The GDL (or CPE) is your first step towards a successful legal career. Designed for non-law graduates, it equips you with the legal know how you need to train as a lawyer.

The course will help you think and act like a legal professional – you’ll study the core legal areas you need to complete the first stage of legal training.

Its thorough and rigorous, leaving you fully prepared for the next level of training as a solicitor (on the LPC) or barrister (on the BPTC).

It’s also flexible – you can choose to study full-time over a year, or part-time over two years.

If you want the challenges and rewards of a career in law but don’t have a law degree, this course is for you.

Your legal career starts here

Our GDL – the essentials:

- Perfect preparation: equips you with core legal knowledge for further training as a solicitor or barrister

- Balance of skills: You will learn the law itself and the skills to apply it in practice

- Ready for practice: Our Professional Skills and Practice module will help bridge the gap between the academic and professional

- Flexible study routes: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time. Part-time study is evening taught, two nights a week, leaving you time to pursue other commitments.

- Face-to-face tuition: almost all teaching takes place via tutorial and lecture

- Teaching expertise: Over 30 years experience of converting non-law graduates