PgDip Bar Practice at the University of Hertfordshire

PgDip Bar PracticeUniversity of Hertfordshire

Train for the Bar. Build the Skills to Practise with Confidence.

Develop the advocacy, legal knowledge and professional skills you need to progress towards Call to the Bar and a career as a barrister. The PgDip Bar Practice at the University of Hertfordshire is an intensive vocational programme designed to prepare you for professional practice through experiential learning, realistic casework and extensive skills training.

Apply Now →Download Brochure ↓

Programme Key Facts

  • Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip)

    Level

  • University of Hertfordshire

    Award

  • 1 Year

    Duration

  • Full-Time

    Study Mode

  • UH Hatfield Campus

    Location

  • September

    Intake

1

Future Careers

Prepare for Call to the Bar and professional practice.

The PgDip Bar Practice incorporates the vocational element of training required for eligibility to be Called to the Bar of England and Wales.

The programme focuses on developing both professional and personal skills that can support progression into the Bar as well as other legal and professional careers.

Possible Career Directions

  • Barrister, UK

  • Advocate & Solicitor, Malaysia

  • Civil Practice

  • Advocacy & Dispute Resolution

  • In-House Legal Roles

  • International Legal Departments

2

Why This Programme Matters

The Reality

  • Bar practice requires both legal knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge effectively in professional situations.
  • Barristers need strong advocacy, client communication, drafting, research and ethical decision-making skills.
  • Modern legal practice increasingly requires professionals to operate confidently in both face-to-face and digital environments.
  • Progression to pupillage is highly competitive, making practical experience and professional preparation especially important.

The PgDip Bar Practice is designed to develop the legal, personal and professional skills required for modern Bar practice.

The Professional Practice Advantage

Learning is built around realistic case papers. You will apply legal knowledge to practical scenarios, refine your professional skills and learn to approach cases in the way expected of practising barristers.

University of Hertfordshire students undertaking Bar practice training

Course Modules

  • Conference
  • Drafting
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Professional Ethics
  • Civil Litigation
  • Criminal Litigation, Evidence and Sentencing
  • Submission Advocacy
  • Opinion Writing and Legal Research
3

The Bar Training Experience

Work-related learning.

The programme is experiential, with a strong emphasis on practising, reflecting on and improving your professional skills.

  • Work-Related Learning

    Practise, reflect on and improve your professional skills through an experiential programme.

  • Advocacy Training

    Receive more than 40 hours of face-to-face advocacy training delivered by experts including Judges, Barristers and Solicitors.

  • Train in a Replica Crown Court

    Develop your advocacy in a full-scale, multi-million-pound replica Crown Courtroom equipped with modern technology.

  • Practise from Day One

    Begin Trial Advocacy exercises from the start of the module through practical courtroom sessions.

  • Review Your Performance

    Review regularly recorded skills practice to reflect on your performance and identify areas for improvement.

4

Real Legal Experience

Put your skills into practice in the community.

Hertfordshire Law School’s award-winning pro bono Law Clinic provides opportunities for practical, client-facing legal experience. Activities include supporting solicitors working with external charities, work connected with the Shelter Court Scheme, advising and representing litigants in person, attending HMP The Mount and supporting prisoners with parole applications.

Extend into the LLM

Students who progress to the LLM Bar Practice can undertake a dedicated 30-credit practice-based Law Clinic module, providing further real-world client experience.

5

Professional Development & Employability

Build your professional profile while you study.

The programme includes an extensive range of co-curricular and employability activities designed to support career development.

Professional Connections

Throughout the programme, students have opportunities to develop professional links through Hertfordshire Law School’s employability programme and wider connections with the legal profession.

6

Learn from the Profession

Learn from experienced legal practitioners.

Teaching is delivered by qualified legal professionals and academics with experience in both legal practice and legal education.

This practitioner-led approach helps place the course content within the context of real professional Bar practice.

7

Industry Partners

Connect with the legal profession from day one.

Your legal education at BAC goes beyond the classroom. Through our strong connections with leading law firms, professional bodies and the Inns of Court Malaysia, you gain valuable exposure to the people, institutions and networks shaping the legal profession.

These partnerships help you better understand legal practice, explore different career pathways, and develop the professional confidence to take your next step.

Industry Partners

  • Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors
  • Lavania & Balan Chambers
  • Messrs. Jamie Wong
  • Alvin John & Partners
  • Shearn Delamore & Co.
  • Richard Wee Chambers
  • Daljit Singh Partnership
  • Chooi & Company

Earn Microcredentials from the World's Best Universities & Global Tech Giants

  • IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate
  • Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate
  • AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
8

Career Outcomes

Develop skills for the Bar and wider legal careers.

The programme develops professional and personal skills that support progression into the Bar as well as other legal and professional careers.

Roles in Focus

9

Why the University of Hertfordshire?

  • Full-Scale Replica Crown Court

    Develop courtroom confidence in a professional simulation environment.

  • Real Client Experience

    Access practical legal opportunities through Hertfordshire Law School’s award-winning pro bono Law Clinic.

  • Professional Support & Enhancement

    Develop employability through professional networking, careers support and structured enhancement activities.

  • Experienced Legal Faculty

    Learn from Barristers, Solicitors, former Judges and academics with professional practice experience.

  • Strong Industry Links

    Build connections with Chambers, the Crown Prosecution Service and legal departments of international organisations.

  • Award-Winning Pro Bono Work

    Hertfordshire’s pro bono activity won Best Contribution by a Team of Students at the LawWorks Student Pro Bono Awards 2022.

  • Highly Rated Postgraduate Law Experience

    Hertfordshire states that Law was ranked 3rd overall in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024.

10

Entry Requirements

To be confirmed by BAC.

11

Tuition Fees

To be confirmed by BAC.

12

Speak to a Future Advisor

Ready to take the next step towards becoming a barrister?

Find out more about the University of Hertfordshire’s PgDip Bar Practice, entry requirements, fees, LLM progression route and application process.

Chat on WhatsAppBook A Consultation