卡迪夫大学

Overview

Our Pg Dip Bar Training Course is a skills-based, intensive full-time 10-month course designed to prepare a prospective Barrister for the period of work-based learning, known as pupillage. This programme enables you to acquire the skills, knowledge of procedure and evidence for you to meet the Bar Standards Board (BSB) criteria, as set out in their Professional Statement for Barristers. Our programme aims to foster a professional and ethical approach to practice as a barrister, whilst giving you an informed view of a barrister’s working life and the opportunity to reflect on the challenges facing the legal profession in today’s world. Our teaching is timetabled between Monday and Thursday (i.e. no more than four days), to provide time for personal study. You’ll have the opportunity to undertake the BSB centrally set assessments in December, April and August during the academic year you are enrolled as a student. On successful completion, you'll be eligible to be called to the Bar of England and Wales (subject to meeting the qualifying session requirement of your Inn of Court).

Course structure

The Bar Training Course is a one-year course studied over two semesters. All modules within this programme are compulsory and comprise knowledge areas, core skills, and an elective option. An attendance record is kept and 100% attendance at teaching sessions is expected. You will complete compulsory modules (that cover practice areas and course skills) and one elective option. Students are expected to attend all classes and timetabled activities but must attend a minimum of 80% of sessions to achieve a pass on the BTC. A student who falls below 80% attendance shall fail the BTC and/or may be required to withdraw from the course.

Learning and assessment

You will be taught through a mixture of large and small group sessions. Large groups take the form of lectures to all students. A significant number of large group sessions are pre-recorded and accessed online. Most teaching is delivered to small groups of up to 18 students, all advocacy and conferencing sessions are taught to groups of six students. The Bar Training assessments are designed to be fair, rigorous, realistic and provide sufficient depth and/or breadth of coverage of the skills and subjects assessed. Individual assessments will cover a representation of the outcomes in the particular subject or skills area. A practical emphasis will appear throughout.

Career prospects

After completion of the BTC, you will be able to be Called to the Bar and undertake pupillage. The BTC may also lead to legal work in some other capacity, e.g. paralegal, with the option of obtaining pupillage at a later date. You will have an opportunity to marshall with a Judge and/or undertake a mini-pupillage.