Commercial Law
Graduate Diploma
Available to study anywhere in the world
The Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law is a qualification in its own right. It is designed to offer focused specialisation in aspects relevant to Commercial law.
It is suitable for students who are eligible for admission to the LLB but who do not wish to register for the full degree, or require a bridging qualification for entry into postgraduate study on, for example, the LLM.
Develop a critical awareness of the common law legal tradition and apply problem-solving skills to a range of legal and non-legal settings.
Study this programme at a teaching centre near you
You can receive local support from a local teaching centre, use the dropdown to find your nearest centre.
Programme details
Programme structure, modules and specification
You must complete four full modules to complete the diploma.
Key dates
How you study
Local teaching support
Our programmes are designed to be studied independently, but if you would like to attend classes, you can enrol at one of our approved teaching centres around the world and benefit from local study support and the facilities of a campus-style environment.
To receive teaching support, you must apply directly to an approved teaching centre. Teaching centres may set earlier deadlines than the programme deadlines listed above.
Study materials
We will send you study materials developed by academics from the Laws consortium. These include:
- Module guides.
- Statute books, provided for all modules where they are permitted in the examination.
Online support
When you register, we will give you access to your Student Portal. You can then access your University of London email account and other key resources:
- The Laws Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) enables access to programme materials, resources, and audio and video lectures.
- An Online Induction is available twice a year offering live Q&A sessions on the VLE, study skills, the Online Library and Level 4 modules.
- Discussion forums for each module, where you can share perspectives with fellow students from all over the world.
- The Online Library provides access to over 100 million academic electronic items comprising E-books, E-journals, conference proceedings, etc. In addition, students can request items which are not held in the library via the library's Inter-Library loans service with the British Library. Access more than 10 legal databases, including Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw and other valued materials.
- Senate House Library provides free reference access for all registered distance and flexible learning students.
- Lecture Plus: for some modules, you can view a recorded lecture and engage afterwards in a dedicated discussion forum.
- Practice exam questions: for some modules, you have an opportunity to receive feedback on how you are performing against the criteria applied by examiners.
Study events
- The London Study Support Event provides you with academic guidance from a University of London-approved tutor. Usually held in November, the event focuses on the core content of the first half of each module guide. Each day includes an overview of key topics, learning activities and guidance on planning your studies.
- The London Revision Event typically takes place in March and focuses on revision for your examinations. Each day includes an overview of core topics and guidance on what examiners are looking for in an examination answer.
Student support
We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students, regardless of which of our programmes you are studying and whether you are studying independently or with a teaching centre.
You will have access to support through:
- The Student Advice Centre – provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
- TalkCampus – a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.
Assessment
All modules for the Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law are assessed entirely by written examination. These are held in May/June and October at local examination centres around the world. You can sit a maximum of two modules in the October session.
Our examinations are set and marked by academics appointed as examiners. They reflect the same standards as those who study on-campus at the University of London Law Schools.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for this Graduate Diploma you must have one of the following:
- an acceptable Bachelor’s or Associate degree;
- an acceptable Master’s degree (or any other appropriately accredited Level 7 award) provided this is at least 1 year full time in duration;
- an acceptable Level 5 or Level 6 award (such as an HND or Graduate Certificate) provided this is at least 1 year full time in duration.
English Language requirements
You need to demonstrate a good level of English to be admitted to our programmes. We accept a range of evidence, including proficiency test scores. If you don’t have evidence but believe you can meet the standard, we may consider your case.
Do I meet the language requirements?
Computer requirements
We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Student Portal and it is vital that you can access this regularly. For this degree, you will also need Adobe Flash Player to view video material and a media player (such as VLC) to play video files.
Fees
The fees below relate to new students registering for the 2021-2022 session. These are subject to annual increases of up to 5% per annum.
Disclaimer: Currency conversion tool.
You pay as you progress rather than in a single payment. The indicative costs are a guide to what you would pay if you allow for average fee increases and complete your qualification within the minimum time (with no resits).
See the Programme Regulations for more details.
Additional Costs
You may also need to budget for:
- Textbooks (could extend to around £300 per year)
- tuition costs (if you choose to study at an approved local teaching centre) and
- examination centre fees, which are paid directly to the venues where you sit your examinations.
We accept most traditional payment methods, including debit/credit card, international money order, and Western Union.
Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.
Further information on Sales Tax.
Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees (if in doubt, please check with them before making a payment).
Further information about fee payment options can be found in the “How to pay your fees” link above.
Further study
Upon graduation, you will be able to use the Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law as a bridging qualification for entry into postgraduate study on, for example, the LLM.
What do employers think of our graduates?
In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before you register, even if you plan to receive support from a local teaching centre.
Academic leadership
The academic direction of the Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law is provided by a Consortium of outstanding University of London Law Schools: Birkbeck, King's, LSE, Queen Mary, SOAS and UCL.
Three of these (UCL, King’s and LSE) are ranked in the top 20 worldwide for Law (QS World University Rankings 2022) and in the UK's top ten (The Complete University Guide 2022).
Programme Deans
Simon Askey is Dean of Undergraduate Laws. Simon is responsible for the strategic direction of undergraduate programmes in law and the academic co-ordination of the assessment process and matters relating to student progression and performance. He began teaching law in 2001, with a primary focus on legal methods and legal skills, and he is co-author (with Ian McLeod) of Studying Law, which is in its fourth edition.
Patricia McKellar is Associate Dean of Undergraduate Laws. Patricia drives the learning, teaching and assessment strategy for e-learning technologies and interactive learning, supporting college-based academic staff to create distance learning resources and to implement technology enhanced learning in their modules. She oversees the extensive student support initiatives employed by the programme and promotes and develops student engagement. She presents at national and international conferences and has published articles on legal education. She was in legal practice for a number of years and, prior to her appointment at University of London, was a Senior Lecturer in Legal Practice at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law at the University of Strathclyde, where she developed a number of innovative e-learning initiatives.
Funding your study
Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London degree anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money. However, there are additional sources of support depending on where you live and how you choose to study.
UK-based students may be entitled to apply for an undergraduate Student Loan or the Sir John Cass Scholarship. Equally, some of our approved local teaching centres around the world offer discounts or scholarships for the face-to-face tuition they offer. (Check with your teaching centre for details.)
