GDIPL Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies

Course Overview

Our Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies is an intensive one-year course for non-law graduates.

Housed in our historic Earlham Hall, UEA Law School provides you with an engaging, and student-focused learning environment, where our dedicated lecturers bring expertise in various legal fields, ensuring a rich and diverse educational experience. You will be welcomed into a collegiate community and will be part of a vibrant student body with an active law society.

During the year, you will study the foundation subjects and complete a research project. You will receive guidance and constructive feedback to help you to improve your work and develop important skills, such as research, writing, and constructing reasoned arguments.

You will also have many opportunities to build your practical skills, confidence, and enhance your professional CV through the School’s unique employability programme and extra-curricular activities such as mooting (“mock trials”), negotiation, client interviewing, and mediation.

Through this degree, you will acquire the skills and confidence you need to excel within or beyond the legal profession. Our careers events with law firms, barrister chambers, and alumni create great opportunities to network and discover your many options after graduation. You can also make a difference in the local community by volunteering with our award-winning UEA Law Clinic.

This course is open to

UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.

Typical International Entry Requirements

Degree classification

UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent

Degree Subject

Any subject except Law (if a UK degree).

Additional Entry Requirements

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) specifies eligibility requirements for the GDL. All applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet these eligibility requirements and are advised to consult the website prior to applying:

Bar Standards Board- https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Applicants who have studied in the UK/Republic of Ireland should normally hold a good first degree in any subject, excluding Law. Applicants who have studied outside of the UK should have the equivalent of a good first degree in any subject.

Please note that all students must attend the induction programme.

Special entry requirements

We welcome applications from students with non-standard degrees (i.e. a degree that is awarded without classification) or overseas degree holders of a standard equivalent to a 2:2. Such applicants must, however, note the following -

Applicants in this category wishing to qualify as a barrister

Any applicant who has a degree other than a UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate degree at 2:2 level or above and who wishes to qualify as a barrister will need to apply to the BSB for a Certificate of Academic Standing. This includes applicants with overseas undergraduate degrees and applicants with non-standard UK / Republic of Ireland Degrees. Details of the process are available on the BSB website. Although we do not make admission to the GDL conditional upon having a Certificate of Academic Standing, it is important to note that such candidates will not be able to use the GDL as a step towards qualifying for the Bar unless prior to admission to the GDL they have obtained the Certificate of Academic Standing from the BSB. It is their own responsibility to do this. Admission to the GDL does not imply either that the BSB's requirements as regards a Certificate of Academic Standing are met or that successful completion of the course will count towards qualification as a barrister if the student in question has not obtained a Certificate of Academic Standing as outlined above.

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):  

• IELTS: 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 in Reading/Writing and 5.5 in Listening/Speaking).

Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement. 

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:  

• Pre-sessional English at INTO UEA  

• Academic English at INTO UEA 

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.

Employability

A Law degree will enable you to develop a strong set of in demand transferable skills that can be applied to a wide variety of law and non-law related professions

Examples of careers that you could enter include:

• Legal Practice (solicitor, barrister, paralegal)
• Other law related careers (NGOs, international organisations, in-house compliance, legal researchers, police)
• Public Sector (Civil Service Fast Stream, local government, politics, education)
• Financial Services (tax, banking, insurance, investment, accountancy)
• Management and human resources (typically through graduate recruitment schemes)
• Media / journalism

Discover more on our Careers webpages.