Course overview
- Description
This is a professional doctorate consisting of a combination of coursework units and a thesis.
The Graduate Research School (GRS) manages this course.
- Course title
- Doctor of Juridical Science
- Award abbreviation
- SJD
- Course code
- 20810
- Course type
- Professional Doctorate by thesis and coursework
- Status
- Current / 2023
- Administered by
- UWA Law School
- CRICOS code
- 024815G
Course details
- Intake periods
- Throughout the year
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Articulation
- The Doctor of Juridical Science has the following exit award: 20500 Master of Laws (48 points) (48 points)
- Credit points required
- 144
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 3 years
- Time limit
- 9 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- RTP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Director of Higher Degrees (Research)
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2023 – may be available in 2024 or 2025
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Take unit(s) to the value of 42 points:
Note: The Faculty may permit a student to substitute up to 18 credit points from units offered in the UWA Law School Masters programs.
Group A
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | LAWS6109 | Dispute Resolution | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 13-24 February 2023 . Refer to the timetable for exact class times. | |
| NS | LAWS6114 | International Environmental Law | Students must attend both online workshop 16th Jan and on campus workshops 30th, 31st Jan and 1st Feb 2023. | |
| * | LAWS6118 | ( points) | None | |
| N/A | LAWS6128 | Consumer Law | 4 hours per week | |
| * | LAWS6132 | ( points) | None | |
| * | LAWS6150 | ( points) | None | |
| * | LAWS6152 | ( points) | None | |
| S1 | LAWS6167 | Comparative Legal Method |
| |
| * | LAWS6168 | Federal Jurisdiction | None | This unit will run 29 September - 2 October. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
| NS | LAWS6179 | Law of the Sea | Teaching dates for this unit are 17-26 October 2023. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. | |
| NS | LAWS6181 | Health Law and Policy | LAWS5181 Health Law and Policy will run in the second half of first semester in 2023, on the last six Fridays of semester one (21, 28 April 5,12,19,and 26 May), from (approximately) between 9.30 and 4.30. | |
| * | LAWS6187 | ( points) | None | |
| N/A | LAWS6189 | Advanced Topics in Private Law | Seminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks | |
| NS | LAWS6192 | Introduction to Roman Private Law | This unit is fully online. 18 x 1 hour lectures plus 9 x 2-hour workshops, taught in intensive format over a five-week period (27 June - 27 July). Attendance compulsory | |
| * | LAWS6209 | ( points) | None | |
| NS | LAWS6215 | Theory & Practice of Risk Regulation | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 11-14 April 2023 | |
| NS | LAWS6219 | International Criminal Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. 3, 5, 10, and 12 October 2023 |
| NS | LAWS6220 | International Humanitarian Law | Intensive period 2 - 9 August 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory and pre reading including recorded lectures must be completed before these dates. | |
| NS | LAWS6223 | Theories of Justice and Punishment | August Intensive. 7-28 August 2023. Attendance Compulsory | |
| NS | LAWS6224 | Foundations of Public International Law | Teaching dates for this unit are 14-17 February 2023. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory and pre reading including recorded lectures must be completed before these dates. | |
| NS | LAWS6225 | Theory, Method and Contemporary Issues of International Law | Content will be available from 17th February 2023. Students are expected to attend all classes (1st and 8th March 2023 from 9.30am to 5pm) | |
| NS | LAWS6226 | International Human Rights Law |
| Students must attend 3 days, face-to-face: Monday 29th May 2023, Wednesday 31st May 2023 and Friday 2nd June 2023. |
| NS | LAWS6230 | Aviation Law | This unit will run 18-21 April 2023. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. | |
| NS | LAWS6234 | Taxation of Trusts | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 14-17 November 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS6251 | International Sales Law | None | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 26 June - 7 July 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS6260 | Intersections of Law, Policy and Government | The unit is delivered in blended mode. This means that approximately half of the unit involves pre-recorded and prepared modules that you work through at your own pace. Online modules for this unit will open Late February Attendance required 16 March 2023 Online, 27April-2May 2023 on campus. | |
| NS | LAWS6261 | Planning Law | This unit will run intensively 6-10 February 2023. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. | |
| NS | LAWS6296 | Technology Law and Governance | November Intensive. Attendance compulsory on 18/29/30 Nov; 5/6/7 Dec 2023 | |
| * | LAWS6297 | ( points) | None | |
| * | LAWS6298 | ( points) | None | |
| NS | LAWS6327 | Advanced Evidence and Proof | None | June Intensive 27-30June 2023 Attendance compulsory |
| NS | LAWS6358 | Innovations in Legal Practice Management | Seminars: 5 days (9am - 4pm) January Intensive 28/29 Jan, 4/5/11 Feb 2023. Attendance compulsory | |
| N/A | LAWS6360 | Employment Law | None | |
| NS | LAWS6378 | Government Accountability—Law and Practice | January Intensive. 18-24 January 2023. Attendance compulsory | |
| NS | LAWS6398 | Construction Law |
| This unit will run 21-24 November 2023. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. |
| N/A | LAWS6504 | Insurance Law | None | lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1 hour per week |
| NS | LAWS6521 | Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading | None | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 12-14 July 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS6576 | International Commercial Arbitration |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 20-24 November 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| * | LAWS6577 | ( points) | None | |
| N/A | LAWS6589 | Energy Regulation: Sustainable Oil and Gas Law | None | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 15-17 August Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS6590 | Water Resources Law | None | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 5-7 September 2023 . Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS6596 | Mergers and Acquisitions | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 5-8 September 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| N/A | LAWS6713 | Environmental Protection Law | None | offered intensively |
| N/A | LAWS6717 | Unjust Enrichment and Restitution |
| offered intensively |
| NS | LAWS6726 | Mining Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 25-27 October 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS6727 | Energy Agreements: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy and Sustainability | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 18-20 July 2023. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6750 | Research Paper I | None | |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6751 | Research Paper II (12 points) |
| |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6752 | Research Paper III Part 1 |
| |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6753 | Research Paper III Part 2 |
| |
| * | LAWS6820 | ( points) | None |
Take unit(s) to the value of 102 points:
Group B
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | LAWS6979 | Advanced Legal Theory and Research Methodology | None | intensive/partially online - 8 May 2023 online; 22 May 2023 on campus. Attendance compulsory. |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6980 | Doctoral Thesis (full-time) (96 points) |
| |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6981 | Doctoral Thesis (part-time) (96 points) |
|
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the CARS module is not required to repeat the module.
