Information for students

Law courses are administered by UTS: Law. The information provided in this section is an introduction to the full range of information that is available and is not intended to be complete. Students are advised to visit UTS: Law and other UTS websites for more comprehensive information.

Location, contacts and inquiries

UTS: Law is located at City campus, Haymarket. Most academic and administrative staff are located in Building 5, City campus, Haymarket, although some staff are located at 645 Harris St, City campus, and at Kuring-gai campus, Lindfield.

CB05B
Building 5, block B
City campus, Haymarket
cnr Quay St and Ultimo Rd
Haymarket NSW 2000

UTS: Law reception

CB05B.3.03
Building 5, block B, level 3
City campus, Haymarket
cnr Quay St and Ultimo Rd
Haymarket NSW 2000
telephone +61 2 9514 3495
fax +61 2 9514 3400

Postal address

UTS: Law
University of Technology Sydney
PO Box 123
Broadway NSW 2007
Australia

Haymarket Student Centre (UTS Business School and Faculty of Law students)

The Student Centre provides general student administration information and advice and specific administration services for the students and staff. Services provided by the student centre include:

• subject and course information
• enrolment support
• study plan inquiries
• timetable inquiries
• credit recognition and subject substitution applications
• eRequests (for major and subject changes)
• leave of absence and concurrent study applications
• exam-related and academic progress applications
• progression and academic caution matters
• graduation-related matters.

Haymarket Student Centre
CB05C.1
Building 5, block C, level 1
City campus, Haymarket
cnr Quay St and Ultimo Rd
Haymarket NSW 2000
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
Ask UTS

Faculty structure

The UTS: Law executive is led by the dean and is supported by two associate deans and the faculty manager.

UTS: Law is governed by the Faculty Board in Law which consists of ex officio members, elected staff members and elected student members. The Faculty Board in Law meets quarterly and is the formal decision-making body of UTS: Law. A number of faculty committees report to the Faculty Board in Law.

The UTS: Law Advisory Board comprises faculty management and representatives from the legal profession, government and the community. The UTS: Law Advisory Board suggests and scrutinises proposed initiatives as well as offering strategic advice and an external focus for UTS: Law.

Faculty policies and procedures

Progression and acceleration

Students are expected to follow the standard course progression. Students may seek permission from the director (students) (by way of e-request) to enrol in subjects totalling more than 28 credit points a session if:

• there is no timetable clash
• maximum class size is not exceeded
• the student's academic record indicates that he or she is capable of performing satisfactorily with an increased workload, and
• the student can demonstrate that his or her work and other non-study commitments permit him or her to increase their workload without detriment to their studies.

UTS: Law cannot guarantee avoidance of timetable and/or examination clashes where students do not follow the standard course progression.

Timetable

The UTS Timetable Planner enables current and future UTS students to view subject timetables.

Class attendance

Study load and class attendance details are available in course duration and attendance in the general information section.

Guide to written communication

Essays and other written work should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines laid down in UTS: Law's Guide to Written Communication.

Unless advised otherwise by the lecturer, assignments must be typed and must also be properly written with due regard to spelling, punctuation, grammar and syntax.

Unless otherwise instructed by the subject coordinator, all written work should include footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography in the manner set out in the Guide to Written Communication.

Any piece of written work which does not comply with these requirements may be:

• required to be rewritten in proper form
• penalised in marks, or
• rejected without assessment.

Assessment

Lodgement of assignments

Students who are handing in written work must submit it, with an assignment coversheet attached, in accordance with the subject coordinator's directions. Assignments coversheets must include the completed and signed Academic Honesty Declaration.

Students are required to retain a copy of all assignments submitted.

If submission is required in hard copy, the assignment box is located adjacent to the UTS: Law reception (Building 5, block B, level 3). The box is cleared every business day at 6pm during faculty teaching weeks and at 5pm during faculty non-teaching weeks and Summer session. Before formal submission, a subject coordinator may request that the assignment be submitted through Turnitin and a copy of the Turnitin report be attached to the written work.

If submitted online, a subject coordinator may require the work to be submitted through Turnitin.

Assignments submitted by fax or email are not accepted by UTS: Law, unless otherwise arranged with the subject coordinator.

Late work

Any assessment task submitted after 6pm during faculty teaching weeks, or 5pm during faculty non-teaching weeks and Summer session, on the due date of submission will either be rejected without assessment (where the subject outline states that this will be the consequence of an assessment task being submitted after the due time on the due date) or penalised by way of loss of marks unless an extension has been sought and approved by the subject coordinator or a submission made by the academic liaison officer on behalf of a special needs student through a request for extension or application for special consideration.

In the absence of compelling circumstances, no application for a request for extension will be accepted after the due date.

Insofar as there is to be a penalty by way of loss of marks, five per cent of marks for the assessment task will be deducted per day for assessment tasks submitted after the due date. Submission will not be accepted after assessment tasks have been returned to other students.

