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
Inherent (essential) 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 | An advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of legal knowledge including:
o The Australian colonial and post-colonial legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge; o The broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates including cultural awareness, social justice and policy; o The principles and values of justice and ethical practices in legal and regulatory frameworks; o The impact of Anglo-Australian laws on Indigenous peoples, including their historical origins in the process of colonisation and ongoing impact; and o Contemporary developments in law and the effects on legal, regulatory and professional frameworks. |
| 2.1 | An advanced and integrated capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, cultural respect, accountability, public service and ethical standards including:
o An understanding of approaches to ethical decision making; o An understanding of the rules of professional responsibility; o An ability to reflect upon and respond to ethical challenges in professional practice; o A developing ability to exercise professional judgment; and o An ability to reflect on and engage constructively with diversity in professional practice. |
| 3.1 | A capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including an ability to:
o Identify and articulate complex legal issues in context, including the skill of critical reading and writing; o Apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate theoretical and practical responses; and o Demonstrate sophisticated cognitive and creative skills in approaching complex legal issues and generating appropriate responses. |
| 4.1 | Specialist cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues including an ability to:
o Demonstrate intellectual and practical skills necessary to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, legal methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions; and o Apply ethical research practices. |
| 5.1 | Well-developed professional and appropriate communication skills including:
o Highly effective use of the English language to convey legal ideas and views to different and diverse audiences and environments; o An ability to inform, analyse, report and persuade; o An ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message; o A cognisance of advanced communication technologies and willingness to adopt where appropriate; and o An ability to respond respectfully. |
| 6.1 | Advanced and integrated collaboration skills in working together to achieve a common goal in a group learning environment or the workplace including:
o An ability to give and receive feedback; o Appropriate professional and interpersonal skills in working collaboratively; and o A capacity to develop strategies to successfully negotiate group challenges. |
| 7.1 | A well-developed capacity:
o To work with Indigenous peoples in a professional context; o To respect, recognise and advocate for Indigenous strengths and self-determination; o To acknowledge and respect Indigenous Knowledges; o To understand the impact of colonisation, specifically historical and ongoing racism and the economic impact of dispossession resulting in social and economic exclusion; and o To identify and challenge the deficit narratives and biases of Anglo-Australian laws towards Indigenous Australians. |
| 8.1 | A high level of autonomy, accountability and professionalism and the ability to implement appropriate self-management and life-long learning strategies including:
o An ability to initiate self-directed work and learning; o Well-developed judgment and responsibility; o The ability to support personal and professional development by: o Self-assessing skills and personal wellbeing; and o Making appropriate use of feedback; o A capacity to adapt to and embrace change. |
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.
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.
Applicants may be asked to provide additional information to assist in the assessment of their application for admission.
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.
Inherent (essential) requirements
Inherent (essential) requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course.
Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course. This Statement should be read in conjunction with the UTS Student Rules.
Prospective or current student concerned about their ability to meet these requirements should discuss their concerns with the Academic Liaison Officer in their faculty or school and/or UTS Accessibility Service on 9514 1177 or at accessibility@uts.edu.au.
UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.
For course specific information see the Faculty of Law Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
Recognition of prior learning
Students who successfully complete Master of International Commercial and Business Law (C04432) or the Master of International Commercial and Business Law Master of Business Administration (C04433) may apply for 24cp of elective credit to be applied to the Juris Doctor (C04236), the Master of Legal Studies (C04264), or Master of Laws (C04143).
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 | ||
| 70327 Introduction to Property and Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| Select 18 credit points from the following: | 18cp | |
| CBK90928 Options (Legal Studies) | 48cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| Select 18 credit points from the following: | 18cp | |
| 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
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