Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/Common Professional Examination (CPE) (2014 entry)

Dip (Grad), 1 year full time

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Subject overview

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Law at Sussex was ranked in the top 10 in the UK in The Sunday Times University Guide 2012, in the top 20 in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2013, and in the top 30 in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2014 and The Complete University Guide 2014. 

Law at Sussex was rated 16th in the UK for research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). 100 per cent of our research was rated as recognised internationally or higher, and over half rated as internationally excellent or higher. 

Law at Sussex offers specialist, research-led degrees in international criminal law, international trade law, international commercial law, international law, criminal law and criminal justice. 

Our interdisciplinary degrees are intellectually rigorous and explore law in its political, social, economic and cultural context, engaging with important issues of contemporary concern. 

We have a strong internationalist outlook, with an emphasis on research and the practical significance of study. 

Our degrees are taught by enthusiastic, expert faculty, committed to research and teaching excellence.

Law at Sussex attracts graduates from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds and equips them with the knowledge and skills for successful careers in their chosen fields. 

We offer a dynamic research environment for faculty and graduate students, and a thriving law community with students from around the world. 

Local firms of lawyers play a significant part in the life of the Sussex Law School, sponsoring some of its activities and employing a number of students on formal training contracts as well as less formal assignments. Partners in these firms judge part of the student mooting, negotiation and client-interviewing competitions. 

We have regular visits to local and London courts, as well as courts in France and the International Tribunals at The Hague. 

We place great emphasis on fostering a supportive environment for our postgraduate students. 

Specialist facilities

The University Library is a European Documentation Centre, and Library holdings in the fields of European law and international law are particularly strong. The University is a subscriber to LEXIS, Lawtel and Westlaw, the online data retrieval systems for law, through which significant libraries of UK, European, US and other international legal materials may be accessed. 

Programme outline

This degree enables graduates in disciplines other than law to obtain the legal qualification for admission to professional courses leading to the Bar Professional Training Course or the Legal Practice Course and subsequent qualification as a barrister or solicitor. 

Successful candidates will receive a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Sussex. The Diploma satisfies all the requirements of the Joint Academic Stage Board of the Bar and Solicitors Regulation Authority for completing the academic stage of professional legal training. 

Assessment 

Foundation modules are assessed by a combination of coursework, essay and unseen examination. 

We continue to develop and update our modules for 2014 entry to ensure you have the best student experience.In addition to the course structure below, you may find it helpful to refer to the 2012 modules tab.

This distinctive and stimulating full-time degree consists of the seven foundation subjects of law – contract, criminal law, equity, land law, law and policy of the EU, law of tort, and public (constitutional and administrative) law. 

For your eighth subject, you have the opportunity to explore a subject of your choice, drawn from the wide range of areas in which Sussex Law School can provide expert supervision, to produce a 6,000-8,000-word dissertation. 

All modules are taught by a combination of lectures and seminars delivered by Law faculty. 

Current modules

Please note that these are the core modules and options (subject to availability) for students starting in the academic year 2012.

Core modules

Back to module list

Criminal Law (GDL)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module includes: the elements of a crime: actus reus and mens rea, negligence and strict liability; the criminal liability of corporations and children; defences; accomplices; homicide; non-fatal offences against the person; sexual offences; theft and other property offences; inchoate offences. The module places the law within the framework of the Human Rights Act 1998 and some aspects of criminal law theory such as theories of punishment, why conduct should be criminalized and, where appropriate, deals with issues of procedure, evidence and sentencing that are relevant to the substantive law.

Dissertation (GDL)

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, year 1

This subject enables you to explore under supervision an area of law of your choice with view to completing a dissertation project.

