Overview

Project status: Completed

This project was funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) to renew the final year curriculum of legal education. The aim is to change the way students transition from university to professional practice, through capstone experiences. 

We have created Australia's largest and most comprehensive suite of resources to enable law schools to design law capstone units. These include: 

Research team

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Organisational unit
Lead unit Faculty of Law

Contact

For more information contact the Faculty of Law.

 

Details

What are capstone experiences?

Broadly, capstone experiences should provide final year students with an opportunity both to look back over their academic learning, in an effort to make sense of what they have accomplished, and to look forward to their professional and personal futures, building on that foundation.

Design principles and favourable conditions

The design principles were drafted following an extensive review of the literature and consultation with the sector, Project Reference Group, students and recent graduates.

An effective capstone experience:

  • supports transition from university to professional practice
  • supports integration and provides closure on the learning experience
  • responds positively to diversity
  • promotes student engagement
  • recognises the culminating nature of the experience by building skills through scaffolded assessment
  • should be regularly evaluated.

Successful capstone experiences are supported by the existence of favourable conditions, such as:

  • taking a whole-of-program approach to curriculum design
  • developing the learning outcomes incrementally throughout the program
  • proactive management of the program, with appropriate support and resources

Five subject models

These law subject models suggest possible options based on different learning approaches:

  • work integrated learning
  • problem-based learning
  • research project
  • alternative dispute resolution
  • practical legal training

Examples of capstone experiences

Sixteen examples of actual capstone programs are provided to show the diversity and flexibility of these educational experiences.

Toolkit

Key capstone resources have been consolidated into a Toolkit to assist with the development of capstone experiences within a law degree. It can also be adapted to suit other discipline areas.

Partnerships

This project was completed in partnership with: