C04236v1 Juris Doctor

Overview

The Juris Doctor (JD) is a graduate law degree that provides an option to incorporate both the academic and practical legal training requirements leading to admission to practise. This course builds on the established reputation of UTS: Law to provide high-calibre, graduate-level education in the theory and practice of the law. The flexible nature of the JD allows students to work while they study and to tailor their workload to suit professional and personal commitments. In a highly competitive marketplace, the JD provides students with the opportunity to undertake practical legal training (PLT) as an optional component of their course.

The JD offers an alternative pathway to practise as a lawyer for graduates who have successfully completed a first degree. In an increasingly globalised environment, the JD is internationally recognised as a graduate-level law qualification.

UTS: Law integrates flexible learning options, including day and night classes, block intensive classes and online learning.

Career options

Career options include lawyer within a private firm, government department or community law centre, regulatory affairs and policy adviser in the public or private sector or legal specialisation related to students' previous degree or enhanced career options within an existing professional sphere.

Admission requirements

Applicants require a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than law or a law qualification from an overseas jurisdiction. Completion of a bachelor's degree alone does not guarantee entry into this course. Admission is at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning).

Recognition of prior learning

Bachelor of Laws, or combined Bachelor of Laws (or equivalent) students, transferring (via UAC) from their undergraduate degree to the Juris Doctor, can receive credit for no more than half of the subjects within the Juris Doctor based on subjects completed within their undergraduate degree. This equates to a maximum of 72 credit points.

Course duration and attendance

The standard Juris Doctor can be completed in three years of full-time study or five years of part-time study. Candidates may require additional time to complete the course depending on when they complete their practical experience work placement.

The accelerated Juris Doctor can be completed in two years and one month of full-time study. Candidates may require additional time to complete the course depending on when they complete their practical experience work placement.

Course structure

The course comprises a total of 144 credit points. The study components for course completion are as follows:

• 102 credit points of compulsory core law subjects (14 subjects)
• 18 credit points of law options (three subjects), and
• either 24 credit points of PLT subjects (five subjects) or an additional 24 credit points of law options (four subjects).

Industrial training/professional practice

To practise as a lawyer in NSW, students need to successfully complete an accredited legal qualification and an accredited course of PLT, which UTS offers through its PLT program.

Course completion requirements

Course diagram

Course program

Students in the standard full-time program enrol in between 24 credit points to 28 credit points a semester.

Students in the accelerated program enrol in between 24 and 30 credit points a semester, plus a maximum of 12 credit points in Summer session. Due to the heavy academic workload, the accelerated Juris Doctor is not suitable for students in full-time employment.

Levels of award

To qualify for honours in the Juris Doctor, candidates must attain a minimum average mark of 80 per cent across all subjects attempted.

Professional recognition

This course satisfies the requirements for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW, provided students undertake the optional PLT in the final semesters.

Other information

Further information for future students is available from: