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The Bar Vocational Course (usually termed the BVC) is a postgraduate course that is completed by those wishing to be called to the bar, i.e. to practice as a barrister in England and Wales. This vocational stage is the second of the three stages of legal education, the first being the academic stage and the third being the practical stage, i.e. pupillage. You cannot practice as a barrister unless you have completed this course.
Entry requirements
The entry requirements for the BVC is a qualifying law degree with no less than lower second class (2:2) honours, or a degree in another subject with no less than 2:2 honours in addition to a pass in the Graduate Diploma in Law or Common Professional Exam (CPE) (also known as a law conversion course.)
Course options
The course bridges the gap between academic study and the practical work of a barrister by teaching subjects with which a pupil barrister will need to be familiar. Core modules include: Advocacy, Drafting, Opinion Writing, Conferencing (client interviewing), Negotiation, Criminal Procedure and Evidence (including Sentencing), Civil Procedure and Evidence (including Remedies), Practical Legal Research, Case Analysis, Professional Ethics.
Optional modules vary between institutions but as a guide, those offered at Northumbria University in 2005-6 are:
- Criminal Practice,
- Civil Practice,
- Employment Practice,
- Family Practice,
- Landlord and Tenant,
- Professional Negligence and
- the Student Law Office.
Manchester Metropolitan University offer a similar choice of modules (subject to demand) in:
- Advanced Criminal Practice (ACP),
- Business Law and Corporate Finance,
- Chancery Practice,
- Child Law,
- Employment Law,
- European Competition Law,
- Family Law,
- Judicial Review,
- Personal Injury Litigation, and
- Sale of Goods Law.
Providers
There are 8 BVC providers in England, and 1 in Wales - at least one provider on every circuit.
| Institution | Location | Circuit | Approx. places | Approx. course fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPP Professional Education | London | South Eastern | tbc | £11,495 |
| BPP Professional Education | Leeds (from 2006) | North Eastern | tbc | tbc |
| UWE, Bristol | Bristol | Western | 120 FT | £8,095 |
| Cardiff Law School | Cardiff | Wales and Chester | 60 FT | £8,500 |
| The College of Law | London | South Eastern | 180 FT | £10,900 |
| Inns of Court School of Law | London | South Eastern | 575 FT, 75 PT | £11,635 FT, £5,818 PT |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | Manchester | Northern | 100 FT | £8,150 |
| Northumbria University | Newcastle upon Tyne | North Eastern | 80 FT | £8,500 |
| Nottingham Law School | Nottingham | Midland Circuit | 120 FT | £8,998 |
"Bar vocational course"