C11232v1 Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice
Award(s): Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (GradCertProfLegalPrac)CRICOS code: 077342G
Commonwealth supported place?: No
Load credit points: 24
Course EFTSL: 0.5
Location: City campus
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Admission requirements
Recognition of prior learning
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course program
Professional recognition
Other information
Overview
Practical legal training (PLT) is a mandatory requirement for admission to practise law in NSW and UTS was the first university in Sydney to offer a PLT qualification.
Students in the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice experience university-standard teaching combined with interactive content and practice-oriented exercises that bridge the gap between legal knowledge and professional practice. They develop the advanced knowledge and skills required for a legal career, including judgement, adaptability and an ethical mindset.
This course is offered online (with minimal attendance for assessments) and on campus. On completion of this course, students are eligible for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW, provided they have also completed a relevant academic qualification.
Career options
Career options include lawyer, provided graduates have fulfilled all other academic requirements.
Course intended learning outcomes
| 1.1 | a. A specialised understanding of the application of a complex body of legal knowledge within the context of legal practice in the Australian legal system, the principles and values of ethical practice, and contemporary developments in law and its professional practice. b. Demonstrate adherence with the PLT Competency Standards for Entry-level Lawyers as determined by the Law Admissions Consultative Committee (LACC). |
| 2.1 | a. An advanced capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, cultural respect, accountability, public service and ethical standards, including an understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making, the rules of professional responsibility, an ability to reflect upon and respond to ethical challenges in practice and to exercise professional judgment. b. Recognise, reflect upon and respond with professional judgment to ethical and professional responsibility issues that arise in legal practice. |
| 3.1 | a. A capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including an ability to identify and articulate complex legal issues, apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate theoretical and practical responses, and demonstrate sophisticated cognitive and creative skills in approaching complex legal issues and generating appropriate responses. b. Identify, synthesise and articulate complex legal and technical issues and apply analytical skills to identify innovation and generate clear, succinct and novel responses. |
| 4.1 | a. 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. b. Research, identify and evaluate technical information, legal judgments and issues to interpret, justify, or critique propositions, conclusions and professional decisions that are underpinned by ethical research practices. |
| 5.1 | a. Appropriate professional communication skills including highly effective use of the English language, an ability to inform, analyse, report and persuade using an appropriate medium and message and an ability to respond respectfully. b. Communicate accurately and appropriately with multidisciplinary audiences in a range of specialised formats, including productive collaboration with professional teams and clients. |
| 6.1 | a. Specialised collaboration skills, including effective team work to achieve a common goal in a group learning environment or the workplace. b. Take responsibility to give feedback and to respond to feedback in a professional context, to work effectively with colleagues and other stakeholders and to resolve challenges through effective negotiation. |
| 7.1 | a. A well-developed understanding of Indigenous perspectives informed by a commitment to build Indigenous professional capability, to work for and with Indigenous peoples. b. Identify and challenge the deficit narratives and biases of Anglo-Australian laws towards Indigenous Australians, particularly in relation to access to the law and its application. |
| 8.1 | a. A high level of autonomy, accountability and professionalism, the ability to implement appropriate self-management and lifelong learning strategies including initiating self-directed work and learning, judgment and responsibility, self-assessment of skills, personal wellbeing and appropriate use of feedback, and a capacity to adapt to and embrace change. b. Evaluate and implement their own professional development and incorporate personal skills in order to work with autonomy as a responsible and adaptable professional. |
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 law, the Juris Doctor, the LPAB Diploma in Law, or a law qualification from an overseas jurisdiction. Lawyers with overseas law qualifications should consult with the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) for admission purposes in order to practise law in NSW. Applicants may also be eligible to commence their practical legal training (PLT) studies once they have completed all core law subjects and have no more than two electives, or 12 credit points of electives, remaining in their qualification. Applicants who wish to commence their PLT prior to the completion of their primary law degree must submit written approval from the Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) to do so.
If an applicant does not formally meet the selection criteria but the Faculty deems the applicant to be eligible based on evidence of prior learning and demonstrated capability, the Faculty reserves the right to make an offer to the appropriate course.
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 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.
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
University law graduates complete three core subjects (18cp), plus 13 weeks of full-time (or equivalent part-time) practical experience (0cp). University law graduates studying this course are given automatic recognition of prior learning for CBK90399 Law Options (6cp).
Recognition of prior learning for CBK90399 Law Options (6cp) is not given to students who enter the course after completing the LPAB Diploma in Law.
Course duration and attendance
The course can be completed in one session of full-time or one year of part-time study, plus 13 weeks of full-time (or equivalent part-time) approved practical experience.
The 13 weeks of practical experience can be done concurrently for students undertaking 18 credit points or less.
Further information regarding completion requirements is available from the practical experience guidelines and rules.
Students who undertake this course by distance are advised that there are several compulsory on-campus workshop attendance days.
Course structure
University law graduates complete three core subjects (18cp), plus 13 weeks of full-time (or equivalent part-time) practical experience (0cp). University law graduates studying this course are given automatic credit recognition for CBK90399 Law Options (6cp).
Credit recognition for CBK90399 Law Options (6cp) is not given to students who enter the course after completing the LPAB Diploma in Law.
Industrial training/professional practice
A practical experience work placement is a compulsory and integral component of the course. Practical experience requires students to complete 13 weeks of full-time (or equivalent part-time) practical experience work placement. Students must complete their practical experience work placement within two-and-a-half years of enrolling in 75411 Practical Experience. International students must complete their work placement(s) by the end of the session in which they are enrolled in 75411 Practical Experience. Further information about the practical experience component of the course can be found at practical legal training program.
Course completion requirements
| STM90792 Core subjects | 18cp | |
| CBK90399 Law options | 6cp | |
| Total | 24cp |
Course program
All subjects are timetabled each session. The UTS Timetable Planner enables current and future UTS students to view subject timetables.
| Autumn or Spring commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn or Spring session | ||
| 75424 Legal and Professional Skills | 6cp | |
| 75422 Transactional Practice | 6cp | |
| 75423 Litigation and Estate Practice | 6cp | |
| 75411 Practical Experience | 0cp | |
| Select 6 credit points of options | 6cp | |
| Autumn or Spring commencing, part time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn or Spring session | ||
| 75424 Legal and Professional Skills | 6cp | |
| Select one of the following: | 6cp | |
| 75422 Transactional Practice | 6cp | |
| 75423 Litigation and Estate Practice | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn or Spring session | ||
| Select one of the following: | 6cp | |
| 75423 Litigation and Estate Practice | 6cp | |
| 75422 Transactional Practice | 6cp | |
| 75411 Practical Experience | 0cp | |
| Select 6 credit points of options | 6cp | |
Professional recognition
This course satisfies the requirements for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW.
Other information
Further information for students is available on:
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
Ask UTS