If you are interested in becoming a solicitor you have to pass the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examinations (SQE), examinations administered by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The SQE is the centralised assessment for anyone who wants to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It is part of a new, four-stage route to becoming a solicitor, introduced in 2021. To qualify through the SQE route you'll need to:
*Some exemptions apply. Please visit the SRA website form further information on the SQE assessment exemptions.
The exam will cover foundational legal subjects such as tort, contract, and public (covered during your LLB), as well as functional legal knowledge subjects such as criminal litigation, wills and business law; there are several pathways to prepare for the exam.
As a Kent Law School student, you can convert your LLB into an Integrated Master's in Solicitors’ Practice qualification, adding a fourth year which will equip you with:
Joshua Hayes, MLaw
Eligible Courses:
If you are on a single or qualifying joint honours LLB programme, you can transfer to the integrated Master's, making your final award an MLaw rather than an LLB.
Costs
Stage 4 tuition fees for home students: see tuition fees website for the applicable home fee.
Funding
Being an integrated Master's, your undergraduate loan can be extended to cover the fourth year and cover your Master's qualification and SQE 1 preparation.
Please note that the above fee does not include the cost of sitting the SQE itself - see the Solicitors Regulation Authority website for the latest SQE fees. You should check with the student loan company to make sure that your funding will be extended (especially if you have previously repeated years of study).
International Students
If you are intending to qualify outside of England and Wales, you should contact the law society or bar council in the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice, to determine the professional compatibility/recognition of the MLaw, beyond its value as a Master’s degree.
If you are a Stage 1 or Stage 2 student, you may transfer to the MLaw at any time. Be aware though, that you will still need to meet the criteria above to progress into the MLaw year (if you do not then you will exit with your original award).
Compulsory modules in your MLaw year currently include the following:
You will be exposed to a combination of lectures and workshops delivered by a teaching team with experience of legal practice. There will be pre-recorded material including a 'talking head' series where practitioners provide exclusive insights into how the law that you learn is applied in practice.
Through diverse and timely assessments tailored to each course level, we aim to support the development and demonstration of legal knowledge, critical approaches, and both general and legal skills. Our progressive assessment approach builds and connects knowledge, providing constructive and timely feedback to enhance student learning throughout the course.
Do you have any question about the process or about Law - Integrated Master's in Solicitors' Practice? Feel free to get in touch!
