Sussex Law School GDL | Graduate Diploma in Law | GDL | CPE

The University of Sussex is situated on a campus 4 miles outside of Brighton. It is a multi-cultural university with students from all over the globe. Sussex has been rated in the top 25 universities within the United Kingdom, and has recently been ranked the 7th best university for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey; it was also ranked the 4th best university for teaching within a Law school.

Although Sussex University is a campus, you do not miss out on anything that you would get from city living as Brighton is so close by. This enables you to enjoy both a relaxed campus lifestyle and the benefits of a city on your doorstep.

The Law School within Sussex is ever expanding and improving. Although it is only ranked 35th in the Guardians rankings for Law Schools, it is still well established and has a high level of teaching. There are a range of options you can chose when studying law at Sussex, whether single or joint honours in another subject such as American Studies or International relations.

The Law School belongs to the Sussex Institute, housed in Essex House on the top floor. This is where you will find your tutors offices and the law notice board. Although there is no individual law school, it doesn’t mean that there is a lack of facilities. Within the library there is a huge selection of resources available for use throughout your degree, whether that be law journals, text books, case books or even online databases containing any legal resources you need.

Throughout campus there are a large collection of computers available to use; these are generally located in the library and in the IT services building, although there are other ones available for use all over campus. There is also a book store on campus stocked in line with the reading list for each module you are studying.

The lectures and seminars are generally located in the Arts A building, Russell Building and Bramber house. All these rooms are well equipped for learning and gives you a pleasurable environment to learn in.

The law school has a huge staff base with around 30 people teaching and researching. As with all other providers, the Sussex GDL focuses on the seven core subjects; Tort law, Contract law, Public law, Land law, Criminal law, EU law and Equity & Trusts. You will also have to complete a separate independent research project on an area of law not studied above.

Another big attraction for spending your university years at Sussex, along with the very self-sufficient campus, is it’s proximity to the centre of Brighton. Brighton is a lively student town, with numerous clubs and bars to discover. During the week, students from Sussex and Brighton University head out into the town for various student promotions on offer.

With Brighton university close by, it gives added opportunities to make new friends and meet different people. Being a seaside town, the beach is also a wonderful place to chill out with friends. Brighton has so much to do whatever it is that you enjoy.

There are also a number of bands and artists that come to Brighton, usually playing in the Brighton Dome. The campus itself is fairly quiet, however, there are 2 bars on campus and there is a small club, open at the weekends.

Course fees for the Sussex GDL are capped at £5,870 for Home/EU students and £8,400 for international students. Law students, just like any others, have a financial burden to consider during their degree. Despite this, Brighton does provide a lot of work opportunities, especially tailored for students. The campus, as well, has many positions to offer, some of which are strictly reserved to law students. For example, the Lexis Nexis or Westlaw representatives or campus tour guides for the Law School’s open days.

Living costs in Brighton, despite the proximity to London are also student- tailored. Many bars, restaurants, clubs, shops and even hairdressers offer student discounts. Furthermore, since campus accommodation for first years is guaranteed, transport costs during that time are at a minimum.

And while rent seems extraordinarily high to a fresher, a quick glance at the real estate agency’s window shows that prices on campus are actually very competitive, especially when considering that they are inclusive of bills, light bulbs, toilet paper, on campus security and a very responsible landlord (the university).

There is an active social life at Sussex, whether that be within the Student Union, Sport teams, the Student law body (SLB) or any of the other societies on offer. When you arrive at Sussex, you will take part in freshers week, where events are laid on to keep you entertained.

There is usually a comedy night, a pub crawl and at the end of the week the Freshers ball is held. Throughout the year the Student Union hosts events, but the majority of events that go on throughout campus is down to the societies or sports clubs that you join.

The SLB is an active body, with elections each year for the different positions within the society. The SLB arrange various law events each year, such as the Christmas law dinner and Summer Ball, to law relating events giving you a chance to meet Solicitors and Barristers. There is also a trip to Amsterdam arranged around November.

Although this seems to be all fun and games, the SLB do organise Mooting events, negotiation competitions and a debating club. Mooting is particularly popular, with Sussex Law School often outperforming other universities in various national competitions.

There is a specialised careers advice office on campus, known by the students as CDEC. They are able to give you career advice and tell you about any work placement offered locally and nationally. They can also help you to improve your CV, offering guidance to ensure that your application is as successful as possible.

You also receive regular emails to your Sussex account, informing you of upcoming law events and work opportunities that you can apply for. There are also events held where guest speakers from local law firms come in and discuss with you how to apply for a legal placement.

CDEC is able to give you information about various options to further your legal career, whether this is through the above methods, or if you book a one-to-one meeting with an advisor.