C04236v3 Juris Doctor
Award(s): Juris Doctor (JD)UAC code: 940422 (FT) (Autumn semester, Spring semester, Summer session) , 940423 (PT) (Autumn semester, Spring semester, Summer session)
CRICOS code: 060932C
Commonwealth supported place?: No
Load credit points: 144
Course EFTSL: 3
Location: City campus
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
General and course-specific credit recognition information regarding the Juris Doctor is available at postgraduate course information.
Course duration and attendance
The standard course can be completed in three years of full-time or five-and-a-half 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 70102 Foundations of Law before the start of Autumn semester, thereby completing an essential introductory area of law before the commencement of their remaining academic program.
Course structure
The course comprises a total of 144 credit points. The study components for course completion are as follows:
- 108 credit points of compulsory core law subjects (15 subjects),
- 30 credit points of law options (five subjects), and
- a 6-credit-point legal theory option (one subject).
Refer to the course entry in the UTS: Handbook 2012 for the Juris Doctor v2 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), such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Course completion requirements
| STM90831 Core subjects (JD) | 108cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
| CBK90921 Options (Legal Theory PG) | 6cp | |
| Total | 144cp |
Course diagram
Course program
The introductory core law subject, 70102 Foundations of Law, and select core subjects may also be timetabled in Summer session.
Students in the standard full-time program enrol in between 24 and 26 credit points in Autumn and Spring semesters. 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 | ||
| 70102 Foundations of Law | 8cp | |
| 70103 Ethics Law and Justice | 6cp | |
| 70114 Criminal Law and Procedure | 8cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70327 Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| 70104 Civil Practice | 6cp | |
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| 71116 Remedies | 6cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70109 Evidence | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70106 Principles of Public International Law | 6cp | |
| 70107 Principles of Company Law | 8cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 78210 Law and Literature | 6cp | |
| 78235 Justice | 6cp | |
| 78236 Environmental Ethics | 6cp | |
| 78237 Geographies of Law | 6cp | |
| 78238 History and Theory of Intellectual Property | 6cp | |
| 78239 International Feminist Perspectives | 6cp | |
| 78240 Western Legal Theory | 6cp | |
| 78241 Reading the Law: Language, Power and Ideology | 6cp | |
| 78218 Animal Law and Policy in Australia | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Select 24 credit points from the following: | 24cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
| Part time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70102 Foundations of Law | 8cp | |
| 70103 Ethics Law and Justice | 6cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70114 Criminal Law and Procedure | 8cp | |
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70104 Civil Practice | 6cp | |
| 70327 Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| 71116 Remedies | 6cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70109 Evidence | 6cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| 70106 Principles of Public International Law | 6cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| 70107 Principles of Company Law | 8cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 78210 Law and Literature | 6cp | |
| 78235 Justice | 6cp | |
| 78236 Environmental Ethics | 6cp | |
| 78237 Geographies of Law | 6cp | |
| 78238 History and Theory of Intellectual Property | 6cp | |
| 78239 International Feminist Perspectives | 6cp | |
| 78240 Western Legal Theory | 6cp | |
| 78241 Reading the Law: Language, Power and Ideology | 6cp | |
| 78218 Animal Law and Policy in Australia | 6cp | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
| Year 6 | ||
| Autumn semester | ||
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90920 Options (JD) | 30cp | |
Levels of award
The Juris Doctor may be awarded with distinction. An additional year of study is not required. To qualify for distinction, a student must complete 77740 Research Paper within CBK90920 Options (JD). The rules governing the Juris Doctor with distinction can be found in postgraduate course information. See coursework research on the UTS: Law website for information on how to apply to enrol.
Refer to the honours entry in the UTS: Handbook 2014 for the pre-2015 honours rules and regulations for the Juris Doctor (C04236).
Articulation with UTS courses
Students who successfully complete the Juris Doctor at UTS and have completed Master of Laws (C04143) equivalent subjects within the Juris Doctor, may apply for these subjects to be credited towards the Master of Laws (C04143).
Transfer between UTS courses
Subjects undertaken within the Juris Doctor are recognised within the Master of Legal Studies (C04264) and the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies (C07122). 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)
Ask UTS www.ask.uts.edu.au
