The Student Room Group
Waterfront bar, King's College
King's College London
London

GDL or Reapply for a Law undergraduate study?

I am in my final year at King's College London studying international politics. I haven't been happy with my degree for a while and considering that i'm about to graduate with that worries me. I've been doing my research on the GDL and the results i found are quite contradictory and worrying, in a sense, it is not recognized as a legitimate law degree in London nor in other countries. I do not want to be restricted to London with a GDL when it has no valid recognition, i have read that with a year of LLB one can sit for the bar exam only in New York and even then it wont guarantee jobs since GDL is not very well known. So I am a bit confused at this stage as to what direct i should take. Law school int he US is extremely competitive and expensive. The GDL seems to come with the risk that it is not legitimized everywhere so investing in this endeavour seems unsafe. Also reapplying for an undergraduate degree in law feels like a big waste of time and money but at least guarantees one a proper degree in law that is recognized everywhere. Has anyone been in this situation before and can advise me on the different options? I feel as though there are so many negative aspects to each path
Reply 1
Original post by carmensaoud
I am in my final year at King's College London studying international politics. I haven't been happy with my degree for a while and considering that i'm about to graduate with that worries me. I've been doing my research on the GDL and the results i found are quite contradictory and worrying, in a sense, it is not recognized as a legitimate law degree in London nor in other countries. I do not want to be restricted to London with a GDL when it has no valid recognition, i have read that with a year of LLB one can sit for the bar exam only in New York and even then it wont guarantee jobs since GDL is not very well known. So I am a bit confused at this stage as to what direct i should take. Law school int he US is extremely competitive and expensive. The GDL seems to come with the risk that it is not legitimized everywhere so investing in this endeavour seems unsafe. Also reapplying for an undergraduate degree in law feels like a big waste of time and money but at least guarantees one a proper degree in law that is recognized everywhere. Has anyone been in this situation before and can advise me on the different options? I feel as though there are so many negative aspects to each path


The GDL is tough. People say it is the most difficult thing they've ever done - I'd say it's the most stressful thing I ever did. It also costs over £10,000 which you must pay for yourself.

Finish your current degree and do absolutely everything you can to get a 2:i if you intend to pursue Law because 2:i is the minimum grade needed by so many firms unless you have mitigating circumstances.

The GDL is most definitely legitimate. It is SRA approved, just like the LPC. You get more opportunities if you do it with say BPP or University of Law rather than the OU. GDL is technically to a higher standard than LLB (in some modules anyway), and is highly regarded in the profession.

The government will NOT fund you to do another Undergraduate degree, so if you leave the one you're on now, you'll end up running out of funding just to study in your first year of the LLB.

You want to go to the USA? Then you can do the GDL, then off to USA to do the JD. You can, if you study the GDL at the BPP, 'bump' it up to an LLB with a few extra weeks of study and a project. That would fulfil your LLB insecurities? Whoever said the GDL isn't legitimate is telling porky pies.

Finish your degree.
(edited 8 years ago)
Waterfront bar, King's College
King's College London
London
Thank you for the informative response, do you have any knowledge on prospects of working in the USA with a GDL and LPC degree? Also lets say i pursue with the GDL and LPC and end up working for a Law firm in the UK, how does the process go if i wanted to pursue my work in a different country?
Reply 3
Original post by carmensaoud
Thank you for the informative response, do you have any knowledge on prospects of working in the USA with a GDL and LPC degree? Also lets say i pursue with the GDL and LPC and end up working for a Law firm in the UK, how does the process go if i wanted to pursue my work in a different country?


Before you can go any further in law you need a 'qualifying law degree' - the UK provides the LLB, BA, GDL.

The LPC and BPTC are first steps in training for Solicitors and Barristers in UK jurisdiction respectively.

A friend of mine is going to practice Criminal Law in New York. GDL, then 'upgrade' to the graduate LLB with some extra studies, then to America to study there.

There are institutions in England that offer the American JD, obviously they're in London, but I don't know which ones. Though it would be pretty useless doing that if you might be practicing in the UK since we have a very different legal system.
Sorry for all the questions :smile: but when you said your friend if going to practice Criminal Law in New York. What did you mean by saying that he took the GDL and then LLB and then he went off to America to study there? He went to the US and basically studied law all over again which is a 3 year process? Why do the GDL then? or am i simply misunderstanding?
Reply 5
Original post by carmensaoud
Has anyone been in this situation before and can advise me on the different options?


If you're not sure what you want to do with your life - work, travel, or both and try to figure it out. You don't have to get a job in IR if that's not what you like.

