign demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society, and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government. It is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.
As a member, Arden receives access to case studies, research into the value provided by social sciences, and insights into the employability of social science graduates. Through this, you will gain a better understanding of the skills you are learning and their value to employers.
