Graduate Diploma of Australian Law - 2018

This course enables graduates with a law qualification from non-Australian jurisdictions to convert their qualifications to meet the academic requirements for admission to practice in Australia. The course comprises three components. The first is an introduction to the Australian legal system, the second is core law units required for admission to practice in Australia and the third is law elective units. The number of credit points and selection of core units to be completed will depend on the jurisdiction in which the student earned their existing law qualification. This will be determined upon application to an Australian Legal Admissions Authority (e.g. Victorian Legal Admissions Board) under the Uniform Principles for Assessing Qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8 and Monash Graduate Attributes.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of legal knowledge in an Australian and international comparative context;
2. have an advanced and integrated understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making;
3. identify and articulate complex legal issues, apply legal reasoning and research to generate appropriate jurisprudential and practical responses to legal issues, and engage in critical analysis in approaching legal issues;
4. demonstrate the intellectual and practical skills needed to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, legal methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions, as well as to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues;
5. communicate in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences, and collaborate effectively;
6. learn and work with a high level of autonomy, accountability and professionalism; and
7. meet the academic requirements for eligibility for admission to practice Law in Australia.

The course comprises 8 units structured into three parts which provide knowledge, skills and the academic requirements for admission to practice in Australia.

The course comprises 48 credit points structured into three parts. Part A Introduction to Australian Law, Part B Law Core Units and Part C Law Elective Units

The course progression map will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and provide guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 6 credit point unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Introduction to Australian Law

Students complete:

• LAW5081 Australian legal process and research

Part B. Law Core Units

a. Students complete:

• LAW5007 Principles of constitutional law
• LAW5014 Principles of administrative law

b. Students complete up to 30 points from the following as determined by the Australian Legal Admissions Authority prior to course application:

• LAW5001 Principles of criminal law and procedure
• LAW5002 Principles of contract law A
• LAW5003 Principles of torts
• LAW5005 Principles of contract law B
• LAW5006 Principles of property law
• LAW5008 Principles of equity
• LAW5018 Advanced property law
• LAW5010 Principles of trusts
• LAW5011 Principles of company law
• LAW5012 Principles of evidence
• LAW5013 Principles of litigation and dispute resolution
• LAW5015 Ethics in legal practice

Part C. Law Elective Units

Any remaining units to take the total to 48 points from the following:

• LAW5004 Principles of public law and statutory interpretation
• Any units from Part B that were not previously completed
• Any units from the list of Masters law elective units (Note: not all units are offered every year)

Students completing the Graduate Diploma of Australian Law may choose to undertake further studies in the Faculty of Law's postgraduate coursework program.