The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has launched Swansea Law School at its new SA1 location as part of a strategic initiative to advance legal education and create innovative pathways into law, criminology, and emergency services.
The School combines academic expertise, employer partnerships, and hands-on training, representing a major contribution to Wales’ justice and public service infrastructure.
Swansea Law School unites UWTSD’s established strengths, offering programmes shaped by employer input and real-world professional needs. This approach ensures graduates gain practical skills, sector awareness, and professional readiness for impactful careers.
Programmes include traditional LLB and LLM routes, criminology degrees aligned with Skills for Justice frameworks, and emergency services pathways such as the new BA Fire and Rescue Leadership, developed with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Students also benefit from immersive simulation rooms, advocacy practice spaces, crime-scene activities, and hands-on assessments that build confidence and professional capability.
Dr Bronwen Williams, Head of Swansea Law School, said:
“The launch of Swansea Law School marks an exciting new chapter for UWTSD. Our programmes are designed with industry and for industry, ensuring students receive outstanding academic and practical training while preparing to build meaningful careers within Wales’s legal and justice sectors.”
Professor Elwen Evans, KC, Vice-Chancellor of UWTSD, said:
“Swansea Law School reflects our commitment to developing skilled, confident professionals who will strengthen Wales’s legal, criminological, and public service sectors. By bringing these disciplines together, we are creating an ambitious, practice-focused centre of excellence that supports our communities and contributes significantly to Wales’s future workforce.”
The Swansea Law School launch also strengthens UWTSD’s commitment to widening access to legal and public service careers. By offering flexible routes, work-based learning options, and industry-accredited pathways, the university aims to support students from a wide range of backgrounds to enter professions that play a role in the resilience and wellbeing of Welsh communities.
Employer collaboration remains central to the School’s vision. Regular input from legal firms, public services, emergency response agencies, and criminal justice organisations ensures that programmes remain current, practice-aligned, and responsive to the evolving needs of the sector. These ongoing partnerships also create valuable opportunities for placements, mentoring, and live project work that bring learning to life.
Professor Gareth Davies, Dean of the Institute of Management and Health, added:
“As part of its long-term development, Swansea Law School will continue to explore new programme areas, including specialised postgraduate routes and enhanced work-based learning provision. Close working in development and delivery with employers, FE partners and sector bodies underpins teaching excellence, delivered by practitioners and academics. These future opportunities will further strengthen Wales’s workforce pipeline, ensuring graduates are well equipped to contribute to public service, economic growth, and the wider civic life of the nation.”
