Katie Scuoler asks veterans of the Graduate Diploma in Law for their tips on how to survive the course
The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) offers an avenue into the legal profession for non-law graduates. Sometimes referred to by its historical title of the Common Professional Exam (CPE), the GDL can be studied either as a one-year full-time course or a two-year part-time course. The GDL is an intensive foundation covering seven core areas of law, and with the addition of legal theory and skills modules, there is no escaping the fact that the GDL is a tough year. With the Central Application Board stating that students should allow 45 hours a week for lectures, tutorials, private study and research, the work load can come as shock to some students.
