Undergraduate Personal Development Planning in the
School of Law
What is Personal Development Planning?
Put simply it is the process by which you
will review, reflect and plan in relation to
your personal and professional
development during your time at LJMU.
We’ll help you to gain learning skills,
personal insight, experience and
employment skills.
PDP helps you to get the best out of
university and gain the best opportunities
for employment. It is also required in
some form by most employers.
How will PDP help me?
The School of Law/LJMU PDP support
will help you to:
• become more independent, confident and
self-sufficient;
• help you to plan and evaluate potentially
useful work experience/voluntary work;
• improve the skills you will need to study
or prepare for employment and;
• help you to take control of your future.
FAQs
Is it important? Being at university is all about
getting a degree isn’t it? Well yes, but PDP can
help you to achieve what you are capable of.
There are thousands of graduates - this
could be what helps you to end up in a job
fit for a LJMU School of Law graduate.
Is there much work involved? I want to have a
good time! So do we! But if you are prepared
to put in a bit of effort, we’ll help you. It may
bring out more than you think now and
beyond your three years at LJMU.
st
1
year
October - personal
tutor support in
adjusting to university
nd
2
year
October - review 1st year
with personal tutor –
identify ways to improve
‘higher order’ research and
writing skills
rd
3
November – 2nd and 3rd
year guidance
November – Law Student
Community - consider
volunteering to be
mentor/1st year seminar
guide
year
October - seek personal
tutor support in
identifying potential
destinations next year.
Register for WoW Silver or
Gold?
November – Law Student
Community – volunteer to
be mentor/1st year
seminar guide
Adjust to studying
at university
December /January review performance so
far – study skills, self
efficacy – plan of action
in ILL ‘learning report’
Identify and develop
your ‘higher order’
academic skills
November/December identify career targets e.g.
complete WoW Bronze or
Silver, apply for training
contract, attend careers
sessions
Identify remaining
employment skills
development
opportunities –
WoW/GDC
October/November –
applications for PG study
or identify applications
process for places of work
Improve your
self-awareness
January-March - Adjust
study skills. Register
and complete WoW
Bronze – support from
personal tutor
Obtain guidance from
the ‘Law student
Community’
February/March identify voluntary
work/relevant work
experience for summer
Begin the process of
professional
development – WoW,
skills development and
potential careers
Seek experience –
voluntary work, workexperience and the Law
Student Community
October/ December –
identify career goals,
advice from personal
tutor?
October to March – fill
in gaps in CV through
work experience etc.
Easter or summer build up your CV relevant work or
voluntary work
experience
January – March –
identify skills in need
of development
Focus on academic
achievement
End of year – review 1st
year with personal
tutor, identify
strengths and
weaknesses for year 2
Identify and take
positive steps to chosen
career/further study
October to March – aim
to finalise development
of employability skills
– WoW certification
and GDC short-courses
February to May –
Focus on finals.
What PDP will I do in the 1st year?
Complete a PDP core module where you will:
• Learn about different styles of learning and
which suits you best in university;
• Meet with 2nd and 3rd years to get tips on
writing law essays and to find out how they
passed the 1st year;
• Complete a review of your 1st semester
performance and compare your experiences
with ‘self-awareness literature’. Then discuss
the outcomes with your personal tutor;
• Attend meetings with your personal tutor to
review your progress and plan for the future.
What PDP should I do in the second year?
An important year for PDP – don’t miss any
opportunities:
• Volunteer to be a School of Law
Hoodie/Mentor, deliver 1st year seminars;
• Seek voluntary work/work experience;
• Attend PDP meetings with your personal
tutor;
• Why not register at the GDC for the
Bronze/Silver stages of WoW and/or shortcourses?;
• Make PDP part of your studies - take one
of the professional development modules.
Do we still do PDP in the final year?
Yes, you need to look forward to getting a job or
going on the further study!
• Work with the GDC to identify destinations –
your personal tutor may be able to help;
• Evaluate your knowledge of your chosen career
path;
• Seek final skills development opportunities e.g.
Mock interview at GDC;
• Prepare a CV and have it evaluated at the GDC;
• Seek internal and external careers events;
• Seek further personal development through
contributing to the Law Student Community.
Simon Brooman: Learning and
Teaching Manager for the School of
Law