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PGDL

Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) - (conversion)

Join the largest community of postgraduate law conversion students*.

Our Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) is a law conversion course that teaches you to think like a lawyer and prepare for the realities of life in legal practice. This course replaces our Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and provides the foundation for the pathway into practice for non-law graduates who want to progress onto the SQE1 Preparation Course, and our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) to qualify as a solicitor or the Bar Practice Course (BPC) to qualify as a barrister.

Our PGDL conversion course offers you a great chance to make the transition into legal study with excellent levels of support and guidance from our experienced, professional lecturers. Not only will you learn the academic law necessary for converting to law, but you will also focus on key skills and competencies crucial for your development as a lawyer.

*Central Applications Board (LawCAB) 2022

Female student on laptop SQE graphic

Key Facts

Entry requirements

An undergraduate degree at 2:2 or above in any discipline (or equivalent).

Course requirements ➔

Entry requirements

Next start date

September 2024

See all Start Dates

Study online

 

If you're looking for a more flexible approach to your studies, why not consider our online study option?

 

With one of the largest legal careers services in the UK, ULaw gives you the support and opportunities you need to make the best start in your legal career.

More law students have chosen The University of Law than any other UK university in 2022*.

*HESA 2021/22.

Prepare for your career as a solicitor or barrister: develop practical legal skills built around real-life case studies through small group workshops and problem-based learning.

Course Details

Postgraduate Diploma in Law (conversion)

If you’re looking to make the change into legal study and already have an undergraduate degree in another discipline then our PGDL is your pathway into legal practice.

In an increasingly competitive legal job market, many employers value the combination of a non-law undergraduate area of expertise combined with the solid grounding in core legal principles and legal skills. Through studying another degree subject, and building your career in another discipline, you will have gained many transferable skills. By choosing law at a later stage, you are showing motivation and determination to pursue a new career.

Why choose this PGDL conversion course?

  • Learn to think like a lawyer and develop practical legal skills through practical workshops and problem-based learning.
  • Be ready to progress your legal training – go on to study the SQE1 Preparation Course and develop the skills required to answer SQE1 style legal knowledge questions or progress onto our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) or Bar Practice Course (BPC).
  • Stand-alone Skills & Behaviours module – designed to focus on key skills and behaviours necessary for practice as a solicitor or barrister.
  • The Law of Organisations module focuses on company and partnership law- ideal preparation for your late studies and practice.
  • With one of the largest legal careers services in the UK, ULaw gives you the support and opportunities you need to make the best start in your legal career.
  • Taught by qualified lawyers, with lectures and practical workshops to develop your legal skills, so you’ll know what to expect in a real-life work environment.
  • Flexible study - We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different. That’s why we offer a wide range of study modes (full-time, part-time, on campus, online) across our courses to provide you with the greatest choice and flexibility you need to succeed in your studies. 
  • We have a vast network in the legal industry and deliver training to 91 of the top 100 law firms, with exclusive relationships with 61 of the top UK law firms and many of the most prestigious US firms. 

If you choose to progress onto study one of our SQE courses or BPC, you will also benefit from our excellent employment and pupillage rates:

  • 94% of postgraduate students in employment were in Highly Skilled Occupations 15 months after graduating (2019/20 Graduate Outcomes data). Contains HESA Data © HESA 2022 (www.hesa.ac.uk).
  • 96% of BPTC full-time UK graduates were in further study or employment, including pupillage, 15 months after graduating (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes data). Contains HESA Data: Copyright Jisc 2023

Want to progress on to solicitor training, but not sure if this course is right for you? Download our free guide, An SQE Course for Everyone, to find your path to becoming a solicitor.

Important Information

Progression for full-time PgDL and MA Law (Conversion) students

Due to the projected end date of our full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PgDL) and Master of Arts in Law (MA Law Conversion) courses, you may not be eligible to commence our Bar Practice Course (BPC)LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) or SQE1 Preparation Course in September 2024.

Find out more ➔

Please note: If you require a visa to study in the UK and wish to progress on to one of our on-campus vocational courses, please refer to our UK visa requirements page for information about applying for a Student Route visa.

Course Structure

The English Legal System & Constitutional Law (including EU Law) module requires 25 hours of pre-course study, through guided units with all materials provided online.

 

You will learn the essentials of the key foundation areas of law that align to the Solicitors Regulation Authority specification of Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) for the SQE. In each area, you will develop a practical and functional understanding of the foundations of English & Welsh Law, and core analytical and practical legal skills.

