Master of Laws

Overview

• Expand your legal learning, developing critical evaluation of the law.
• Optionally study one of six majors: commercial law, criminology, environmental resources law, health law, intellectual property and technology law, public law.
• Attain a high competence in legal research and writing.
• Option to progress on to the Doctor of Juridical Science.
• Customise your degree with internal, external or block modes of teaching.

Details

The Master of Laws (LLM) deepens and broadens your legal learning, developing critical evaluation of the law and consideration and analysis of the attitudes and values underlying it. During the course, you attain high competence in legal research and writing on areas of conceptual difficulty. The course leads to the Doctor of Juridical Science (subject to normal entry requirements).

Majors in the Master of Laws include (see more detail under the 'units' tab above):

Commercial Law
With over 35 units available across topics such as banking and finance, consumer protection, commercial disputes, torts, and corporate insolvency, you can also tailor your learning to include a research project. This major will give you the variety to choose units so you gain the insight you need to further your commercial career.

Criminology
The fascinating and challenging area of criminology is brought to life with over twelve specially designed units. Choose from areas including justice and human rights, data analysis techniques, transnational and organised crime, terrorism and political violence, criminal tribunals and international corruption. Taught by former police, intelligence and government officers, this program will allow you to see criminology in a whole new perspective. Criminology is also offered as a major in the Master of Justice.

Environmental Resources Law
This major is designed specifically for in-house counsel or lawyers practicing in engineering, mining or environmental contexts. It will deliver you a powerful insight into emerging issues within these exciting areas. Choose from topics such as international environmental, resources and energy law. Native title and indigenous cultural heritage law, law of the sea and Antarctic law are also on offer. Some units in this major will be taught by environmental law experts Dr Nicola Swayne and Professor Doug Fisher. Dr Durrant practiced in environment and planning law at Blake Dawson Lawyers and in 2010 published a book on legal responses to climate change. Professor Fisher has researched and published extensively on environmental and natural resources law and was formerly a consultant with Phillips Fox.

Health Law
Gain specialised knowledge to advance your career and manage heath law issues confidently. Choose from units including genetic technologies, conception and birth, biotechnology law, children's health, guardianship, health care economics, quality management and risk management. Depending on the units you choose, you may be taught by lecturers who literally wrote the book on health law in Australia. Assoc Professor Ben White,  Dr Fiona McDonald, and Professor Lindy Willmott jointly wrote Australia's first book on national health law, Health Law in Australia, published in 2010. You will have access to three of Australia's leading experts on health law and be inspired by their dedication and passion. Learn more about our health law research program

Intellectual Property & Technology Law
The evolving and controversial world of intellectual property is dissected in this major that offers up-to-the-minute case studies. The 17 units on offer include cyber law and policy, media law, electronic commerce law, genetic technologies, privacy, patent law and commercialisation, trade mark, biotechnology and open licensing. You may also be interested in the Master of Intellectual Property Law

International & Comparative Law
New in 2012, this major has a truly international perspective of areas such as trade mark, commercialisation, criminal tribunals and law of the sea. With 25 units on offer in this major, there are plenty of options to tailor your learning to your area of interest. Among them are international environmental law, international commercial transactions, cyber law, comparative cultural heritage, biotechnology and public law.

Public Law
With more than 26 units on offer in the public law space, there are sure to be topics that peak your interest. Build your expertise and career in public law with topics including justice, law and democracy, evidence in organised crime investigations, torts, native title, government commercial activity, human rights, and employment law.

For a full list of options, see the 'units' tab above and click on the relevant major.

Units

Course structure

The course comprises 96 credit points (eight units) of coursework units. This can be achieved in one of two ways. Students may nominate a major and choose units to the value of at least 72 credit points from that particular major. The remaining 24 credit points can be chosen from any unit not included in the nominated major. Alternatively, students may complete a generic degree by choosing all 96 credit points from any of the majors.

Majors include:

• Commercial Law
• Criminology
• Environmental Resources Law
• Health Law
• Intellectual Property and Technology Law
• International and Comparative Law
• Public Law.

The course allows students to undertake a limited number of approved units from other schools at QUT or from other universities (subject to meeting credit rules for the LLM).

Not all units are available in any one year. Generally, postgraduate units are offered on a two-year rotational basis, and are offered subject to staff availability and minimum enrolments being met. Units may be offered in internal, external or block mode of teaching. Units offered externally are not available for off-shore study - students must be living in Australia.

Entry requirements

Prospective students must have:
(i) completed the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Laws or equivalent (as approved by Director, Graduate Programs) with a minimum GPA of 4 or equivalent;
OR
(ii) hold a professional qualification in law and have at least three years of professional legal experience after first admission to practice and also satisfy the Director, Graduate Programs, that they have the requisite ability to complete the Master of Laws by Coursework degree.

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.

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

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

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

Scholarships and financial support

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

View all scholarships

You may also be eligible for Centrelink payments