C04264v1 Master of Legal Studies
Award(s): Master of Legal Studies (MLS)CRICOS code: 080598B
Commonwealth supported place?: No
Load credit points: 96
Course EFTSL: 2
Location: City campus
Notes
The Master of Legal Studies is not a professional legal qualification. Students seeking admission to practise as a lawyer should consider the Juris Doctor (C04236) or the Bachelor of Laws (C10124). Some subjects in the Master of Legal Studies may be credited towards these degrees.
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Admission requirements
Recognition of prior learning
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course program
Articulation with UTS courses
Other information
Overview
This course gives non-law graduates an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks of the fields in which they work.
Students come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, such as insurance, human resources, banking, finance and education, and work in roles where knowledge of the legal landscape is critical to their work. Course content includes criminal, ethics, contract, tort and constitutional law. Students can also use their elective choices to build specialist legal expertise in areas such as compliance and intellectual property law.
Career options
The program particularly benefits accountants and auditors, business development managers, compliance managers, engineers and architects, financial advisers and planners, IT professionals, law enforcement officers, paralegals, policy officers in the public, private and non-profit sectors, property developers, and public sector managers and administrators (especially those who work in Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, the Attorney-General's Department and Treasury).
Course intended learning outcomes
| 1.1 | The Australian legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge |
| 1.2 | The broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates, including cultural awareness, social justice and policy |
| 1.3 | The principles and values of justice and ethical practices in lawyers' roles |
| 1.4 | Contemporary developments in law and its professional practice |
| 2.1 | An advanced and integrated capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, accountability, public service and ethical standards, including an ability to recognise, reflect upon and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts in ways that evidence professional judgment, promote justice and serve the community |
| 3.1 | Identify and articulate complex legal issues in context |
| 3.2 | Apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate theoretical and practical responses |
| 3.3 | Engage in critical analysis and make a reasoned choice among alternatives |
| 3.4 | Apply sophisticated cognitive and creative skills in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses |
| 4.1 | Well-developed cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues and demonstrate intellectual and practical skills necessary to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, legal methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions |
| 5.1 | Highly effective use of the English language to communicate legal ideas and views to different audiences and environments |
| 5.2 | An ability to communicate to inform, analyse, report and persuade |
| 5.3 | An ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message |
| 5.4 | An ability to assess how messages are received and alter communication strategies accordingly |
| 5.5 | An ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators and others |
| 5.6 | An ability to generate a sustained and logical argument |
| 6.1 | The ability to support personal and professional development by reflecting on and assessing their own capabilities and performance, making use of feedback as appropriate, developing and implementing strategies for improvement |
| 6.2 | A capacity to adapt to and embrace change and a commitment to ongoing learning |
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.
An applicant's bachelor's degree must be in a discipline other than law. Admission is at the discretion of the associate dean (education).
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: 176-184.
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.
Recognition of prior learning
General and course-specific recognition of prior learning information regarding the Master of Legal Studies is available at postgraduate course information.
Course duration and attendance
The course can be completed in a minimum of two years of full-time or four years of part-time study. Subjects may also be available in Summer session, allowing accelerated progression.
The course features a variety of attendance patterns, including intensive block attendance and weekly on-campus evening classes.
Course structure
The course requires completion of core subjects (48 credit points), including one compulsory introductory subject and a choice of five further foundation subjects, plus a further eight option subjects (48 credit points).
Core subjects are timetabled in Autumn and Spring sessions and option subjects are regularly timetabled but not all option subjects listed are offered in any one session. The UTS Timetable Planner enables current and future UTS students to view subject timetables.
Course completion requirements
| STM90834 Core subjects (PG Legal Studies) | 48cp | |
| CBK90928 Options (Legal Studies) | 48cp | |
| Total | 96cp |
Course program
A sample full-time program is shown below.
Optional subjects are regularly timetabled but not all options are offered in any one session.
| Autumn commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 70102 Foundations of Law | 8cp | |
| 70114 Criminal Law and Procedure | 8cp | |
| 70103 Ethics Law and Justice | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| Select 18 credit points from the following: | 18cp | |
| CBK90928 Options (Legal Studies) | 48cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| Select 24 credit points from the following: | 24cp | |
| CBK90928 Options (Legal Studies) | 48cp | |
Articulation with UTS courses
Subjects undertaken within the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies (C07122) are recognised within the Master of Legal Studies. Students enrolled in the graduate diploma may apply to internally transfer to the master's program. Candidates are not awarded the graduate diploma but subjects undertaken are applied towards the master's.
Subjects undertaken within the Juris Doctor (C04236) are recognised within the Master of Legal Studies. Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor may apply to internally transfer to the master's program. Candidates are not awarded the Juris Doctor but subjects undertaken are applied towards the master's.
Students who successfully complete three core subjects in the Master of Legal Studies may apply to internally transfer to the Juris Doctor (C04236). Candidates are not awarded the master’s, but completed subjects are applied towards the Juris Doctor (C04236).
Other information
Further information for future students is available on:
telephone +61 2 9514 3660
email law@uts.edu.au
Further information for current students is available on:
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
Ask UTS