Equity and Trusts (GDL)

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

This subject consists of two related parts: key principles and concepts of equity and equitable remedies; and the institution of the trust. The module aims to set Equity and Trusts in its social, economic and political contexts. You will consider the historical development of equity and the use of particular equitable remedies. We will look at the institution of the trust, it's formation and constitution, moving on to regard the idea of beneficial ownership. The nature of private and public purpose trusts and implied trusts is considered. Further, we look at the duties, responsibilities and rights of the personnel involved in a trust relationship; finally moving on to look at the liability for strangers to a trust. Within this framework, the basic principles and theoretical underpinnings of the subject will be analysed.

Introduction to English Legal System (GDL and Graduate Entry)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module will introduce you to the institutions, personnel and procedures of the English Legal System. The lectures will provide an outline of five broad areas: sources of law; statutory interpretation; case law and the system of precedent; the court structure and basic appeals procedure and legal personnel and legal services. It will provide you with the necessary research methodology and skills to successfully undertake independent research and assessment in the range of core subjects.

Land Law (GDL)

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

This module explores the legal rules determining what it means to own land and/or other rights that relate to land. Specific topics may include: the doctrines of estates and tenure; the meaning of land (fixtures); and the distinction between personal and property rights; the role of equity and the trust and the doctrine of proprietary estoppel; the contractual formalities for buying an interest or estate in land; acquiring ownership rights, including the rules of adverse possession; unregistered and registered title; mortgages; leases (and licences); co-ownership; trusts of Land; freehold covenants; and easements.

Law and Policy of the European Union (GDL)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module examines the law and policy of the EU, with an emphasis on its nature as a legal and constitutional order and its relationship to national legal systems. This module covers the institutions of the EU, the principles of individual and fundamental rights protection developed by the Court of Justice and introduces substantive policies of the EU, particularly the single market.

The Law of Contract (GDL)

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

This module explores the legal rules and principles related to the formation, enforcement and vitiation of contractual promises. In particular, you will consider ideas of offer and acceptance. You will study the legal doctrine of consideration and the equitable doctrine of promissory estoppel. You will consider rights of enforceability under the doctrine of privity and then go on to consider the classification and substance of particular terms in a contract, eg implied terms or exemption clauses. The module goes on to look at factors which may vitiate or void agreement, such as misrepresentation, mistake, frusration, duress and undue influence.

The Law of Tort (GDL)

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

In broad terms, tort is the area of civil law primarily concerned with providing a remedy to persons who have been wrongfully harmed by the conduct of others. You explore a number of the most important areas of tort law, for example negligence, nuisance, occupiers' liability, trespass to the person, defamation, liability for psychiatric harm, vicarious liability and employers' liability.

Public Law (GDL)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

The module will consider the nature and structure of the British constitution. It will address some of the core theoretical principles of the constitution and examine how those principles are applied in the institutional arrangements of government in the UK. The relationship between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government will be considered, and the allocation of power between them will be analysed in terms of both constitutional theory and political practice. You will also consider the extent to which state power is subject to control and restraint. The mechanisms that are used to control the exercises of state power will be examined; the principles of Judicial Review, as well as some alternative mechanisms for holding the institutions of the state to account, will be considered.

Back to module list

Entry requirements

UK entrance requirements

A first- or second-class undergraduate honours degree.

Overseas entrance requirements

Overseas qualifications

If your country is not listed below, please contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

CountryOverseas qualification
Australia Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class lower division
Brazil Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 7
Canada Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.0/4.0 (grade B)
China Bachelor degree from a leading university with overall mark of 65%-85% depending on your university
Cyprus Bachelor degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 6.5
France Licence with mention assez bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 12
Germany Bachelor degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.7 or better
Ghana Bachelor degree from a public university with second-class lower division
Greece Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 6.5
Hong Kong Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class lower division
India Bachelor degree from a leading institution with overall mark of at least 60% or equivalent
Iran Bachelor degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 14
Italy Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 100
Japan Bachelor degree from a leading university with a minumum of B or equivalent
Malaysia Bachelor degree with class 2 division 2
Mexico Licenciado with a final mark of at least 7
Nigeria Bachelor degree with second-class lower division or CGPA of at least 2.8/4.0
Pakistan Four-year bachelor degree, normally with a GPA of at least 3.3
Russia Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4
South Africa Bachelor (Honours) degree or Bachelor degree in Technology with an overall mark of at least 60%
Saudi Arabia Bachelor degree with an overall mark of at least 65% or CGPA 3.0/5.0 or equivalent
South Korea Bachelor degree from a leading university with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent
Spain Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4
Taiwan Bachelor degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university
Thailand Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 2.8/4.0 or equivalent
Turkey Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent depending on your university
United Arab Emirates Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent
USA Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university
Vietnam Masters degree with CGPA 3.0/4.0 or equivalent

