Master of Legal Practice (coursework)
This is a course designed for overseas qualified lawyers. It is provided primarily for those people who have fulfilled the requirements of a law degree and been admitted to practice, usually in another country, and have been advised by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia to undertake extra units of study in order to be admitted to practice in this State.
Course overview
- Course title
- Master of Legal Practice (coursework)
- Award abbreviation
- MLegalPrac
- Course code
- 21560
- Course type
- master's degree by coursework only
- Status
- current / 2021
- Administered by
- UWA Law School
- CRICOS code
- 098378M
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year and mid-year
- Attendance type
- full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Articulation
- The Master of Legal Practice has the following exit award: 20350 Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (48 points including up to 24 points of advanced standing points) (48 points including up to 24 points of advanced standing points)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 2 years
- Time limit
- 5 years
- Delivery mode
- internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- 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)
- Dr Penny Carruthers
- 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 48-96 points, as approved by the School, and as required by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia::
| 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 remaining unit(s) to a total of 96 points::
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | LAWS5111 | Corporate Governance for Resources Companies | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 5-7 May. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS5114 | International Environmental Law |
| Students must attend 4 full days, Wednesday 27th - Saturday 30th January 2021 |
| 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 |
| S2 | LAWS5165 | Public International Law |
| seminar: up to 3 hours per week |
| S1 | LAWS5167 | Comparative Legal Method |
| |
| N/A | LAWS5175 | Heritage Governance: from Global to Local | ||
| NS | LAWS5179 | Law of the Sea | Teaching dates for this unit are 14, 15, 21 and 22 October. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. | |
| S1 | LAWS5181 | Health Law and Policy |
| |
| NS | LAWS5210 | Working with China: Business in a Socio-legal Context |
| Intensive |
| NS | LAWS5219 | International Criminal Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 1, 5, 8, 12 October. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS5220 | International Humanitarian Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 12, 13, 19 April. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS5223 | Theories of Justice and Punishment |
| Teaching dates for this unit are 2,9,16,23 and 30 August. Please refer to the timetable website for session times and venues. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. |
| NS | LAWS5226 | International Human Rights Law |
| |
| N/A | LAWS5254 | International Trade Law |
| 3 hours per week |
| N/A | LAWS5305 | Mediation: Practice and Skills | Students must attend every day of the intensive period Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS5358 | Innovations in Legal Practice Management |
| Seminars: 5 days (9am - 4pm) |
| 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 | LAWS5503 | Conflict of Laws |
| |
| N/A | LAWS5507 | International Oil and Gas Law | ||
| NS | LAWS5517 | Mining Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 27-29 October Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS5521 | Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 14-16 July. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS5528 | Unjust Enrichment and Restitution |
| This unit runs intensively 1-5 February. Students must attend every day of the intensive period. |
| NS | LAWS5532 | Oil and Gas Agreements | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 10-12 November. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| N/A | LAWS5540 | Environmental Protection Law |
| This unit will run online with pre-reading from 27th April. Interactive classes will be held in the final week of May (25-29). Refer to the LMS page for further information, |
| NS | LAWS5541 | Equity Capital Markets & Securities Regulation |
| |
| NS | LAWS5576 | International Commercial Arbitration |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period Monday 6 to Friday 10 September 2021. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| NS | LAWS5589 | Australian Oil and Gas Law | Students must attend every day of the intensive period 9-11 March. Refer to the timetable website for further information. | |
| NS | LAWS5590 | Water Resources Law |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| S1, S2 | LAWS5694 | Research Paper I |
| This research unit involves unstructured contact with a supervisor throughout the semester. |
| S1, S2 | LAWS5695 | Research Paper II (12 points) |
| This research unit involves unstructured contact with a supervisor throughout the semester. |
| NS | LAWS5813 | Legal Issues for Not-for-Profit Entities |
| Students must attend every day of the intensive period 7-10 September. Refer to the timetable website for further information. |
| S1 | LAWS5820 | Legislation in Practice |
| 3 hours per week |
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).
(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module is not required to repeat the module.
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) a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) an assessment of this qualification by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia that outlines which units are required to practice.
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:
- 20350 Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (48 points including up to 24 points of advanced standing points)
(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Legal Practice course before completing it, but after completing the requirements of the Graduate Diploma, may apply to the Faculty to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 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. 10.(1) Part-time students, or those commencing mid-year, who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 in their first year of enrolment are assigned the progress status of 'On Probation' by the Faculty.
(2) Students other than those covered by (1) who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 are assigned the progress status of 'Excluded' unless the Faculty determines otherwise in light of exceptional circumstances.
. 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.
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.