Designed to be as flexible as possible to meet your needs, this course and all assessments are delivered entirely online with no live classes for you to attend.
This conversion course will help you on your journey into the legal profession if you do not have a first degree in law. Delivered through our Virtual Learning Environment, this qualification and our LLM Laws of England & Wales cover the key foundation subjects needed to complete the academic stage of your training to become a solicitor or barrister as required by the major professional bodies in law. As a student of Leeds Law School, you will be able to access a wide range of law textbooks online for free through Law Trove, a subscription-only service offered by Oxford University Press.
Changes to legal education and training
Legal education and training have been subject to a detailed review by professional regulators in the legal sector. The review has examined the routes to qualification as a solicitor or barrister.
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) no longer requires the study of a 'Qualifying Law Degree' (QLD), however, the study of what is referred to as the 'legal foundations of knowledge is still required before the vocational stage of bar training. All our undergraduate law degrees meet this requirement. The changes to the routes to qualification as a solicitor are due to be finalized in the summer of 2020, with the introduction of those changes provisionally from September 2021 onwards.
Applicants and prospective applicants are invited to find out more about the changes at our open days and applicant days. In addition, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) have issued a common protocol for guidance. This can be found by visiting the SRA web pages Solicitors Qualifying Examination and Common Protocol on the Academic Stage of training.
There are many universities offering a distance learning GDL and after extensive research I selected Leeds Beckett. It was my first ever experience of studying online, however, the university did not disappoint as the overall course was structured professionally and the emails and alerts from the course tutor kept me up to date. I had the luxury of studying from anywhere, however it never felt like I was just studying online because of the continuous interaction with classmates and tutors. Kamran Ilyas Raja; Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) (Distance Learning)
As a full-time employee it was extremely difficult for me to start a taught course in the UK mainly due to time constraints. However, the online GDL offered by Leeds Beckett University solved my problem. It gave me the opportunity to study in my own time with a flexible timetable whilst sticking with my professional assignments at work. On completion of my GDL I aim to undertake the LPC. Ramzan Ali, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) (Distance Learning).
You will learn using our Virtual Learning Environment, supported by academic staff with extensive teaching and legal experience. Choosing to study this flexible distance learning course enables you to fit your learning around your current lifestyle and commitments.
Leeds Law School regularly welcomes guest speakers in prominent legal positions and you will be able to access their lectures digitally if you are unable to attend on-campus. You will be able to hear from experts like Catherine Dixon, Chief Executive of The Law Society for England and Wales, discuss what the future might have in store for the solicitors' profession.
Our Careers Service is on hand to support you with all aspects of planning your career, including writing your CV, job applications and how to make the most of industry and graduate fairs.
Why study a Graduate Diploma in Law at Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Law School regularly welcomes guest speakers in prominent legal positions and you will be able to access their lectures digitally if you are unable to attend on-campus
Law Trove is an online service offered by Oxford University Press. This means all of our students will be able to access a wide range of law textbooks online and for free
Take inspiration from our high-profile ‘Law in Practice’ guest lectures – with previous speakers including Labour Party Leader, Sir Keir Starmer QC MP and human rights campaigner Baroness Shami Chakrabarti CBE PC
Our course is delivered by qualified lawyers with significant professional expertise and experience
