WHY IS Graduate Diploma in Law also called common professional examination

The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) is also referred to as the Common Professional Examination (CPE) because it is a qualification that allows individuals with non-law degrees to convert their qualifications and pursue a legal career.

The term "Common Professional Examination" originated from the fact that it was initially designed as a standardized examination that would be common to all universities offering the GDL. This was done to ensure consistency and equivalency in the training and qualification of individuals seeking to enter the legal profession.

The GDL/CPE covers the foundational legal knowledge required for a legal career, including subjects such as contract law, criminal law, constitutional law, and tort law. It is a necessary step for those who hold a non-law degree but wish to proceed to the next stage of legal training, such as the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), in order to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in the UK, respectively.

Over time, the term "Common Professional Examination" has been less commonly used, and "Graduate Diploma in Law" has become the more widely recognized term for this qualification. However, both terms are still used interchangeably to refer to the same program