Course overview

Description

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the key international legal frameworks and public international law institutions in a range of areas and also includes units of specialised study.

Course title
Graduate Diploma in International Law
Award abbreviation
GradDipIL
Course code
21320
Course type
Postgraduate diploma
Status
Current / 2025
Administered by
UWA Law School

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year only
Attendance type
Part-time only
Credit points required
24
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
1 year
Time limit
2 years
Delivery mode
Internal
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
Available to international students
Not available to international students on student visas. Available to international students on other visas if visa conditions allow (see https://www.immi.gov.au). For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
Course Coordinator(s)
Dr Jade Lindley
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.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
NS
non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

Students without a recognised Law degree, take unit from this group (6 points).

Note: Students who have entered the course with a recognised Law degree and have previously taken a recognised Public International Law unit, can elect to substitute the core requirement with any unit from Group A.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1LAWS5165Public International Law
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
20820 Juris Doctor
and LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering and five Unit(s) ( LAWS4102 Criminal Law
, LAWS4103 Contract
, LAWS4104 Property
, LAWS4106 Torts
, LAWS4107 Land Law
, LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law and ( LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Interpretation
) )
Incompatibility
LAWS3354 Public International Law
3 hours per week

Take unit(s) from Group A to complete the remainder of points (18).

Group A
AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1, S2LAWS4227Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
20820 Juris Doctor
or 21190 Bachelor of Laws
Weekly attendance
NSLAWS5114International Environmental Law
Prerequisites
Enrolment in 20820 Juris Doctor
and LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering and five Unit(s)
LAWS4102 Criminal Law
, LAWS4103 Contract
, LAWS4104 Property
, LAWS4106 Torts
, LAWS4107 Land Law
, LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law and ( LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Interpretation
) For all other students, there are no pre-requisites required
Incompatibility
Enrolment in
LAWS6114 International Environmental Law
Students must attend all sessions on allocated Tuesdays in April and May - please see timetable for more details.
S1LAWS5167Comparative Legal Method
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
20820 Juris Doctor
and LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering and five Unit(s) ( LAWS4102 Criminal Law
, LAWS4103 Contract
, LAWS4104 Property
, LAWS4106 Torts
, LAWS4107 Land Law
, LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law and ( LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Interpretation
) )
Enrolment in
42580 Master of Public Policy
or 42280 Graduate Certificate in Public Policy
and LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions
Incompatibility
LAWS3331 Comparative Law
3 hours per week
NSLAWS5219International Criminal Law
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
Unit(s) LAWS5224 Foundations of Public International Law
Enrolment in
or Unit(s) LAWS5165 Public International Law
Students must attend session across September and October. Refer to the timetable for more information.
NSLAWS5220International Humanitarian LawNoneSessions will take place from 9am - 5pm on Wednesdays in April and May. Refer to timetable for further details. Students must attend each session.
NSLAWS5223Theories for Contemporary Criminal Justice
Prerequisites
For Master of Public Policy
or Graduate Certificate of Public Policy students without a recognised Law degree: LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions.
Attendance at all sessions in July - August. Attendance Compulsory
NSLAWS5225Theory, Method and Contemporary Issues of International LawNone27-28 Feb and 06-07 March, full day intensives
N/ALAWS5226International Human Rights LawNoneThis unit will run 5-9 August 2024. Students must attend every day of the intensive period.
NSLAWS5241International Dispute SettlementNoneThis will run across Tuesdays in July and August 2025 - refer to timetable for more details.
NSLAWS5251International Sales Law
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering
and 30 points LAWS4102 Criminal Law LAWS4103 Contract LAWS4104 Property LAWS4107 Land Law LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law LAWS4106 Torts LAWS4110 Legal Interpretation
This unit will run for full day sessions over 6 weeks on 26 February 2025, 05/12/19/26 March and 02 April.
NSLAWS5296Technology Law and Governance
Prerequisites
Enrolment in 20820 Juris Doctor
and LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering and five Unit(s)
LAWS4102 Criminal Law
, LAWS4103 Contract
, LAWS4104 Property
, LAWS4106 Torts
, LAWS4107 Land Law
, LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law and ( LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Interpretation
)
This unit will run from 01-05 September 2025. Students must attend every day of the intensive period.
NSLAWS5521Climate Change Law
Prerequisites
For Master of Public Policy and Graduate Certificate of Public Policy, the unit LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions is recommended as a pre-requisite for students who do not have a legal background.
Students must attend every day of the intensive period 10-11 and 17 April 2025. Refer to the timetable website for further information.
S2LAWS5577Governing the Commons: Oceans, ice and outer space
Prerequisites
Enrolment in 20820 Juris Doctor
and LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering and five Unit(s)
LAWS4102 Criminal Law LAWS4103 Contract LAWS4104 Property LAWS4106 Torts LAWS4107 Land Law LAWS4108 Foundations of Public Law
and
LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
or LAWS4110 Interpretation
or Enrolment in
42580 Master of Public Policy
and LAWS5260 Intersections of Law, Policy and Government ) For all other students, there are no prerequisites required
Incompatibility
Enrolment in
Unit(s) LAWS5577 Space and Satellite Law
Enrolment in
Unit(s) LAWS5179 Law of the Sea
Sessions will run from 9am - 5pm on Wednesdays for six weeks across semester 2. Refer to timetable for more details. Students must attend all sessions.
S1, S2LAWS5694Research Paper I
Prerequisites
For Master of Public Policy
or Graduate Certificate of Public Policy students without a recognised Law degree: LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions.
This research unit involves unstructured contact with a supervisor throughout the semester.
S1, S2LAWS5695Research Paper II (12 points)
Incompatibility
LAWS5696 Research Paper III Part 1,
and LAWS5697 Research Paper III Part 2
This research unit involves unstructured contact with a supervisor throughout the semester.

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 7.0 and no band less than 6.5.

(3) Applicants presenting with the TOEFL iBT require an overall score of at least 100, a minimum 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 minimum 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—1(a) a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; or 

2(a) (i) a bachelor's degree in a cognate area, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and (ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; or 

3(a) (i) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and (ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; 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) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:

  • 21320 Graduate Diploma in International Law (24 points)
  • 21520 Master of International Law (48 points)

(2) Units completed in the Graduate Diploma in International Law will only be credited towards a 48 point Masters course if the Graduate Diploma is not conferred.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 24 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. 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
Credit

14. Credit will not be granted for units that were taken in another degree that was conferred.