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Law (Graduate Diploma)

This course information is for local students only

Year

2012

Award

Graduate Diploma in Law

Length

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Campuses

Melbourne

Course description

This course allows graduates from any discipline to undertake studies in law, conflict resolution, global business law and public interest law. It will appeal to non-lawyers seeking legal skills in a specific area, but who do not wish to complete a Bachelor of Laws and seek admission to practice. It may also be used by overseas lawyers as a vehicle for admission to practice in Victoria (up to 120 credit points and subject to Council of Legal Education ruling, for which students must apply prior to admission).

The course is not intended to provide an entry point to the Bachelor of Laws or higher degree studies, but students who later transfer to the law program generally receive advanced standing for law subjects already completed within this course.


Course structure

Students complete up to eight subjects. Subject to prerequisites, they can combine subjects from various programs offered by the School of Law, including the Bachelor of Laws, the Master of Laws in Global Business Law, and the Public Interest Law program. Students who commence in February with no prior LLB studies must enrol in Legal Institutions and Methods; those who commence in July with no prior LLB studies must enrol in Introduction to Australian Law, run in five-day block-release mode.

Contact hours

Bachelor of Laws subjects normally run during teaching period one (February-May) and teaching period two (July-October), but a limited number of elective subjects are also offered in summer school (December-February). All Global Business Law and Public Interest Law subjects are offered in five-day block release mode, normally between teaching periods 1 and 2 (June-July) and over summer (December-February).

Subject details

Overseas study opportunities

Overseas study opportunities are available.
Please see www.latrobe.edu.au/international/exchange for more information

Application

Apply direct to the University. Visit our postgraduate website to download an application form.
Applications for Semester 1 close 31 January.
Applications for Semester 2 close 15 July.

Fee type

Fees (Fee-Help available)

Annual (or Total) Tuition Fee (AUD)

Indicative (2012): $21,790 per 120 credit points.

Scholarships

A variety of scholarships and prizes are available for postgraduate students at La Trobe. Visit the postgraduate scholarships webpage for details http://www.latrobe.edu.au/scholarships/postgraduates

Prerequisites

Australian Bachelor's degree or an approved international equivalent.

Semester starts

Semester 1 and 2 (March and July)

Additional information

Students who commence in February with no prior LLB studies must enrol in the subject Legal Institutions and Methods (LAW1LIM). Students who commence in July with no prior LLB studies must enrol in the subject Introduction to Australian Law (LAW5IAL) which is run in a five-day block release mode.

Career opportunities

For graduates with a Bachelor of Laws, prospective opportunities include the legal profession, politics, business and commerce, government service, public administration, education, community legal services and public interest advocacy groups. Non-law graduates can find other opportunities in the legal field, including work as a registrar, law clerk or legal assistant, legal executive, judge's associate or law librarian.

A legal education is also a valuable preparation for a variety of careers outside the legal field. Skills such as legal research techniques, legal reasoning, the evaluation of rules and policies, the presentation of written and oral arguments and the ability to communicate in plain English can be utilised in a range of occupations.