Monash University Handbook 2010

Introduction to the faculty - Faculty of Law

Monash Law offers 11 programs as part of its undergraduate curriculum. Students may enrol in a straight Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or combine the LLB with one of 10 non-law courses.

The undergraduate program is located on the university's Clayton campus. The Law School building houses the university's Law Library, three computer laboratories and five lecture theatres. The clinical legal education program operates from the Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service next to the Clayton campus, and the Springvale Monash Legal Service in Springvale. The University is currently planning for the Law School to move to new purpose-built premises on the Caulfield campus, adjacent to the Caulfield railway station, in 2012 or shortly after.

The Law School has three research centres committed to advancing research in emerging areas of the law, including mental health law, forensic studies, regulation and human rights. Managed and directed by Law staff, the centres also include members of associated professions and communities on their advisory boards. Each centre builds on the existing strengths within the Law School and contributes to both research within the school and the development of further units in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Structure and organisation of the faculty

The Law School has approximately 75 academic staff and a total enrolment of more than 3000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across all year levels. The undergraduate program is delivered at the Clayton campus, and the postgraduate program at the City chambers.

The Faculty of Law is not divided into departments. Academic staff and students are collectively involved in the decision-making processes of the faculty through a well-defined committee structure with membership of committees determined either by election or by nomination.

The chief officers of the faculty are the dean, the deputy dean, the associate deans and the faculty manager. The dean presides over meetings of the faculty, and faculty board is responsible for the governance and development of the Law School.

The faculty manager is concerned with the overall administration of the faculty including human resource management, budgets, admissions and matters relating to student administration, including enrolments, examinations, academic progress, course advice, teaching allocations and timetabling. The day-to-day management of student services is the responsibility of the manager, Student and Academic Services.

The associate deans (undergraduate) and (postgraduate) are responsible for the governance and development of the undergraduate and postgraduate courses respectively. Teaching quality and the training and evaluation of academic staff are within the domain of the director of teaching.

The manager, Student and Academic Services, together with the faculty student services officers, are available to attend to the needs of undergraduate students within the faculty. The student services officers should be consulted for all initial inquiries relating to the undergraduate program.