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BPP cancels part-time GDL in Birmingham and Bristol

22 September 2011 | By Husnara Begum

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BPP Law School’s rapid growth plans have hit another stumbling block after it was forced to pull the plug on the part-time Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) course in both Birmingham and Bristol due to poor student demand.

The move comes just days before students were due start to the law conversion course. It is understood that BPP wrote to students earlier this month (September) informing them of its decision and offering the option to study the course at the law school’s Waterloo campus.

The letter, a copy of which has been seen by Lawyer2B.com, said: “We have reviewed our student figures for this location and they were lower than expected. Our programmes always run subject to minimum student numbers and we enforce this to maintain our high standards and the quality of the student experience. The decision has been made that this programme will no longer run.”

Earlier this year BPP decided to cancel its Legal Practice Course in Newcastle after only securing six students (Lawyer2B.com, 20 June 2011).

In a statement the BPP said: “More students opted for the full-time GDL than the part-time this year and as a result it was decided that the part-time programme would not be viable to run, in the interest of the students.”

Despite struggling to attract sufficient students onto its courses BPP is continuing with its expansionist strategy by extending the GDL in Dublin by giving distance learning students additional face-to-face lessons.

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Readers' comments (4)

  • Nigel Savage | 22-Sep-2011 3:47 pm

    This is further evidence that the car boot sale approach to legal education simply doesn't work.

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  • Gary Slapper | 22-Sep-2011 5:03 pm

    The homepage of BPP law school says to prospective students "You will have a party at the beginning of term". Not if BPP don't open the doors it you won't, even if you've bought a new party outfit.

    And who thought it was an intelligent idea to offer Bristol and Birmingham students a last minute option to move to London?

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  • Beth | 23-Sep-2011 1:46 pm

    One of the part-time options at BPP is occasional weekend sessions. While it wouldn't be a great commute from Bath or Bristol, it would certainly be do-able for most people.

    Of course, the London fees are higher and there would be travel and accommodation costs for these students, but they would not have to move to London permanently to take up a place on the part-time course.

    While one can't expect a provider to offer courses for which there is no demand, it's clear that BPP has expanded beyond the demand in the market and should re-think it's strategy.

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  • Francis E. | 23-Sep-2011 3:43 pm

    Car boot sale???!! Nige, is that different to the scrap heap that the the College of Law has ended up on, according to news reports, your top directors have all left. Bargain anyone??? if any law firm were to lose four heads of department in one year serious questions would be asked. ..........

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