Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry)

Overview

• Be in demand - the majority of our Law graduates are in full-time work or further study within 4 months of graduation.
• When completed in a minimum of three calendar years, it meets the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia.
• Flexible learning options such as downloadable lectures, 24 hour computer labs, electronic moot court.
• External education available for Australian students outside Brisbane.
• Recognised for solicitor’s admission in East Malaysia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea (also in India and West Malaysia after completion of qualifying exams).

QTAC course code	417651 internal; 417655 external
QUT course code	LW35
Attendance	Part-time or Full-time
Course duration	3 years full-time 5 years part-time
Start month	2013 February, July
Deferment	You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.
Delivery	On campus Gardens Point External Correspondence Online
Faculty	Faculty of Law
Course contact	Student Business Services (SBS) Admissions: Email: askqut@qut.edu.au Telephone: +61 7 3138 2000
CRICOS code	003486D
Careers	Barrister Crown Law Officer In-House Lawyer Lawyer Patent Lawyer Public Servant Solicitor Trademark Lawyer

Details

QUT offers a graduate entry course open to graduates of non-law degrees. The course recognises the prior learnings and experiences that have been acquired by graduates from their first degree, and allows students to complete the law course in three years full-time or five years part-time or external.

You will complete 18 compulsory law units that cover the areas of knowledge required for admission as a legal practitioner and will have a choice of six elective units from the range of units offered by the Faculty.

Entry requirements to the graduate course are the same as those for the standard Bachelor of Laws (LLB) course, with the additional requirement that a three-year bachelor degree from an approved university be held in a non-law discipline.

Alignment with career interests

As you progress through your degree you will complete the 18 compulsory units required for admission as a legal practitioner. You will also choose elective units that align with your career interests. The law course provides many opportunities for study in elective areas. Although many of our graduates become practising lawyers, we recognise that a law degree may also provide the foundation for a career in government, a community organisation or business.

We offer elective study relevant to the following career paths:

• general legal practice – work as a lawyer across a wide range of different legal areas
• specialist legal practice – work as a lawyer specialising in a particular area of the law, such as property, family or media law
• advocacy and dispute resolution – act for clients in court or resolve disputes through negotiation and mediation processes
• public sector – work in policy, research or administration in a government department
• private enterprise – work in management or administration in a business.

QUT law graduates have an excellent track record of securing exciting positions. Over the past five years more than 90 per cent of graduates have been in full-time work or further full-time study within four months of their graduation.

Up-to-date study areas

We constantly review and update our range of elective offerings to ensure that they are in step with the real world. We currently offer elective study in the following areas:

• technology and intellectual property
• human rights
• property and environment
• commercial and consumer
• international
• legal skills
• research and theory
• work placements.

Admission to practice

At the end of your law degree you will have completed the necessary units for admission to legal practice in Australia. If you want to become a practising lawyer you will need to complete further practical legal training(PLT) and then apply for admission.

QUT’s PLT, the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, provides the knowledge, skills, understanding and values required to become a competent entry-level legal practitioner. The course is available in full-time, internal mode and part-time, online mode. The course complies with the Law Admissions Consultative Council’s Competency Standards for entry-level lawyers and is approved by the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.

The Bachelor of Laws is also recognised for solicitor’s admission in East Malaysia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and in India and West Malaysia after completion of these countries’ qualifying examinations.

Units

Entry requirements

Prerequisite: Prior Studies

Completion of a non-law bachelor degree (or equivalent).

Completed graduate diplomas, masters and/or doctorates are the accepted equivalents.

Prerequisite: External Studies

Entry to the distance education (external) mode of the course is restricted to applicants who reside in Australia and live outside the Brisbane City Council boundaries.

If you reside within the Brisbane City Council your application may be considered under exceptional circumstances. A covering letter outlining your exceptional circumstances claim with supporting documentation must accompany your QTAC application.

Automatic Advanced Standing (Credit)

If admitted to the graduate entry program you will automatically received one year of advanced standing which will entitled you to complete the degree in three years (full-time).

Course fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. All fees are based on current fixed fee prices. We review fees annually.

HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay your course fees

You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.

Find out if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan

Scholarships and financial support

You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.

These scholarships are available for this course:

View all scholarships

You may also be eligible for Centrelink payments