Doctor of Juridical Science
This is a professional doctorate consisting of a combination of coursework units and a thesis. Prior to being admitted to candidature an applicant may be required by the Governing Board to undertake any of the following: (1) complete such courses, lectures, seminars and other work as may be directed; (2) complete such research preparation as directed and provide particulars of the progress and results of the research as requested; or (3) pass an examination approved by the Board.
The Graduate Research School (GRS) manages the research component of this course on behalf of the Faculty.
Course overview
- Course title
- Doctor of Juridical Science
- Award abbreviation
- SJD
- Course code
- 20810
- Course type
- professional Doctorate by thesis and coursework
- Status
- current / 2021
- Administered by
- 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 'Schedule 2: 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.
Course structure
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2021; NS = non-standard teaching period |
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2022 or 2023.
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 | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | LAWS5215 | Theory & Practice of Risk Regulation | Students must attend every day of the intensive period. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| S1 | LAWS6167 | Comparative Law |
| |
| * | LAWS6168 | Federal Jurisdiction | This unit will run 29 September - 2 October. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. | |
| N/A | LAWS6175 | Heritage Governance: from Global to Local | ||
| S1 | LAWS6181 | Health Law and Policy | ||
| N/A | LAWS6251 | International Sales Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 29,30,31 July and 1,5,6,7,8,12 August. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| N/A | LAWS6254 | WTO Law | lectures and tutorials: 3 hours per week | |
| N/A | LAWS6327 | Advanced Evidence and Proof | ||
| N/A | LAWS6360 | Employment Law | ||
| N/A | LAWS6504 | Insurance Law | lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1 hour per week | |
| N/A | LAWS6521 | Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading | Students must attend every day of the intensive period Wednesday 17 July to Friday 19 July. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS6576 | International Commercial Arbitration |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 27 September to 1 October 2021. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS6589 | Australian Oil and Gas Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 February. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| S2 | LAWS6590 | Water Resources Law | ||
| N/A | LAWS6713 | Environmental Protection Law | offered intensively | |
| N/A | LAWS6717 | Unjust Enrichment and Restitution |
| offered intensively |
| NS | LAWS6726 | Mining Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 28-30 October. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS6727 | Oil and Gas Agreements | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 11-13 November. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6750 | Research Paper I | ||
| S1, S2 | LAWS6751 | Research Paper II (12 points) |
| |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6752 | Research Paper III Part 1 |
| |
| S1, S2 | LAWS6753 | Research Paper III Part 2 |
|
Take unit(s) to the value of 102 points:
Group B
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | LAWS6979 | Advanced Legal Theory and Research Methodology | intensive/partially online | |
| 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.
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 Faculty 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.(1) To make satisfactory progress in the course—
(a) a student enrolled in units from Group A must pass units to a value of at least half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty;
and
(b) students must achieve an overall average mark of at least 70 per cent in the units from Group A to be permitted to enrol in the research component units in Group B.
(2) a student enrolled in the research component of the course must satisfy the Faculty through relevant reports that their progress has been appropriate.
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 Faculty 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 Faculty.
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.
Additional rules
Research proposal
13.(1) A student must provide a research proposal in the form prescribed by the Faculty
(a) at the time of enrolling for the doctoral thesis;
or
(b) in the case of a student who has completed a Doctor of Juridical Science (Preliminary) course or who wishes to transfer from Master of Laws candidature, at the time of application for admission to the Doctor of Juridical Science course.
(2) The supervisor must forward the research proposal with their comments through the Graduate Research Coordinator for approval.
Thesis length
14. The thesis must be 50,000 to 60,000 words in length excluding tables, footnotes, endnotes and appendices.
Progress reports
15.(1) A student who has commenced work on the thesis must provide an annual progress report to the supervisor no later than 15 October each year.
(2) The supervisor must forward the research proposal with their comments through the Graduate Research Co-ordinator to the Graduate Research School for approval.