Juris Doctor
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 overview
- Course title
- Juris Doctor
- Award abbreviation
- JD
- Course code
- 20820
- Course type
- professional practice master's degree
- Status
- current / 2021
- Administered by
- UWA Design 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 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 'Schedule 2: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Director of Juris Doctor
- 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.
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 all units (102 points):
Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
NS | LAWS4101 | Foundations of Law and Lawyering | Students who commence semester one: Monday 8 February to Friday 19 February. Refer to the LMS Page for session times and venues. Students must attend every day of the intensive. | |
S1 | LAWS4102 | Criminal Law |
| 4 hours per semester |
S1 | LAWS4103 | Contract |
| 4 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS4104 | Property |
| up to 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 |
| up to 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS4109 | Legal Theory and Ethics |
| 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 Practice |
| Two week intensive workshop period: Monday 8 February to Friday 19 February 2021. Tutorials will commence during the intensive period and will run for four weeks. |
NS | LAWS5109 | Dispute Resolution |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 8-19 February. Refer to the timetable for exact class times. |
S2 | LAWS5115 | Procedure |
|
Take units to the value of 42 points from Groups A, B and C. Students must take at least 6 points from Group A and at least 6 points from Group B. Students may take no more than 6 points from Group C.
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 | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | LAWS5117 | Advanced Evidence and Proof |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
S2 | LAWS5118 | Family Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS5128 | Consumer Law |
| 4 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS5132 | Income Taxation Law |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 5 x 2 hours |
NS | LAWS5135 | Select Topics in Insurance Law |
| Teaching dates for this unit are 5-9 July. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. |
S1 | LAWS5144 | Mining and Energy Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5150 | Intellectual Property Law |
| 3 hours per week |
NS | LAWS5152 | Media Law | This unit is delivered intensively 18-22 January. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. | |
NS | LAWS5158 | Negotiation and Mediation |
| Teaching dates for this unit are 14-18 June and 15-19 November. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. |
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 |
| This unit will run 29 September - 2 October. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
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. |
S1 | LAWS5181 | Health Law and Policy |
| |
N/A | LAWS5183 | Environmental Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S1, S2 | LAWS5184 | Co-operative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) |
| approximately 50 hours per semester |
N/A | LAWS5185 | Forensic Advocacy |
| |
N/A | LAWS5187 | Succession Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS5189 | Advanced Topics in Private Law | Seminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks | |
NS | LAWS5296 | Technology Law and Governance | Intensive | |
N/A | LAWS5298 | Human Capital | 3 hours per week | |
LAWS5307 | Mooting | |||
N/A | LAWS5360 | Employment Law |
| |
N/A | LAWS5378 | Government Accountability—Law and Practice |
| Teaching dates for this unit are 29-31 Jan and 3-4 Feb. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. |
S2 | 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. |
NS | LAWS5528 | Unjust Enrichment and Restitution |
| This unit runs intensively 1-5 February. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
NS | LAWS5541 | Equity Capital Markets & Securities Regulation |
| |
N/A | LAWS5596 | Mergers and Acquisitions |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 29 September to 2 October. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
S1 | LAWS5820 | Legislation in Practice |
| 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5872 | Clinical Legal Education (Mediation) |
| This unit involves students mediating, researching or acting as mediation advocates in the UWA Mediation Clinic. The contact hours will consist of: (1) an introductory information session (date, time and venue to be advised); (2) weekly work (mediation, mediation research or mediation advocacy) in the Clinic; (3) fortnightly case rounds where the students meet together with the Unit Coordinator and Clinic Manager and Research Director and debrief the activities of the fortnight; and (4) a feedback session at the conclusion of the unit (date, time and venue to be advised) |
Take unit(s) according to the rules for Group A.
Group B
Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
NS | LAWS5114 | International Environmental Law |
| Students must attend 4 full days, Wednesday 27th - Saturday 30th January 2021 |
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 |
| seminar: up to 3 hours per week |
S1 | LAWS5167 | Comparative Legal Method |
| |
NS | LAWS5210 | Working with China: Business in a Socio-legal Context |
| Intensive |
N/A | LAWS5228 | Engagement Tour of China |
| This unit will next run in 2022 |
S2 | LAWS5254 | International Trade Law |
| 3 hours per week |
S2 | LAWS5503 | Conflict of Laws |
| |
NS | LAWS5576 | International Commercial Arbitration |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period Monday 27 September to Friday 1 October 2021. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
N/A | LAWS5577 | Space and Satellite Law |
| 5 full days of intensive teaching. |
NS | LAWS5813 | Legal Issues for Not-for-Profit Entities |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
Take no units or one unit only according to the rules for Group A.
Group C
Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
---|---|---|---|---|
S2 | LAWS5188 | Legal APPtitude |
| Seminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks |
NS | LAWS5297 | The Global Lawyer |
| 5 full days |
NS | LAWS5358 | Innovations in Legal Practice Management |
| Seminars: 5 days (9am - 4pm) |
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 7.5 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
(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
(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—
(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—
(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
(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
(5) To be considered for transfer to this course an applicant must have—
(a) at a minimum, completed the equivalent of a full semester of the UWA Juris Doctor course at another Australian University not being UWA;
and
(b) 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.
NOTE:- These Admission Requirements are applicable to students entering the course in 2022. For students seeking admission in 2021 please refer to the Admission Requirements set out in the archived 2020 UWA Handbook.
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 in a calendar year a student 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.
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) Students who do not make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 for the first time are assigned the progress status of 'Suspended' by the Faculty.
(2) Students who do not make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 for a second time are 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. 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.
Additional rules
Credit
13.(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
14. The minimum study load for the Juris Doctor is two units until the first 72 points has been completed.
Deferral for commencing students
15. Deferral for commencing students, other than those holding an Direct Pathway place, will be granted for one year only.
Approved leave
16. Approved leave in this course will not be granted to any student until the student has successfully completed LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering.