Depending on individual viewpoints, the LPC market has undergone either a revolution or an evolution over the past few years. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has given providers greater freedom to design and deliver LPC programmes which will both provide required learning and suit individual requirements. There are now more LPC providers, programmes, locations and attendance options than ever before. As a student, this brings the advantages of increased choice, but can make more difficult the final decision as to where, when and how to study. What hasn't changed is that the most important factor to consider is how best a course fits (or can be tailored to fit) your intended career path. In addition, family, financial and any existing work commitments may lead you to consider the location, mode of delivery and timetabling of the course. So, what is now on offer in the LPC market, and how can it best fit your requirements?

The question of 'fit'

The question of 'fit' is one that can be easily overlooked. The SRA prescribes the required LPC learning outcomes and the general course structure. Thus, you have to complete a compulsory Stage 1 - with the core subjects of business, litigation and property, plus legal skills and professional conduct - and then Stage 2, comprising three elective subjects. The latter is important in terms of fit: does the provider offer the subjects you might be interested in pursuing in your intended career?

However, you should also consider the approach taken by the provider to Stage 1. The SRA has stated that providers must provide 'an irreducible minimum' in terms of the core subjects and skills; they are then free, if they wish, to give a particular focus to their programmes. For example, The College of Law offers a choice of Stage 1 routes, where the core subjects and skills are studied with a view to practice in different areas: Corporate; Commercial and Private; and Legal Aid. BPP Law School's LPC has been developed with a small group of City firms, to reflect their practices. Other providers have balanced the core subjects to reflect the types of practice in their local region.

If you have a clear view of the type of practice that you would like to work in, then your learning and career prospects will be enhanced by studying on a programme which has been designed with that type of practice in mind. It is therefore worth spending time on researching programmes (don't be afraid to ask detailed questions of providers).

Methods of learning

Another aspect of 'fit' is the method (or methods) of learning offered by providers. The SRA has given LPC providers more freedom and flexibility in developing a range of learning opportunities for students. A number of providers now offer e-learning as an alternative to traditional learning formats such as lectures. Again, it's worth spending time thinking about what will suit you best and also finding out exactly what is on offer. Is the e-learning an integral part of the course, or simply an 'add-on' or 'alternative'? How easy is it to access and can you download it so that it becomes truly portable? In relation to the more traditional methods of learning, consider the length of workshops offered by providers. On the LPC, you will be undertaking practical, realistic tasks, of the type carried out by trainees in practice. These take time to learn and assimilate, so longer workshops provide a greater opportunity to do this at a manageable pace.

Flexibility

The options as to location, mode of delivery and timetabling of your LPC have been increased by the recent changes to the LPC. 'Flexibility' was a recurring theme of the SRA when redeveloping the LPC. There are two main aspects of flexibility to consider.

The first relates to a structural change made as part of the Solicitors Regulation Authority's LPC reforms. This introduced the option to no longer take the entire LPC with one provider.

Stage 1 comprises the core subjects of business, litigation and property, plus legal skills and professional conduct - this must be completed with one provider. In Stage 2, three elective subjects can be taken with the same provider, or with up to three different providers.

You will therefore see some providers offering the option to take parts of the LPC with them. The thinking behind this form of flexibility was that it could allow students to spread attendance and, potentially, cost.

The SRA has also proposed that students be allowed to commence training contracts before Stage 2 is complete - which could mean that Stage 2 could be studied in parallel with a training contract. The reality is that few, if any, students have split their LPC in this way, and that the preference of firms is to recruit students who have completed their entire LPC. From the point of view of providers, the view is that it is preferable to complete both stages of the LPC at one provider. This ensures consistency and continuity of learning and assessment.

Attendance modes

Assuming you take the recommended route of attending a single provider, the more important aspects of flexibility relate to location, mode of delivery and timetabling. There is a plethora of attendance modes available. These now include:

• full-time programmes, with some providers offering options on timetable patterns and accelerated courses; • a range of part-time options, offering weekend, evening or daytime attendance; and • blended learning programmes, combining physical attendance and online learning.

The latter will offer the greatest flexibility, but it will be important again to consider your personal learning preferences and the approach taken by the provider in question. Yes, you may have more freedom in combining study with personal and, in some cases, existing work commitments, but there will undoubtedly be a greater need to be organised and disciplined in your approach to studying. Also, examine the specific format of online learning and consider the quality of the supervision that will support it.

With both full and part-time programmes, both the SRA and providers are more than ever aware of both the necessity and appeal of offering a range of attendance and timetable patterns. Again, you need to carry out research to find out what lies behind a course title or description. How long are the attendance sessions, what is their frequency, on which days are they held, and what opportunities are there to either choose or tailor a particular timetable pattern?

Facilities and support

The SRA changes were designed so that the LPC would offer better opportunities for students to be trained appropriately for the commencement of a training contract. Some are lucky enough to have secured training contracts in advance of the LPC; however, for many, the LPC is a period in which study and the search for a training contract are combined. A final consideration is therefore: what facilities and support are available to assist you in your search? Does the provider have a dedicated legal careers service? What are their employability rates? What links do they have with firms, and do those firms approach the provider when searching for trainees? Can you continue to work with the careers service, should you need to, once you have completed the LPC?

So, the choice is yours. At the core is your intended choice of career and it is this which must determine your choice of LPC. Yes, it is a course that you have to pass; but it is also the most important year in preparing you for your future legal career.

Your choice must therefore be based on which programme you feel will best further your aspirations, in terms of the quality of learning opportunities provided and flexibility offered.

To maximise your choices, join the Future Lawyers Network. www.college-of-law.co.uk/futurelawyers