Course overview
- Description
This course provides a challenging and focused environment for postgraduate studies in law by a diverse range of students who will enter the course with the benefit of wider life experience. The course meets the pre-admission academic qualifications for the practice of law in Australia. Law graduates have a diverse range of career destinations including academia, private consultancies or non-government organisations, private legal practice, the private sector including banks and financial institutions, accountancy firms, large resource companies, state or federal government departments or instrumentalities and trade unions.
- Course title
- Juris Doctor
- Award abbreviation
- JD
- Course code
- 20820
- Course type
- Professional practice master's degree
- Status
- Current / 2024
- Administered by
- UWA Law School
- CRICOS code
- 089786C
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year only
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 144
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Professional accreditation
- Juris Doctor(N/A) is accredited by: Legal Practice Board of WA (LPBWA); Australian Law Schools Standards Committee (ALSSC).
- Standard course duration
- 3 years
- Time limit
- 9 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP; or postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
- 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)
- Rebecca Faugno
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Enquiries and course advice
- Course advice
- Arts and Law Student Office
- 6488 2091
- askUWA
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.
Additional information
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2024 – may be available in 2025 or 2026
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Take all units (102 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
NS | LAWS4101 | Foundations of Law and Lawyering | None | This unit is taught intensively. Students must attend classes in person (on campus) from 8:30am to 5:00pm every weekday from 12-23 February 2024. Attendance at each session is mandatory. A full schedule with session times and venues will be released via the unit's LMS page by mid-January. |
S1 | LAWS4102 | Criminal Law |
| 4 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS4103 | Contract |
| 4 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS4104 | Property Law |
| 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS4106 | Torts |
| 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS4107 | Land Law | up to 4 hours per week | |
S2 | LAWS4108 | Foundations of Public Law |
| 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS4110 | Legal Interpretation |
| 4 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5101 | Constitutional Law |
| lectures: 3 hours per week; tutorials: 2 hours per fortnight |
S2 | LAWS5102 | Administrative Law |
| up 4 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5103 | Equity and Trusts | 4 hours per week | |
S2 | LAWS5104 | Corporations Law | up to 4 hours per week | |
S2 | LAWS5105 | Remedies | 4 hours per week | |
S1 | LAWS5107 | Evidence |
| 4 hours per week |
NS | LAWS5108 | Professional and Ethical Practice |
| Two week intensive workshop period: Monday 12 February to Friday 23 February 2024, workshops from 9-4 weekdays. Tutorials (2 hours/week) will run during the intensive period and for the week immediately following. |
NS | LAWS5109 | Ethical Dispute Resolution |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 12-23 February 2024. Refer to the timetable for exact class times. |
S2 | LAWS5115 | Procedure |
|
Take units to the value of 0-36 points from Group A.
Note: LAWS5509 Advanced Legal Research A, LAWS5510 Advanced Legal Research B and LAWS5512 Supervised Research may be classified as Group B depending on topic.
Group A
Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
NS | LAWS5117 | Advanced Evidence and Proof |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 2 to 5 April 2024. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
S2 | LAWS5118 | Family Law |
| 3 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5128 | Consumer Law |
| 4 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5132 | Income Taxation Law |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 5 x 2 hours |
S1 | LAWS5144 | Mining and Energy Law |
| Lectures: 12 x 2 hour lectures Tutorials: 5 x 2 hour tutorials |
S1 | LAWS5150 | Intellectual Property Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5152 | Media Law |
| |
NS | LAWS5158 | Mediation Practice and Skills |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 15-19 July 2024. Refer to the timetable for exact class times. |
S1, S2 | LAWS5160 | Law Review Part 1 (0 points) | full-time commitment throughout the editorial and production process | |
S1, S2 | LAWS5161 | Law Review Part 2 |
| full-time commitment throughout the editorial and production process |
N/A | LAWS5168 | Federal Jurisdiction |
| |
NS, S2 | LAWS5174 | Legal Internship | This unit involves work experience in a host organisation equivalent to one day per week for 12 weeks. In addition, the unit involves mandatory attendance at an introductory information session (date, time and venue to be advised) and attendance and participation at fortnightly seminars. | |
S2 | LAWS5181 | Health Law and Policy |
| 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5182 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the Law |
| seminars: 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5183 | Environmental Law |
| 3 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5184 | Co-operative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) | approximately 50 hours per semester | |
S1 | LAWS5187 | Succession Law |
| 3 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5188 | Legal APPtitude |
| Seminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks |
S2 | LAWS5189 | Advanced Topics in Private Law |
| Seminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks |
LAWS5307 | Mooting | |||
N/A | LAWS5358 | Innovations in Lawyering |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
N/A | LAWS5360 | Employment Law |
| |
N/A | LAWS5378 | Government Accountability—Law and Practice |
| |
S1 | LAWS5501 | Advanced Criminal Law and Procedure | Up to 3 hours per week | |
S1 | LAWS5509 | Advanced Legal Research (by Invitation) Part 1 (0 points) |
| 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS5510 | Advanced Legal Research (by Invitation) Part 2 (12 points) |
| 4 hours per week. |
S1, S2 | LAWS5512 | Supervised Research |
| This research unit involves unstructured contact with a supervisor throughout the semester. |
N/A | LAWS5528 | Unjust Enrichment and Restitution |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
N/A | LAWS5541 | Equity Capital Markets & Securities Regulation |
| |
NS | LAWS5596 | Mergers and Acquisitions |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 2-6 September 2024. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
N/A | LAWS5872 | Clinical Legal Education (Strategic Litigation/Mediation) |
| This unit involves clinical placement in the Minderoo Tech & Policy Lab and/or UWA Mediation Clinic. The contact hours will consist of: (1) an introductory workshop (date, time and venue to be advised); (2) weekly legal practice and research work in the Lab/Clinic, including research and work on short papers and a major project arising from the Clinic/Lab's activities.; (3) 5 x fortnightly case rounds (2 hrs each) where all students meet with the Unit Coordinator(s) and other members of the teaching team to discuss cases and research projects; and (4) 5 x fortnightly seminars (2 hrs each) fortnightly seminars (on alternate weeks to case rounds) where all students attend guest lectures and participate in themed discussions. |
N/A | LAWS5891 | Principles and Practice of General Insurance Law | None |
Take unit(s) to the value of 6-42 points.
