College of Legal Practice launch new GDL course from January 2024

The College of Legal Practice is delighted to announce a new law conversion course, a Graduate Diploma in Law Programme from January 2024. This programme meets the SQE entry requirements, opening up the profession to those without an undergraduate degree.

Students will receive a recognised Diploma qualification when they pass the programme’s final assessments. The College has Degree Awarding Powers (DAPS), as a registered Higher Education Institution complying with high quality standards of teaching, learning and student achievement. These DAPS mean that the College can award Masters and Diplomas at Level 6 and Level 7.

Additionally, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has also confirmed that the Graduate Diploma in Law programme is equivalent to an undergraduate degree for the purposes of the SQE entry requirements. This equivalence opens access to the SQE for those who haven’t completed a traditional undergraduate degree but have got some work experience, benefiting working professionals who are looking to become a solicitor.

“This important development is very meaningful for our law conversion students. The awarding of a Diploma recognises our GDL students’ hard work completing this programme and gives the programme and our supervisors the credibility that they deserve. The confirmation from the SRA to me of equivalence for the GDL to meet the SQE academic requirements, is excellent news. It means that non-graduates now have an open and focused SQE pathway to qualification. I am really delighted that we can offer this opportunity to working professionals and it fully aligns with our goal of increasing access to the solicitor profession” says Dr Giles Proctor, CEO of The College of Legal Practice

The College’s Graduate Diploma in Law programme is designed as the first step for non-law graduates to preparing for the SQE. The College recommends taking this programme if the student has a low level of knowledge of English and Welsh Law.

This Graduate Diploma in Law is shorter and more flexible that the majority of traditional GDLs being offered by other providers, and the College makes it very affordable with a course fee of £3,250, maintaining its commitment to helping students enter the profession by having access to affordable training. Unlike other current GDLs and equivalent conversion courses, the programme is specifically designed for the SQE, so introduces multiple-choice questions and offering a firm foundation in law for those looking to prepare for the SQE through either a standalone course or the College’s LLM in Legal Practice.

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Background on the Graduate Diploma in Law Programme

The Graduate Diploma in Law Programme is fully virtual and highly interactive. The programme is offered as a 20-week full-time or 40-week part-time programme, with courses running throughout the year. The team delivering the GDL are very experienced in teaching both the GDL, the LPC and for the SQE at a range of established English Universities. The course fee is £3,250 and can be paid in instalments.