Academic misconduct

Where individual work is required for the purposes of assessment, the copying, unacknowledged use of, or reliance on the work of other individuals without acknowledgment is considered to be cheating/misconduct. The penalties imposed for cheating/misconduct or allowing work to be plagiarised are severe under the University Rules and regulations.

Plagiarism is one of the most serious crimes in the academic community. It indicates an attempt by someone to pass off the words and/or ideas of another as their own. To take any but a few sequential words of another without acknowledgment is plagiarism and tantamount to cheating.

Experience shows that one of the most common ways for plagiarism to occur is when students work together. It is acknowledged by the academic staff that study groups are an efficient and beneficial method of learning but problems arise when it is extended into the assessment process. UTS: Law expects, in fact demands, that all assignments submitted be the work of the person who is credited with the mark. It can be an extremely fine line between discussion of an essay topic with another, and collaboration, but where comparisons of various students' work indicate collaboration this is taken to be plagiarism.

Acts of plagiarism are penalised.

Student facilities

UTS: Law library

The library aims to support the teaching, learning and research needs of students and staff at UTS: Law. The law collection consists of print and electronic sources while training and research assistance can be provided.

For information or assistance contact the UTS: Business and Law library team.

Computer labs

ITD provides computer laboratories for UTS students on all campuses.

Law Students' Society (LSS)

The UTS Law Students' Society (LSS) is an independent, student-run organisation that has been improving the law school experience for over 35 years. As a non-profit entity and the largest society at the University, the UTS LSS uses its resources to cater to the needs of law students. It provides a wealth of initiatives that operate to benefit members and enrich the community. Whether it be providing quality mentoring and networking opportunities, organising fierce competitions, providing volunteer experiences or hosting social events on campus, the UTS LSS addresses students' UTS:Law School experience. The LSS operates under five key areas.

1. Education

This portfolio is focused on developing educational engagement and support, connecting members with external speakers and mentors, providing quality publications and raising awareness of mental health and supporting student wellbeing. Initiatives and events include Peer Mentoring, the Buddy Project, Speaker Series, Smile Week and the official academic journal of the UTS LSS, The Full Bench. The UTS LSS also facilitates professional mentoring programs which allow high achieving students to be paired with a mentor at a leading commercial law firm or an experienced advocate.

2. Activities

Although the academic rigours of law are very rewarding, when combined with late nights studying and part-time employment, it is important to have an outlet socialising and keeping a work/life balance. With this in mind, the UTS LSS offers a variety of activities. In a typical calendar year, the UTS LSS organises an orientation camp for first-year undergraduate and postgraduate law students, first-year drinks, cruise, ball, end of and start of teaching session parties, outdoor cinema, boot camp, and an intervarsity sports day. They also organise a number of postgraduate exclusive events aimed solely at enriching the experience of postgraduate students.

3. Competitions

Getting involved as a competitor, judge or volunteer with one of the seven legal competitions the UTS LSS runs is a way to meet new people, develop legal skills and improve employability. The UTS LSS runs the Mooting, Witness Examination, Client Interviewing, Negotiation, Mediation, Advice Writing and Paper Presentation competitions.

4. Careers

One of the most important roles of the UTS LSS is to ensure students are aware of career options. The UTS LSS hosts the Clerkship Seminar Series, a Clerkship Networking Evening, a Beyond Corporate Careers Panel Evening, and many other careers events and programs aimed at developing members’ awareness, exposure and competencies. The UTS LSS also releases a number of guides throughout the year targeting clerkships, corporate careers, beyond corporate careers and graduate programs.

5. Social justice

This portfolio is a proud feature of the organisation and matches the commitment of UTS: Law to social justice. An important part of this is the joint partnership between the UTS LSS and UTS: Law in administering the Brennan Justice and Leadership program. UTS LSS offers many social justice events for accreditation towards the program. The UTS LSS also manages a number of schemes aimed at addressing the issue of textbook affordability, including the Textbook Equity Scheme where financially disadvantaged students can borrow core law textbooks for free, and the Textbook Rental Scheme. They also organise the Justice Action Committee (JAC), and have a strong charitable focus, donating to several different charities throughout the year at a number of events, including the Colour Run, City2Surf and the Homelessness Clothes Drive.

Health and wellbeing

The UTS LSS has been expanding its commitment to health and wellbeing over the past few years and now positions these outcomes at the forefront of what it does. From hosting seminars on matters of mental health, running boot camps and organising puppy days, smoothie breakfasts and yoga sessions in the lead-up to exams, the LSS is passionate about supporting the mental and physical health of all law students.

Location and contact details

A list of council members and their contact details is posted on the UTS LSS website. Alternatively, students can make initial contact with the UTS LSS by emailing the president.

