Middlesex University Dubai launches SQE Pathway degree  

Middlesex University Dubai is delighted to launch a brand new British Postgraduate Law degree programme for its September 2023 intake. Introduced in response to legal industry and employer demands, the landmark LLM Legal Practice (SQE Pathway) degree is specifically designed for UAE and international students who wish to qualify as solicitors in the England and Wales jurisdiction.

Along with gaining an advanced Master’s degree in Law, the one-year course enables students to simultaneously prepare for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examinations (SQE1 and SQE2), the compulsory qualifications for those wishing to qualify as England and Wales solicitors. The programme has been specifically structured to align with the SQE examination dates, allowing those who wish to sit these during their LLM programme to do so. This provides students with the opportunity to both obtain a Master’s degree and qualify as solicitors of England and Wales in just one year. Those who qualify in this jurisdiction are highly sought after by employers of law professionals around the world, including in the UAE.

Delivered in collaboration with The College of Legal Practice, a fully accredited UK higher education provider in the field of Law that specialises in the delivery of the SQE preparation courses, the University’s new LLM instills in each student a unique and deep understanding of legal practice, both in the UAE and across the globe. All SQE-related modules will be taught using the College of Legal Practice’s online learning environment, providing a hybrid, flexible and immersive education experience. The strategic and innovative course teaches students how to address complex legal issues both systematically and creatively and equips them with advanced knowledge in key areas of legal practice, such as International Arbitration and Litigation, Corporate Governance, and UAE and DIFC Employment Law.

With legal knowledge of the England and Wales jurisdiction highly coveted by employers in the UAE, as well as the key skills expected of legal practitioners such as advocacy, drafting, interviewing, and legal research, the new LLM will not only offer excellent career progression, but also advance the innovation and expertise of the dynamic legal sector in the country. The new programme therefore offers fantastic professional development for a range of fresh graduates and legal professionals, including UK LLB graduates and Law graduates from other jurisdictions, current paralegals, those working in the legal industry, and foreign qualified lawyers. Students beginning the LLM Legal Practice (SQE Pathway) degree in September 2023 are eligible to apply for exclusive Postgraduate grants.

Dr. Daphne Demetriou, campus programme coordinator – postgraduate law and politics and senior lecturer, Middlesex University Dubai, said, “It is my pleasure to introduce Middlesex University Dubai’s landmark LLM Legal Practice (SQE Pathway) degree. This exciting new programme opens up a much-needed pathway for those in the Middle East who want to qualify as England and Wales solicitors. After all, England and Wales is a much-coveted jurisdiction among employers in the UAE. We are confident that our graduates will gain many incredible employment opportunities within the region and go on to have immensely rewarding and successful careers in law. Middlesex University Dubai is proud to bring an innovative and forward-thinking approach to academia and training, collaborating with our strategic partners across the industry to enhance legal understanding, innovation, and expertise across the sector in the UAE and wider region. The hybrid learning techniques on the LLM Legal Practice have all been created alongside The College of Legal Practice, the vocational provider of SQE1 and SQE2 preparation, and it provides an effective way of making British higher education flexible and accessible to those across the Middle East.”