  • English Legal System and Constitutional Law (including EU Law) (15 credits)
  • Tort Law (15 credits)
  • Contract Law (15 credits)
  • Criminal Law (15 credits)
  • Administrative Law and Human Rights (15 credits)
  • Land Law (15 credits)
  • Equity & Trusts (15 credits)
  • Law of Organisations (15 credits)
  • Skills and Behaviours (non-credit-bearing)

This course develops the key intellectual and personal skills required by lawyers, alongside skills required to pass professional examinations for qualification as a solicitor or barrister.

In all modules there is a focus on combining knowledge and understanding of core areas of law with the ability to analyse, evaluate and form critical judgements about the law. Study is centred on practical activities that enable students to learn by doing. Workshops involve students completing further practice based tasks, including an application of Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) to Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs).

Alongside academic modules, students will engage in a Skills and Behaviours module, which allows you to recognise and develop key professional and personal attributes necessary to thrive as a lawyer in a work environment, and to manage your career.

SQE

What about the SQE?

The SQE is being phased in to become the new centralised way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales

Find out more

Course Start Dates

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Law
    • Full-time: Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Egham (Royal Holloway), Exeter, Hong Kong, Leeds, Liverpool, London Bloomsbury, London Moorgate, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Online (Hong Kong), Reading and Sheffield
    • Part-time: Hong Kong and Online (Hong Kong)
    • Part-time Evening: Hong Kong, London Bloomsbury and London Moorgate
    • Part-time Weekend: Birmingham, London Bloomsbury, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Law
    • Full-time: Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Egham (Royal Holloway), Exeter, Hong Kong, Leeds, Liverpool, London Bloomsbury, London Moorgate, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Online (Hong Kong), Reading and Sheffield
    • Part-time: Hong Kong, London Bloomsbury, Manchester, Newcastle and Online (Hong Kong)
    • Part-time Evening: Hong Kong and London Bloomsbury
    • Part-time Weekend: London Bloomsbury, Manchester and Newcastle

Online

Study Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) Online - (conversion) starting September 2024 or January 2025

Make an Enquiry

Course requirements

The course demands show you the requirements, prior knowledge and commitments our course will involve.

Find out more ➔

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Law Conversion Courses

Start your legal journey

We offer a number of law conversion courses, which offer you a pathway to progress onto become a solicitor or barrister.

View our law conversion guide to make the best choice for you and your career.

Law Conversion Guide ➔

Will non-law graduates on the SQE pathway be required to complete a conversion course?

study online

Study Online

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of a flexible study programme to fit around your other commitments together with the benefit of our expertise, experience and employability focus, why not consider our online study option?

Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) Online ➔

study online

Course Information

 

With so many options for how and where you can study the PGDL, you can be sure to find a start date and study option to suit your needs.

Calendar

 

All modules will incorporate 40% examination by Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs) to support any future progress onto SQE1 assessment.

The other 60% will vary according to the module. These will include:

  • online open book examination
  • coursework
  • oral presentation.
Student working from a text book

 

  • Each taught module comprises of workshops and incorporates streamed lectures or media.
  • Class contact time is combined with online tutorials, online Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs) and self-study from study manuals and online research.
  • The learning model is based around undertaking activities in the workshops (or equivalent online activities) to develop both knowledge and key skills.
  • The Skills and Behaviours module will comprise of workshops spread over all semesters.
Students studying

Employability We Set You Up For Success

We care about your career, which is why we offer support with job applications and other work experience opportunities as soon as you accept your place.

Discover more
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Fees and Applying

 

If you’d like to study full-time you can apply through CAB. For part-time study you can apply directly with us.

Student reading in library

 

2023/24 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2023)

London: £13,600

Outside London: £10,950

Hong Kong: HK$130,000

2024/25 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2024)

London: £14,300

Outside London: £11,500

Hong Kong: HK$142,150

 

See the fee schedule for the PGDL here.

Discounts:

We are offering a £500 Postgraduate Award to students studying at Newcastle University and a £1,000 Postgraduate Award to students studying at our Nottingham Campus. Dependant on start date. Terms and conditions apply.

If you’re a ULaw alumnus, you may be eligible to receive our £500 General Alumni Discount.

We also have a range of scholarships and bursaries available, which makes studying with us more affordable than ever.

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We have students from over 120 different countries throughout our campuses, with a dedicated team to help international students.

If you are an international student and are coming to the UK to study, then you must apply to the Home Office for a visa. In most cases you will need to obtain a Student Route visa. In order to apply for this visa you must be sponsored by an education provider which is licensed by the UK Home Office.

The Home Office has also introduced a Graduate Work visa which allows Graduates to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career in the UK for 2 years post completion of a UK degree. The Graduate route is an unsponsored visa, meaning students will not need a job offer to apply for this visa.

Please note that the University does not currently provide visa sponsorship to students for part-time study. We also cannot sponsor students for online courses due to Home Office regulations.

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