Group B
Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | LAWS5114 | International Environmental Law |
| |
NS | LAWS5162 | Jessup International Moot Competition (12 points) |
| effective participation requires a full-time commitment throughout the preparation and competition period |
S2 | LAWS5165 | Public International Law |
| 3 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5167 | Comparative Legal Method |
| 3 hours per week |
N/A | LAWS5192 | Introduction to Roman Private Law |
| This unit will run as a mixture of online and in person classes. |
NS | LAWS5242 | Law Study Tour (Singapore) |
| One week Study Tour, plus pre- and post-tour activities and assessments |
NS | LAWS5251 | International Sales Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 27 Feb - 1 March 2024. Please refer to the timetable for exact times. |
N/A | LAWS5254 | International Trade Law |
| 3 hours per week |
NS | LAWS5296 | Technology Law and Governance |
| This unit will run 25-29 November and 2-6 December. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
N/A | LAWS5297 | The Global Lawyer |
| 5 full days |
S2 | LAWS5503 | Conflict of Laws |
| |
NS | LAWS5576 | International Commercial Arbitration |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 24-28 June 2024. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
NS | LAWS5577 | Space and Satellite Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 22-25 January 2024. |
NS | LAWS5813 | Legal Issues for Not-for-Profit Entities |
| This unit runs intensively 3-6 September. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
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) 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 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 7.5 and no band less than 7.0.
(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.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have
(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and;
(b) the equivalent of a UWA grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.5*.
(2) To be considered for admission to this course an Indigenous applicant must have
(a) met the general admission requirements under 4.(1);
or
(b)
(i) a bachelor's degree via the UWA Indigenous Direct Pathway; and
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0*;
or
(c)
(i) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) a School of Indigenous Studies' Law Admission Test and interview
(3) To be considered for admission to this course via the Equity and Diversity Pathway an applicant must have
(a)
(i) held a protection, refugee or humanitarian visa within seven years prior to applying for admission to this course; or
(ii) experienced significant personal, medical, social, educational, cultural or financial disadvantage or hardship, including any disadvantage or hardship resulting from an applicant's sexual orientation or gender identity that has had an effect on their prior academic studies;
and
(b) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(c) the equivalent of a UWA grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0.
(4) To be considered for admission to this course via the alternative experience pathway an applicant must have
(a)
(i) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) demonstrate competency for legal studies derived from a minimum of five years' unpaid or paid work, study or other experience, since completion of the undergraduate degree in (i); and
(iii) completed the equivalent of one year full time in a UWA undergraduate course with a minimum GPA of 5.5 undertaken within the past two years;
or
(b)
(i) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0; and
(iii) demonstrate competency for legal studies derived from a minimum of five years' unpaid or paid work, study or other experience since completion of the undergraduate degree in (i); and
(iv) personal statement; and
(v) interview.
(5) To be considered for transfer to this course an applicant must
(a) have been enrolled in a recognised Juris Doctor course at another Australian University; and
(b) have successfully completed at least one full semester (or equivalent part time study) in that Juris Doctor;
and
(c) have achieved the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 60 per cent in that Juris Doctor course.
*All completed tertiary studies will be used when calculating the WAM and GPA.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on
(a) for indigenous applicants under Rule 4(2) (b), or (c):
(i) the admission requirements under Rule 4(2) (b), or (c);
and
(ii) the indigenous student quota of up to 20 per year;
(b) for applicants in the Equity and Diversity Pathway:
(i) the admission requirements under 4.(3) (a), (b) and (c); and
(ii) the Equity and Diversity Pathway quota of 20 per year;
or
(c) for applicants who do not have a place in a Direct Pathway into this course and are not transferring from another Juris Doctor course:
(i) the admission requirements under Rule 4(1); and
(ii) the intake quota for that year.
Articulations and exit awards
6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.
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.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
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. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree 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
Credit
14.(1) Subject to (2), the Faculty may grant credit for previously completed Law units if they were completed
(a) as part of a postgraduate Law course recognised by the Faculty as equivalent to the Juris Doctor course of this University;
and
(b) not more than five years prior to admission to the Juris Doctor course of this University.
(2) Credit granted will not exceed 72 points.
(3) A student who completes the Bachelor of Civil Law degree at the University of Oxford will be granted credit for two option units.
Minimum study load
15. The minimum study load for the Juris Doctor is two units until the first 72 points has been completed.
Deferral for commencing students
16. Deferral for commencing students, other than those holding an Direct Pathway place, will be granted for one year only.
Approved leave
17. Approved leave in this course will not be granted to any student until the student has successfully completed LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering.