Overview
Application
Timetable
Attendance
Assessment
Subject exemptions
Deferment of enrolment

Overview

UTS was the first university to offer an accredited practical legal training program in Sydney. The PLT program gives students training in the key skills and transactions that form the essential base for legal practice.

Completion of a course in practical legal training is a requirement of the NSW Legal Practitioners Admission Board before admission as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Practical legal training can be undertaken in three courses at the UTS Faculty of Law.

1. The Graduate Certificate in Legal Practice is available to UTS Bachelor of Law students only and students must be concurrently enrolled in the UTS LLB.
2. The Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice is available to Bachelor of Laws graduates or holders of the LPAB/SAB Diploma qualification.
3. The Master of Law and Legal Practice is offered to students who have a Bachelor degree in an area other than law, who wish to attain a legal qualification. The UTS program in practical legal training is a compulsory component of the Master of Law and Legal Practice.

Application

Students should note that the number of places available is limited. However, all appropriately qualified persons are encouraged to submit an application. Applications are assessed by the Director of the Faculty's practical legal training program (or nominee), and UTS staff cannot speculate as to an applicant's likelihood of success.

A Postgraduate Coursework Application Form is available from the Law Information Office, the UTS Student Info & Admin Centre (refer here for location and contact details), or at:

www.uts.edu.au/study/postgrad.html

Coursework applicants may apply for admission at three stages.

Autumn semester (March–June)

Applications for Autumn semester close at the end of October each year. Applicants are notified about their application in December. Enrolment takes place in February.

Spring semester (July–November)

Applications for Spring semester close at the end of May each year. Applicants are notified about their application in June and are enrolled in July.

Timetable

The current timetable is on display on the noticeboard outside the Law Information Office (CM05B.3.03) and online at:

http://timetable.uts.edu.au

Attendance

The practical legal training courses can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time¹ basis and are offered on-campus in traditional weekly face-to-face classes or by distance in flexible learning mode.

• Autumn semester
  (1 March – 11 June)
• Spring semester
  (2 August – 12 November)

In most instances classes will be held at City campus, Haymarket. However, some classes may be held in the UTS Tower Building on Broadway (CB01). The class locations are not available until a few weeks before classes commence. Check the UTS timetable website or the noticeboard opposite the Law Information Office the week before classes commence.

Footnote:
1. Students who are neither permanent residents nor citizens of Australia cannot study on a part-time basis because of visa requirements.

Distance

Students enrolled in the distance course will receive written learning and reading guides and have access to the University's online conferencing system (UTSOnline). Students can work at their own pace, both individually and in groups, to the deadlines set out in the online subject outlines.

Because of the skills-based nature of the course, distance students must attend two compulsory Monday to Friday on-campus face-to-face schools. The first school takes place at the beginning of the course of study, for the Legal Skills and Professional Awareness subject, with the second at the conclusion of the course, for the Advocacy subject.

UTSOnline provides an interactive environment, in which students are encouraged to participate in online discussions. Assessment tasks range from the participation of online workshops to the production of practice files. All assessable documents can be submitted online making this a truely convenient off campus program.

Students must have access to a computer which can connect onto the Internet.

Assessment

While assessment varies from subject to subject, students may be required to do one or more of the following: final examinations, assignments, class participation, presentation of seminar papers.

Both on-campus and by distance students are expected to attend UTS for the final examinations. The UTS formal examinations are conducted over a three-week period immediately following the end of semester.

• Summer exams
  10–14 February
• Autumn semester exams
  16 June – 4 July
• Spring semester exams
  10–28 November

Assessment work

Written assessment work can be deposited in the assignment box on level 3 of the Faculty of Law (CM05B.3 – beside the Law Information Office) unless otherwise arranged with the lecturer. Note that Faculty policy dictates that written work received by fax or email will not be accepted.

While limited extensions of time to submit or present assessment are available on written request to the relevant subject coordinator under special circumstances, deadlines must be met to avoid automatic failure. All requests for extensions of time to submit assessment must be made well in advance of the deadlines set.

Results

Assessment results are on display at the Law Information Office approximately four to six weeks after the end of classes via:

• the web at www.uts.edu.au (under Assessment Notices (Results))

  or

• the IVR telephone system on 1300 656 887.

Practical Experience

The Practical Experience subject requires students to undertake 16 weeks of full-time, or equivalent part-time, work placement. The work placement must follow completion of the academic requirements of the practical legal training course. It is possible, however, to undertake one-half of this requirement (8weeks of practical experience) in the year prior to commencing the practical legal training course.

Subject exemptions

Students who are seeking exemptions should complete an Advanced Standing Application form, which is available from the Law Information Office or online at:

www.sau.uts.edu.au/current/forms.html

It is recommended that all students seeking an exemption should make an application at the point of application for admission into the course. Inquiries should be directed to the Law Information Office.

telephone (02) 9514 3444
fax (02) 9514 3400
email info@law.uts.edu.au

Deferment of enrolment

Deferment in the first semester of enrolment in postgraduate programs is not available at UTS. Offers of admission that are not accepted lapse on the date of enrolment. Applicants who do not accept an offer of admission should therefore reapply at the next intake.

Leave of absence

Students wishing to withdraw temporarily from a course must lodge an Application for Leave of Absence form. Leave of absence during candidature will not be granted for more than two years. Note that leave will not be granted for students who have not successfully completed at least one subject in their course.

A Leave of Absence form is available from the UTS Student Info & Admin Centre, the Faculty of Law, or can be downloaded from the web at:

www.sau.uts.edu.au/current/forms.html