C04236v2 Juris Doctor
Award(s): Juris Doctor (JD)UAC code: 941422 (Summer session), 942422 (FT) (Autumn semester), 942423 (PT) (Autumn semester), 945422 (FT) (Spring semester), 945423 (PT) (Spring semester)
CRICOS code: 060932C
Commonwealth supported place?: No
Load credit points: 144
Course EFTSL: 3
Location: City campus
Note(s)
Students admitted to the Juris Doctor before Summer session 2012 should refer to the course entry in the Spring 2011 handbook.
Overview
Career options
Admission requirements
Credit recognition
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Levels of award
Articulation with UTS courses
Transfer between UTS courses
Professional recognition
Other information
Overview
The Juris Doctor (JD) is a graduate law degree that builds on the established reputation of UTS: Law to provide high-calibre, graduate-level education in the theory and practice of the law. It is specifically designed for graduates of disciplines other than law. The Juris Doctor qualifies as an Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 master's degree. The flexible nature of the JD allows students to work while they study and to tailor their workload to suit professional and personal commitments.
The JD offers an alternative pathway to practise as a lawyer for graduates who have successfully completed a first degree. In a 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, but are not limited to, 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 must have completed a UTS recognised bachelor's degree, or an equivalent or higher qualification, or submitted other evidence of general and professional qualifications that demonstrates potential to pursue graduate studies.
For this course the equivalent qualification required is a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than law or a law qualification from an overseas jurisdiction. Admission is at the discretion of the associate dean (teaching and learning).
The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: Academic IELTS: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL: paper based: 550-583 overall with TWE of 4.5, internet based: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64; or CAE: 58-66
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International students
Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
Credit recognition
Bachelor of Laws or combined Bachelor of Laws (or equivalent) students who transfer 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 law studies. This equates to a maximum of 72 credit points.
Course duration and attendance
The standard course can be completed in three years of full-time or five years of part-time study. There are three intakes a year (in Summer, Autumn and Spring).
Students who commence in Summer session complete the introductory core law subject 70120 Legal Method and Research before the start of Autumn semester, thereby accelerating their progression and completing an essential introductory area of law before the commencement of their remaining academic program. Students may continue to accelerate their progression by undertaking up to 12 credit points in each Summer session.
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), and
- 42 credit points of law options.
Refer to the course entry in the UTS: Handbook 2011 for the pre-2012 course structure.
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 practical legal training (PLT), which UTS offers through its PLT program.
Course completion requirements
| STM90688 Core subjects | 102cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| CBK90858 Options (JD) | 24cp | |
| Total | 144cp |
Course diagram
Course program
Students in the standard full-time program enrol in between 24 and 26 credit points in Autumn and Spring semesters. The introductory core law subject, 70120 Legal Method and Research, and select core subjects may also be timetabled in Summer session.
Summer session is particularly suitable for students with work or personal commitments. Such students may choose to enrol in one less subject in each of Autumn and Spring semester and make it up by enrolling in up to two subjects (12 credit points) in Summer session.
Optional subjects are regularly timetabled but not all options are offered in any one semester. Optional subjects are timetabled subject to sufficient student interest.
The standard full-time and part-time programs are shown below.
| Full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70115 Perspectives on Law | 8cp | |
| 70120 Legal Method and Research | 6cp | |
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70218 Criminal Law | 8cp | |
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| 70417 Corporate Law | 8cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following options: | 6cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70327 Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70717 Evidence and Criminal Procedure | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following options: | 6cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 75420 Ethics and Professional Conduct | 6cp | |
| 75421 Civil Litigation | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following options: | 6cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Select 24 credit points from the following options: | 24cp | |
| CBK90858 Options (JD) | 24cp | |
| Part time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70115 Perspectives on Law | 8cp | |
| 70120 Legal Method and Research | 6cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70218 Criminal Law | 8cp | |
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| 70327 Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| 70417 Corporate Law | 8cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70717 Evidence and Criminal Procedure | 6cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| Select 12 credit points from the following options: | 12cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 75420 Ethics and Professional Conduct | 6cp | |
| 75421 Civil Litigation | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following options: | 6cp | |
| CBK90592 Options | 18cp | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| Select 8 credit points from the following options: | 8cp | |
| CBK90858 Options (JD) | 24cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Select 16 credit points from the following options: | 16cp | |
| CBK90858 Options (JD) | 24cp | |
Levels of award
The Juris Doctor may be awarded with honours. An additional year of study is not required. To qualify for honours, a student must complete 78102 LLM Project by Research within CBK90858 Options (JD). The rules governing the Juris Doctor with honours (current and pre-2012) can be found in postgraduate course information. See coursework research on the UTS: Law website for information on how to apply to enrol.
Articulation with UTS courses
Students who successfully complete the Juris Doctor at UTS and have completed 6 credit point Master of Laws (C04143) equivalent subjects within the Juris Doctor, may apply for these subjects to be credited towards the Master of Laws (C04143) or Doctor of Juridical Science (C02027), up to a maximum of 18 credit points. Such students have this credit applied towards, and must complete, the Options (CBK90419) choice block.
Transfer between UTS courses
Subjects undertaken within the Juris Doctor are recognised within the Master of Legal Studies (C04147) and the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies (C07074). Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor may apply to internally transfer to the master's or graduate diploma. Candidates are not awarded the Juris Doctor but subjects undertaken are applied towards the master's or graduate diploma.
Professional recognition
This course satisfies the requirements for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW, provided students undertake a PLT program, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Other information
Further information for future students is available from:
telephone +61 2 9514 3660
email law@uts.edu.au
Further information for current students is available from:
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS www.ask.uts.edu.au
