Graduate Diploma in Law (Part Time): University of Westminster

Introduction

The Graduate Diploma in Law (otherwise known as the Common Professional Examination or the CPE) is a postgraduate law course that can be taken by non-law graduates (graduates who have a degree in a discipline that is not law, or who do not have a qualifying law degree) wishing to qualify as either a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

The course is also open to international students who want to get a basic grounding in English Law.

The University of Westminster offers the GDL course on a full-time (daytime) and part-time (evenings) mode. All full-time applications must be submitted to the Central Applications Board. Part-time applications must be submitted directly to the University of Westminster. Please click here for further details of the application procedure.

The full-time course normally takes one year to complete and the part-time takes two years. Successful candidates can go on to study either the Legal Practice Course which will lead to qualification as a solicitor or the Bar Vocational Course which will lead to qualification as a barrister.

The GDL does not aim to cover everything contained in a three-year law degree. It seeks to develop knowledge of the core areas of law and the skills of legal analysis and research that are essential for success on the professional courses and in the early years of practice.

The School of Law has been successfully running the full-time GDL course since 1977 and the part-time course since 1993.

Course Content

The course starts with an induction fortnight during which the English Legal System is covered. Part-timers then study three subjects in the first year of study and four in the second year. The project is undertaken during the vacation between the first and second years.

Part-time Year 1 Subjects:

• English Legal System short course including Introduction to Legal Research
• Contract Law
• Law of Tort
• Public Law

Project: completed between first and second year

Part-time Year 1 Subjects:

• Criminal Law
• Land Law
• Equity & Trusts
• EU Law

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the GDL course, all applicants must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum 2:2 degree classification (other than an honorary degree) from a UK university or a recognised overseas institution which The Law Society considers to be an equivalent.
• All applicants holding a non-English language based qualification or who have not studied in the UK before are required to undertake the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.
• Applicants are required to obtain a minimum score of 7.0 for admissions onto the GDL Course. Please click here for further information on the IELTS course offered by The University of Westminster. Students who have obtained 6.5 are encouraged to visit the English Pre-sessional course website.
• Before starting the course, all applicants holding a non-UK degree must obtain a Certificate of Academic Standing from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (for intending solicitors) or the Bar Council (for intending barristers) confirming that the applicant is eligible to take the GDL. To obtain the Certificate of Academic Standing, please contact the Professional Competence Team at the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
• Students may submit an application for the GDL course prior to obtaining a Certificate of Academic Standing or IELTS. Where applicable, conditional offers are made to students subject to production of their original certification at enrolment in September.