UTS Law Students' Society
c/o Faculty of Law
PO Box 123
Broadway NSW 2007

CB05A.1.08
Building 5, block A, level 1, room 8
City campus, Haymarket
cnr Quay St and Ultimo Rd
Haymarket NSW 2000

telephone +61 2 9514 3448
fax +61 2 9514 3427
email president@utslss.com

UTS Law research

UTS Law research is defined by excellence and leadership in legal scholarship, making a critical contribution to understanding and teaching the discipline, shaping policy and lawmaking, and positively informing public debate. Areas of legal research where teams of researchers work together to meet these goals include:

• law, health, justice
• law and history
• criminal law and criminology
• feminist legal research
• international law and human rights
• China law research
• private law
• corporate law
• legal education.

AustLII

UTS Law is home to the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII), which provides a unique legal research infrastructure for the Faculty. AustLII is committed to creating open access to legal knowledge through its research and related activities and has been in operation for 20 years.

Anti-Slavery Australia

Anti-Slavery Australia is an award winning centre of the Faculty of Law and the only university-based legal, research and policy centre in Australia focused on human slavery, trafficking, forced labour, forced marriage and extreme labour exploitation. The centre develops leading research, advocates for key policy changes and law reform and delivers face-to-face and online training to frontline staff, students and organisations nationally. Anti-Slavery Australia also provides access to legal advice and representation for survivors of slavery, trafficking and extreme exploitation; and works with law students on a range of social justice initiatives.

Industrial training/professional practice

Admission to legal practice in Australia

Admission to the Supreme Court of NSW to practise as a lawyer in New South Wales is based upon the successful completion of an accredited academic legal qualification and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT).

The UTS Bachelor of Laws (C10124) (LLB) and Juris Doctor (C04236) (JD) are accredited academic legal qualifications.

Practical legal training

The Faculty of Law's PLT program is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board of the Supreme Court of NSW (LPAB). UTS: Law was the first to offer an accredited PLT program in Sydney at a university level. The program comprises subjects which satisfy the competencies required by the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 and a practical experience work placement.

Further details regarding the structure of the PLT program can be obtained from UTS: Law.

International law graduates

Students who have been admitted to practise as a lawyer in a country outside Australia should have their legal qualification assessed by the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB).

UTS: Law offers two courses to allow lawyers from a common law background to meet the LPAB requirements to practise law in Australia. Depending on the number of subjects required by the LPAB, candidates need to complete one of the following courses:

• Graduate Certificate in Australian Law (C11211) requires the completion of four set subjects (30 credit points) and subject substitution is available for one subject only where it is approved. This course particularly suits lawyers from Canada, USA and the UK.
• Graduate Diploma in Australian Law (C07073) is designed specifically to meet the requirements of the LPAB assessment. The course is designed for subject choices to be tailored to meet the needs of individual students in line with the LPAB requirements.

Students from a non-common law background may be required to enrol in the Juris Doctor (C04236), depending on the number of subjects required by the LPAB.

International lawyers who have received LPAB assessment of their law qualification and would like to receive a study plan which best suits their needs from courses offered by UTS: Law are invited to send a scanned copy of the assessment to the Haymarket Student Centre via Ask UTS.

Application and admission

International candidates who wish to enrol in one of the above courses can find information about the application process and due dates for application at Applying to UTS.

Information about fees for international students is available at International student tuition fees.

Local students lodge applications via UAC.

Admission to postgraduate law courses is available twice a year in Autumn and Spring sessions.

Law postgraduate information sessions

UTS: Law holds a series of postgraduate information sessions that provides a good opportunity for prospective students to:

• receive further information about postgraduate courses
• seek advice from senior academic and administrative staff
• submit a direct application for postgraduate coursework study at UTS: Law.

Sessions are held throughout the year. Information and registration are available from UTS: Law.

Cross-disciplinary subjects

UTS: Law offers a range of cross-disciplinary law subjects — studies in various strands of the law for students not undertaking a law qualification but who wish to become familiar with the law as it affects their chosen profession. Through its cross-disciplinary program, UTS: Law offers subjects for students in the UTS Business School; UTS: Engineering and Information Technology; UTS: Health; and UTS: Science.

Cross-disciplinary students enrol in UTS: Law subjects through their home faculty and any inquiries should be made in the first instance to the UTS Student Centre.

Further information is available from:

telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
Ask UTS

Majors and sub-majors offered to students from other faculties

Majors

The following law majors are available within courses from other UTS faculties.

• Master of Business Administration (C04018)
  • Business Law (MAJ09362)
• Bachelor of Business (C10020/C10026)
  • Business Law (MAJ09401)
• Bachelor of Global Studies (C10264)
  • Legal Studies (MAJ09399)

Sub-majors

The following law sub-majors are available within courses from other UTS faculties.

• Bachelor of Business (C10020/C10026)
  • Business Law (SMJ09030)
  • Taxation Law (SMJ09033)
• Master of Business Administration (C04018)
  • Business Law (SMJ09037)

Some courses from other UTS faculties may also include law subjects not listed under any of the above majors and sub-majors; students should check the handbook entry for the course in which they are enrolled for further details or contact the appropriate UTS Student Centre.