Monash's Faculty of Law aspires to be the leading Australian law school for
a changing world, a leader in initiating, influencing and managing constructive
change for the benefits that its teaching, research and service provide to the
community.
With more than 60 full-time academic staff and a total enrolment of more than
2000 undergraduate and graduate students, Monash Law is large by both
Australian and international standards. In spite of its size, the faculty has a
strong sense of community and operates in a collegial environment in which
students as well as staff are invited to share in decision-making processes
affecting their interests. Students, for example, are represented on many
committees in the faculty and make a major contribution to the work and the
affairs of the faculty.
With the world in a period of great technological, scientific and social
innovation, the practice of law is changing and developing in new directions.
It is influenced by, while at the same time guiding, such innovations. In
response to these changes, Monash Law foresees more legal practitioners
undertaking postgraduate studies to stay up-to-date in their field of practice.
In keeping with its promise to initiate, influence and manage change, Monash
Law's graduate program is aimed at helping the profession to stay abreast of
the changes and acquire expertise in a new area of specialisation.
The faculty is continually re-evaluating its graduate teaching program to
provide the highest quality postgraduate and continuing education in law, in an
environment that is flexible and responsive to the needs of graduates. It is
currently extending the course offerings and flexibility of the program in line
with the changing requirements of the profession. It has supplemented the
traditional research/thesis-oriented masters and PhD courses offered by the
faculty with a variety of other study options to suit part-time students and
non-lawyers, including graduate diplomas and single subjects.
The coursework program is being extensively revised with plans to offer more
graduate subjects in distance education mode in the future. The faculty has
also introduced two exciting new programs to its curriculum. The specialisation
of internet and electronic law, offered as a Master of Laws and graduate
diploma stream, and the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Skills and Ethics
commenced in the second half of 2000.
The internet and electronic law specialisation grew from the foundation subject
´Law of the internet' - an interactive on-line subject. It has been
developed in response to the rapid expansion of the internet and its impact on
legal regimes. The program, currently made up of 11 subjects, aims to keep
participants abreast of the laws relating to electronic commerce and the
internet, utilising the expertise of faculty staff and industry consultants.
The Victorian Council of Legal Education approved the Graduate Diploma in Legal
Practice, Skills and Ethics in early 2000. It enables Monash Law to offer a
practical legal training course, following the completion of an undergraduate
law degree. The program is an alternative to the articles of clerkship year and
practical training course at Leo Cussen Institute, allowing students to be
admitted direct to practice as a barrister and solicitor. Further developments
are being made in order to offer the program on-line, in conjunction with a
variety of law firms.
Monash Law recognises that today's work commitments, time constraints and job
mobility mean that course structures have to be flexible and geared towards the
part-time student. Hence, it is necessary to provide a program with convenient
class times and a variety of study options. Classes are typically scheduled to
commence at 6 pm and are mostly held at city venues, either at Monash City
Offices at 30 Collins Street, or at a variety of excellent facilities provided
by city law firms and other institutions.
All enrolled students have access to the Clayton campus facilities. This allows
students to take advantage of the Monash Law library - Australia's leading law
library, with more than 150,000 volumes, thousands of items in microfilm and
on-line electronic databases, and student computer laboratories, which have
more than 50 computers as well as CD-ROM facilities.
The graduate studies program utilises the faculty's staff who are considered
experts in the law field, while also drawing on the expertise of external
consultants, who are senior members of the profession and the judiciary.
International guest lecturers are also a regular feature of the program.
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