If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas qualifications, contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the other sections. Internet TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.

For more information, refer to English language requirements.

Visas and immigration

Find out more about Visas and immigration.

Additional admissions information

Applications are made through the Central Applications Board and not direct to the University. The contact details for the Central Applications Board are PO Box 84, Guildford, Surrey GU31 1YX, UK; telephone +44 (0)1483 451080 or visit the Central Applications Board website.

Applicants with non-UK degrees require a Certificate of Academic Standing from the Joint Academic Studies Board before they can register on the course.

For more information about the admissions process at Sussex

For pre-application enquiries:

Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

For post-application enquiries:

Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk 

Fees and funding

Fees

Home UK/EU students: £7,8751
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £7,8752
Overseas students: £13,0003

1 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.

To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.

Funding

The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.

To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.

Chancellor's International Scholarship (2014)

Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 1 May 2014

25 scholarships of a 50% tuition fee waiver

Fulbright-Sussex University Award (2014)

Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 15 October 2013

Each year, one award is offered to a US citizen for the first year of a postgraduate degree in any field at the University of Sussex.

Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust for Postgraduate Study (2014)

Region: UK
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 1 October 2013

The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust are offering bursaries to Postgraduate students following any postgraduate degree courses in any subject.

Santander Scholarship (2014)

Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 1 May 2014

Two scholarships of £5000 fee waiver for students studying any postgraduate taught course.

Sussex ESRC 1+3 and +3 Scholarships (2014)

Region: UK, Europe (Non UK)
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 28 February 2014

Up to 22 1+3 and +3 awards across the social sciences

USA Friends Scholarships (2014)

Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 3 April 2014

Two scholarships of an amount equivalent to $10,000 are available to nationals or residents of the USA on a one year taught Master's degree course.

Faculty interests

Law at Sussex has active research groups in its primary research fields, exploring legal conceptualisations of responsibility, and issues of citizenship and governance. These groups meet regularly for the presentation of work in progress, as reading groups, to host external speakers and to plan the organisation of research seminars, workshops and conferences. The Centre for Responsibilities, Rights and the Law, located within the Sussex Law School, brings together researchers from across the University to facilitate and develop doctrinal, theoretical and empirical research into responsibilities, rights and the law nationally, in the EU and internationally. Research interests are briefly described below. Also visit Department of Law: Research. 

Professor Craig Barker International law and international relations, international immunities, international criminal law. 

Professor Jo Bridgeman Child and family law, healthcare law, feminist perspectives on law. 

Dr Qingxiu Bu Transnational corporate and finance law and regulation. 

Dr John Child Criminal law, especially criminal law theory. 

Dr Elizabeth Craig International human rights and comparative law, European minority rights law. 

Dr Mark Davies Professional liability, regulation and conduct; education and law; other areas of the law of tort. 

Paul Eden International law, commercial law. 

Dr Helena Howe Property law and intellectual property law. 

Dr Michael Kearney International law and international criminal law. 

Heather Keating Criminal law; family law, especially child law. 

Dr Tarik Kochi International security; war, terror and violence; legal and political theory. 

Laurence Koffman Sentencing and the penal system, criminal law and criminal justice. 

Dr Phoebe Li International trade law, WTO, health law, intellectual property, science and technology law. 