(3) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3.(1) To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
(2) Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 6.5.
(3) Applicants presenting with the TOEFL iBT require an overall score of at least 106, a miminum score of 28 in the Speaking section, and no other sub-score less than 26.
(4) Applicants presenting with the TOEFL Paper Based score require an overall score of at least 580 and a miminum score of 5.0 in the Essay Rating / Test of Written English (TWE).
(5) Applicants presenting with the Pearson Test of English (PTE) (Academic) require an overall score of at least 70 and no sub-score less than 70.
(6) Applicants presenting with the UWA Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT) Bridging Course require a minimum grade of Grade A (85%) in the final CELT examination, with no band less than 80%.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) the Bachelor of Laws with first or upper second class honours; or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
or
(b) (i) a Juris Doctor or Master of Laws, including a 12 point research project, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 70 per cent;
or
(c) (i) a bachelor's degree in law, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) evidence of adequate research preparation as recognised by UWA; and
(iii) at least two years of relevant professional experience, or
(d) (i) completed 24 points of a Master of Laws (LLM) at UWA or elsewhere, including a 12 points research paper;
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 70 percent on completed LLM units; and
(iii) a mark of at least 70 percent in the 12 points research paper.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6.(1) This course has the following exit award:
- 20500 Master of Laws (48 points)
(2) A student who withdraws from the Doctor of Juridical Science course before completing it, but after completing the requirements of a UWA Master of Laws, with a minimum WAM of 65%, may apply to the School to be awarded the Master of Laws.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 144 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10. Unless the GRS determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances, a student who fails to achieve an overall average mark of 70 per cent in the units taken from Group A is assigned the progress status of 'Excluded' by the GRS.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. This rule is not applicable to this course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Research proposal
14.(1) A student, other than one transferring from a Master of Laws, must provide a research proposal to the Graduate Research School for approval, through the Head of School and supervisor(s), within six months from the date of first enrolment for the course if enrolment is full-time, nine months part-time or the equivalent if the enrolment is part-time or a mixture of full- and part-time.
(2) A student who wishes to transfer from Master of Laws candidature must provide a research proposal for approval at the time of application for admission to the Doctor of Juridical Science.
Progress reports
15.(1) A student must provide an annual progress report, through the Head of School and supervisor(s), in accordance with procedures determined by the Board of the Graduate Research School.
(2) The report provided by the student must be forwarded by the Head of School to the Board of the Graduate Research School with a recommendation on whether the student should be permitted to re-enrol.
Credit
16. A student admitted into the Doctor of Juridical Science via clause 4(d) will be credited with 18 points of SJD coursework from their Master of Laws studies.
Academic Conduct and Research Integrity unit
17.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct and Research Integrity unit (the ACRI module) and complete within the first six months from the date of commencement in the course.
(2) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACRI module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in the rules for this course.
(3) A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of (2) is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation'.
Confirmation of Candidature
18.(1) Confirmation of candidature is subject to the student completing certain agreed requirements within an agreed timeline.
(2) The requirements to be completed by the student and the timeline within which they must be completed must be agreed in writing by the student and their supervisors and the Head of School.
(3) A student must include an outline of the agreed requirements with the research proposal submitted in accordance with Rule 14, and the requirements are approved with the Research Proposal
(4) Students who have been enrolled full-time must normally have completed all agreed requirements by the date for submission of the first annual progress report.
(5) Students who have been enrolled part-time must normally have completed all agreed requirements at least by the date for submission of the second annual progress report.
(6) If the student completes all agreed requirements satisfactorily by the agreed time, candidature is confirmed by the Board.
(7) If the student does not complete all agreed requirements satisfactorily by the agreed time, candidature is terminated by the Board unless—
(a) the student is granted an extension of time in accordance with (8);
or
(b) the student has been permitted to downgrade candidature to the Master of Laws
(8) The Board, in consultation with the relevant head(s) of school(s), may grant the student an extension of three months full-time equivalent in which to complete the agreed tasks.
(9) A student who has been granted an extension of time in accordance with (8) is required to submit an interim report certifying that the agreed tasks have been completed.
(10) If a student who has been granted an extension of time in accordance with (8) completes the agreed tasks satisfactorily by the end of the period of extension, candidature is confirmed.
(11) If a student who has been granted an extension of time in accordance with (8) does not complete the agreed tasks by the end of the period of extension and, in the opinion of the Board,
there are no exceptional circumstances, the Board, in consultation with the Head(s) of School, terminates the candidature.
Terms used:
19. the Board: means the Board of the Graduate Research School and includes any position to which the Board has delegated authority for a particular function.
Head of School: means a person appointed or acting in that capacity or the Graduate Research Coordinator of the school, Graduate Research Coordinators being designated academics who have been approved by the head of school and the Board to act on behalf of the head of school on matters pertaining to Higher Degrees by Research;