The average weekly workload on our full time Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) course is normally:
- One lecture per subject per week and one seminar per subject per fortnight
- Independent GDL study
- A series of formative and summative in-course assessments throughout the year
- An research project undertaken during the second part of the course
You should be aware that the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) full time courses are intensive and can demand up to 45 hours study per week.
GDL Course Materials & Study Aids
You will have access to excellent paper and on-line libraries to facilitate the research and independent study you will undertake on the GDL course. One core academic textbook per subject and the relevant statute books are provided within the GDL course fee.
Success at the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) course
Successful candidates are awarded a Diploma in Law with Distinction (First), Commendation (2.1) or Pass at the end of the year. You will undertake the following forms of assessment:
- A Pass / Fail test on Legal System and Method
- Continuous assessment via the in-course assessment programme and research project, approximately 40%
- End of year exams testing individual subjects, approximately 60%.
Teaching methods at Kaplan Law school
Our GDL qualification gives you a firm foundation of legal knowledge and an introduction to the legal skills you will need in any legal career. We encourage a questioning approach to ensure that the thinking behind the legal concepts is fully explained. Gaining the GDL qualification combines academic study with a practical focus. Our focus is on learning in small groups – our experience shows that is where you learn best. We recognise that learning seven new subjects from scratch is an arduous process and the way in which it is taught inevitably assists or hinders that process. The GDL course design combines a variety of teaching methods, emphasising areas of value to take into practice. Both Large and Small Group Sessions are designed to encourage interactive learning, where students learn by doing in small groups rather than by passive listening in old-style chalk and talk lectures.
Large Group Sessions
You will be in a small lecture cohort; this allows our lectures to be more interactive and for the lecturer to check your understanding. We aim to free lecturers from the traditional dictation approach by producing much of the core materials used in large group sessions in pre-printed handouts to ensure that the volume of work to be covered on the course is digestible. We can then explain important legal concepts in our lectures rather than simply drag you through the subject matter.
Small Group Sessions
Small group sessions consist of up to 14 students. Fortnightly small group sessions are designed to allow time for consolidation and analysis. The emphasis on small group work and sub-group work enables us to offer a student-centred approach to learning, with practical scenarios designed to encourage student activity rather than passive listening. Students get both the benefits of individual tuition and those of group support.
In-course assessment, feedback & GDL tutor support
Our continuous assessment methods test the ability of students to analyse, research and persuade as well as reinforcing the understanding of topics. We want to make sure that you are on track to do well in all your subjects and to help you if you fall behind through regular feedback and discussions with your tutors.
Oral Skills
Lawyers obviously need good debating and mooting skills. These are required informally throughout the course in tutorials and via informal moots (mock trials).and debating.
Find out more about our Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) entry requirements.