Unlock your potential: apply for the Advanced Professional and Communication Skills Certificate!

Boost your written and verbal communications skills through engaging workshops and hands-on experiences with this free certificate, designed for Taught Postgraduate Students in the School of Law.

Are you ready to elevate your academic and professional journey? Whether you're from a law or non-law background, the Advanced Professional and Communication Skills Certificate is designed to help you enhance your abilities through a comprehensive and engaging curriculum tailored specifically for Taught Postgraduate Students in the School of Law for the 2024/2025 academic year.

This voluntary, non-credit bearing, and free program focuses on five core skills: Organised and Effective Planning, Independent Critical Thinking, Confident Communication, Research Techniques, and Personal Effectiveness. Through a blend of asynchronous lessons, guided readings, podcasts, and interactive workshops, you'll develop essential transferable skills like time management, communication, and critical analysis.

Assessments will be based on how you reflect upon your learning development journey, including evaluating the success and challenges of applying pedagogical methods within your modules. You will also explore lessons learned that can be transferred into the legal workplace and beyond.

What professionals say about the certificate

Drawing from his extensive legal career, Henry Huang, Vice President at the Shanghai Bar Association and Partner at Grandall Law Firm, says:

I very much encourage the young students to take the PGT certificate course if they aim to become lawyers in the future. Learning how to plan, research, think and communicate professionally and effectively is key for young students. In my more than 25 years of legal professional experience, I find young lawyers with these qualities become outstanding and competitive in their work.

Challenging international students, Yongmei Chen, Director of International Economic Law Teaching and Research Section at Southwest University of Political Science and Law in China, expresses:

Since you chose to study at Leeds, I believe you have the will and courage to face a new atmosphere and the module of PGT Certificate in Advance Profession Skills is a good start to train your adaptation. Why not go to have a try to see what you can get from the module? Trying to train yourself how to find a problem like a researcher, trying to train yourself how to become a critical thinker, and trying to train yourself how to develop your communication skills. There is a saying that everyone is running their own race. No matter what race you choose to run, please start with ‘self’.

Student testimonials

Syndia Chemutai, a recent participant in the Advanced Professional and Communication Skills Certificate, shares this about her experience:

Delivered by great facilitators, the program seeks to improve the core skills of research, effective planning, critical thinking, and effective communication, which are all essential to excelling as a student, especially as a postgraduate student.

It examines a student's progress in developing particular skills, helps the student identify existing weaknesses, and suggests ways to improve the skills. The course allowed for deep personal skills beyond what you can get from a typical class environment. I recommend it to students because it is offered at a high cost outside the school. I found it interesting because of its mode of delivery.

It is very interactive, student-centred, and practical because you are required to set achievable goals whose progress can be tracked. For instance, you can use resources like the Law Skills Team and the Royal Literary Fund Fellowship to improve your research and writing skills and have a planner clearly indicating what needs to be done and when to improve effective organisation, among other things. The program aided me greatly during my master's and, undoubtedly, my career.

Similarly, Santiago Lopez Velarde Bolan, shares about his experience:

The Certificate in Advanced Professional Skills provided an invaluable opportunity to build connections with classmates and future colleagues. It enabled me to forge new friendships, expand my professional network, and gain deeper insight into how lawyers from diverse backgrounds approach both international and UK law. This experience enriched my understanding of the legal landscape and contributed to my career development.