Craig Lind Gender and sexuality, child law, and family regulation across cultural divides. 

Professor Chris Marsden Media/entertainment law. 

Dr Donald McGillivray Domestic, comparative and EU environmental law and policy. 

Professor Sue Millns European public law, comparative law, human rights, law and gender. 

Dr Verona Ní Dhrisceoíl Minority rights. 

Professor Malcolm Ross State aids, public undertakings and public services. 

Professor Stephen Shute Criminal law and criminal procedure. 

Dr Charlotte Skeet Gender and human rights. 

Teresa Sutton Legal history, ecclesiastical law, land law. 

Professor Erika Szyszczak European competition law. 

Dr Kenny Veitch Critical and theoretical approaches to medical law, and health. 

Dr Richard Vogler Comparative criminal justice systems, criminal procedure, criminology. 

Dr Mark Walters Criminal law and criminal justice. 

Dr Jingchen Zhao Corporate governance, corporate social responsibility. 

Careers and profiles

This course is designed to prepare you for a career as a solicitor or barrister (subject to completion of the necessary further qualifications), or other professional legal careers. A law qualification can also open up opportunities for those who decide not to pursue a legal career. Graduate-level law skills may be useful for a range of other opportunities, for example business and finance, patent work, trading standards, the police force, probation service, advice work, and more. Some GDL students enjoy law so much that they remain in academia to read for Masters or research degrees. 

Sue's career perspective

Sue Warwick

‘I studied for the Common Professional Examination (CPE) in Law at Sussex with the aim of becoming a solicitor.

‘I chose Sussex because of its excellent reputation for preparing postgraduate students for a career in law. I’d completed my first degree 20 years previously and was somewhat apprehensive about returning to full-time study, but my fears were unfounded. During the first weeks of the programme I attended some very useful workshops, including one on legal academic writing and another on presentation skills. Throughout my degree, tutors were available to discuss any concerns or academic questions and to offer help and advice on how to structure my studies.

‘The programme content was both comprehensive and clearly structured, and knowledge gained through lectures and guided reading was enhanced and consolidated by tutorials. There were also opportunities to enter competitions for advocacy and client interviewing, both essential skills for lawyers.

‘After completing my studies at Sussex I enrolled at the College of Law to study the Legal Practice Course before beginning my training contract with one of the top 100 law firms DMH Stallard. I’m about to qualify as a solicitor within the firm’s Private Client Department, specialising in tax trusts and probate.’

Sue Warwick
Trainee Solicitor
DMH Stallard

For more information, visit Careers and alumni.

School and contacts

School of Law, Politics and Sociology

Engaging with key issues of contemporary concern, the School of Law, Politics and Sociology brings together academic units that are committed to excellence in teaching, and recognised nationally for research.

School of Law, Politics and Sociology,
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9SP, UK
T +44 (0)1273 678655
F +44 (0)1273 873162
E lps@sussex.ac.uk
Sussex Law School

Postgraduate Open Day 2013

4 December 2013, 1pm-4pm
Bramber House, University of Sussex

  • talk to academic faculty and current postgraduate students
  • subject talks and presentations on postgraduate study, research and funding
  • choose from our exciting range of taught Masters and research degrees
  • find out how postgraduate study can improve your career prospects
  • get details of our excellent funding schemes for taught postgraduate study.

To register your interest in attending, visit Postgraduate Open Day.

Can’t make it to our Postgraduate Open Day? You might be interested in attending one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions.

Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions

If you can’t make it to our Postgraduate Open Day, you’re welcome to attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions. These are held in the spring and summer terms and enable you to find out more about postgraduate study and the opportunities Sussex has to offer.

Visit Discover Postgraduate study to book your place.

Other ways to visit Sussex

We run weekly guided campus tours every Wednesday afternoon, year round. Book a place online at Visit us and Open Days.

You are also welcome to visit the University independently without any pre-arrangement.

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