Bar Training Course (Two-Part)

Undertaking this training in two separate parts gives you added flexibility. You can manage your financial commitment, as you pay the tuition fee to complete part one first then, if successful, decide whether to continue. You can also test your abilities before committing to it fully.

By undertaking and successfully completing the UWE Bristol Bar Training Course (BTC), you will develop, and be able to demonstrate, the competencies required to be called to the Bar, as set out by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).

Flexible and accessible modes of study

• Part one of the training is delivered one day a week (on a Friday), from August to December, providing opportunities for you to work or undertake pro bono activities alongside your studies, or to study around your family commitments
• Part two is delivered over two days a week (Thursday and Friday), from February to June. Applicants are welcomed to join part two of our course, if they have studied and passed part one at another institution.

Having successfully completed parts one and two, you will have the option to transfer onto our Bar Training Course (BTC), undertake extra options, project or dissertation modules, and graduate with an LLM. These modules are designed to reinforce your development as a reflective practitioner with responsibility for your own self-development.

Why study the Bar Training Course (Two-Part)?

The Bar Training Course provides the foundation to your career as a barrister. Part of the vocational stage of training for the Bar of England and Wales, it covers the advocacy skills, and detailed knowledge of the law, required to be able to confidently work with clients and present legal cases in court.

Why UWE Bristol?

Choosing to undertake your BTC (Two-Part) at UWE Bristol offers you the assurance of studying with a well-established education provider.

Part one of the two-part course is not delivered online, but in face-to-face workshops. With the exception of occasional online lectures, you will benefit from the same quality of face-to-face tuition as students undertaking our BTC.

You will be taught by highly experienced tutors, who are all qualified barristers or solicitors, and we will use substantial face-to-face teaching, feedback and formative assessments, to embed your learning, hone your skills and give you the strongest foundation for your legal career.

Choosing this mode of study also means you can test your abilities to study at this level in stages, before committing to the full fees and course. You will first study the part one knowledge subjects; at which point you can decide whether to continue with the course. Both parts are taught face to face, to maximise your potential to succeed.

We place a strong emphasis on personal and academic support, giving you regular contact with your personal tutor at all stages, to support you with the rigorous demands of the course, alongside access to extensive university-wide resources.

Our well-established links to the local and national Chambers and Bar also open the door to significant career-enhancing opportunities, such as competitions, mock pupillage interviews, career talks, guest lectures and pro bono work, all designed to help you gain maximum value from your training.

Where can it take me?

The BTC prepares you for a successful career as a barrister, giving you the necessary skills, knowledge and network to maximise your chances of securing pupillage.

Many of our graduates go on to work as barristers, while others take this sought-after qualification into careers as legal associates, managers or legal advisers, or into other sectors.

Holders of a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.5 out of 4 or 65% will be considered for postgraduate study.

Lower requirements may be considered where students have suitable work experience.

Holders of a master's degree are eligible to apply for PhD study.

Please note: where UWE Bristol has an academic agreement in place with an institution, greater flexibility in entry requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate courses may apply as outlined in those agreements.

You can choose to apply either by:

• clicking the 'apply now' button on the postgraduate course page, and completing the online form, or
• applying through one of our agents or representatives in your country or meeting a representative at one of our regional offices.

Postgraduate applications for January 2023 are now open. Applications for September 2023 will open in October.