Re: law, apart from the 3-yr LLB and GDL, another option is senior status/Graduate LLB. Requires an undergraduate degree of 2:1 or stronger. Gives you the LLB, but in two years. Smack dab between a GDL and a three year undergraduate course. Schools that offer it include but aren't limited to: Oxford, Queen Mary, Birmingham, Nottingham, York, SOAS, Exeter, Buckingham (not senior status but two years).
Yes I have looked into the SS LLB and the accelerated LLB, however I don't quite know what the difference between the two is. Do you know what the distinction is between the two? I think for me it is the fact that law is very regional is a bit off putting, I would have to accept the fact that I would be limited to England for a while
Reply 7
So things differ between universities but my understanding thus far is -

Buckingham has an accelerated degree, which you can complete in 2 years, but doesn't require an undergraduate degree. You will have one, which opens up the Senior Status and Graduate options to you - also two years, but requires a degree. Get that 2:1 though.

I agree with the regional aspect. That's why - I think - I'm not interested in practicing.


Original post by carmensaoud
Yes I have looked into the SS LLB and the accelerated LLB, however I don't quite know what the difference between the two is. Do you know what the distinction is between the two? I think for me it is the fact that law is very regional is a bit off putting, I would have to accept the fact that I would be limited to England for a while
Thank you for the quick response, yes I have to really think about whether or not to pursue law and if it is worth the money and time
Reply 9
Original post by Mimir

The GDL is tough. People say it is the most difficult thing they've ever done - I'd say it's the most stressful thing I ever did. It also costs over £10,000 which you must pay for yourself.

Finish your current degree and do absolutely everything you can to get a 2:i if you intend to pursue Law because 2:i is the minimum grade needed by so many firms unless you have mitigating circumstances.

The GDL is most definitely legitimate. It is SRA approved, just like the LPC. You get more opportunities if you do it with say BPP or University of Law rather than the OU. GDL is technically to a higher standard than LLB (in some modules anyway), and is highly regarded in the profession.

The government will NOT fund you to do another Undergraduate degree, so if you leave the one you're on now, you'll end up running out of funding just to study in your first year of the LLB.

You want to go to the USA? Then you can do the GDL, then off to USA to do the JD. You can, if you study the GDL at the BPP, 'bump' it up to an LLB with a few extra weeks of study and a project. That would fulfil your LLB insecurities? Whoever said the GDL isn't legitimate is telling porky pies.

Finish your degree.

Hey you write

"You want to go to the USA? Then you can do the GDL, then off to USA to do the JD. You can, if you study the GDL at the BPP, 'bump' it up to an LLB with a few extra weeks of study and a project. That would fulfil your LLB insecurities? Whoever said the GDL isn't legitimate is telling porky pies."


I have been also looking into this but could not find information about the BPP option of bumping GDL to LLB with extra study?

Is it something you are doing? or could you kindly direct to the link confirming this.

Thank you..
Reply 10
Original post by carmensaoud
I am in my final year at King's College London studying international politics. I haven't been happy with my degree for a while and considering that i'm about to graduate with that worries me. I've been doing my research on the GDL and the results i found are quite contradictory and worrying, in a sense, it is not recognized as a legitimate law degree in London nor in other countries. I do not want to be restricted to London with a GDL when it has no valid recognition, i have read that with a year of LLB one can sit for the bar exam only in New York and even then it wont guarantee jobs since GDL is not very well known. So I am a bit confused at this stage as to what direct i should take. Law school int he US is extremely competitive and expensive. The GDL seems to come with the risk that it is not legitimized everywhere so investing in this endeavour seems unsafe. Also reapplying for an undergraduate degree in law feels like a big waste of time and money but at least guarantees one a proper degree in law that is recognized everywhere. Has anyone been in this situation before and can advise me on the different options? I feel as though there are so many negative aspects to each path

I am in the same feeling about my degree. So I am glad you made this post.

Do you want to practice in the UK or the states? IF NY is the goal why do not save up for a JD.
Reply 11
Original post by Mimir
Before you can go any further in law you need a 'qualifying law degree' - the UK provides the LLB, BA, GDL.

The LPC and BPTC are first steps in training for Solicitors and Barristers in UK jurisdiction respectively.

A friend of mine is going to practice Criminal Law in New York. GDL, then 'upgrade' to the graduate LLB with some extra studies, then to America to study there.

There are institutions in England that offer the American JD, obviously they're in London, but I don't know which ones. Though it would be pretty useless doing that if you might be practicing in the UK since we have a very different legal system.

Hey Mirmir, :-)
you write "There are institutions in England that offer the American JD, obviously they're in London, but I don't know which ones. Though it would be pretty useless doing that if you might be practicing in the UK since we have a very different legal system."

I do not think there are any that offer American JD. because I have tried to find one.

Uni of york offers law conversion degree they call it "JD" which is 3 years. But it can only be used in the UK.
As it does not qualify to sit the bar in the US! it is just marketing.

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