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Program aims

The Master of Laws by Research aims to produce graduates trained in legal research either for academic or professional purposes. The task of the Master of Laws by Research student is to undertake a significant piece of research and report it in a scholarly dissertation. The Master of Laws by Research aims to provide students with opportunities to explore the resolution of particular legal problems using specialist and theoretical knowledge and advanced techniques through conducting research in a specialised area of law, legal theory, comparative law or legal history or by conducting interdisciplinary studies in law

Program objectives

On successful completion of this program students will be able to:

• comprehend and evaluate developments in a chosen area of law and critically examine the relationship between those developments and contemporary theory

• identify, critically assess and apply selected research methodologies in law in terms of their theoretical status and their applicability for resolving contemporary legal and social problems

• undertake, interpret and evaluate legal research using acceptable principles and techniques

• create a scholarly document.

Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 09. Graduates at this level will have specialised knowledge and skills for research, and/or professional practice and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

Admission requirements

Candidates for the Master of Laws by Research are required to have a minimum of a three or four year, Australian Qualifications Framework level 7 Bachelor degree in Law or equivalent from a recognised university.

On application, candidates must be able to provide an outline of the dissertation topic they intend to pursue.

Note: Admission to the Master of Laws by Research is dependent upon the Faculty's capacity to supervise the proposed project. Prospective candidates should contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts for up-to-date information regarding research areas before preparing their project proposals.

Domestic and International Applicants from a non-English speaking background are required to satisfy .

If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a 精东传媒app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, Applicants may be admitted to an Award Program.

Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.
Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Research training scheme (RTS)

Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens commencing a higher degree research program may have their tuition fees paid for by the Australian Federal Government under the Research Training Scheme (RTS). A RTS place entitles a student to a maximum period of 4 years full-time fees or 8 years part-time fees on tuition fees for a Doctorate program and 2 years full-time fees or 4 years part-time fees for Masters by Research programs. As part of the enrolment process students are required to submit proof of citizenship and transcripts of all previous academic study. It is with this documentation that USQ can determine eligibility for RTS. Students who are eligible for RTS are:

• those who have not consumed a full RTS allocation previously;

• those who have already utilised RTS to successfully completed a research program. Once a student completes a higher degree research program full entitlements of RTS are restored.

If a student's RTS entitlement expires before they have completed their program they will be required to pay full tuition fees. As there may be limited RTS places available, some students may be required to pay fees for all or part of their program. The Office of Research Graduate Studies will advise students of their eligibility for an RTS place.

Program structure

The Master of Laws by Research is a 12-unit research program comprising one unit of coursework and three Masters Dissertation courses (comprising eleven units of dissertation altogether). Students must successfully complete the following courses:

The Associate Dean Research may direct students to undertake other research courses or modules as required by their supervisory team as part of the 12 units.

The dissertation allows students to undertake in-depth, independent investigation in a chosen area of law, legal theory, comparative law or legal history or that involves interdisciplinary studies in law. To successfully complete six Masters Dissertation courses, students will be required to select a topic, develop a proposal, carry out supervised research, and submit a dissertation.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 6 years to complete this program.

IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the .

Other program requirements

Students must maintain good standing in this program. Please refer to the .

The Associate Dean Research may direct students to undertake another research course in place of or modules as part of . Students must have candidature for the Master of Laws by Research confirmed after the end of the equivalent of six months fulltime enrolment (4 units) and therefore after successful completion of:

• The courses (1) ; (2) (or another research course if required by the supervisory team) and (3) .

• A dissertation proposal presented in accordance with Higher Degree by Research procedures with a minimum of a nominal grade of C from the Confirmation of Candidature panel.

Exit points

A student enrolled in the Master of Laws by Research who wishes to exit without completing the program, may on the basis of outstanding performance seek to transfer to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. To be considered for acceptance into the PhD program, students will have:

• completed at least 8 units within the Master of Laws by Research

• a nominal GPA of 6 achieved from:

  • a minimum grade of A for the course and where applicable a minimum grade of A for another research course if required by the supervisory team

  • a minimum grade of A for their research proposal from the Confirmation of Candidature panel

  
  

• achieved subsequent confirmation of Master's candidature by the Office of Research and Higher Degrees.

Note: Candidates will be required to meet the admission requirements of the PhD program and, if they are accepted, will be enrolled as provisional candidates with their status reviewed within 12 months for full-time enrolment or 24 months for part-time enrolment. Students may apply for credit in the PhD program based on the Master of Laws by Research units completed. Students who are eligible to transfer to the PhD after 8 units and take that option will be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma of Legal Research.

Students who are unable to complete the Master of Laws by Research but have completed 4 units including (or another research course if required by the supervisory team), , and a research proposal with a minimum grade of C from the Confirmation of Candidature panel will be eligible to exit with a Graduate Certificate of Laws Research (GCLR).

Credit

Credit will not normally be granted for the Law Masters Dissertation courses. Claims for credit for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment in a program. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with USQ policy. Credit approved in this program will not automatically apply to other programs offered by USQ.

Recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Examples of recommended full-time and part-time enrolment patterns are set out in the table below. Students requiring assistance with their enrolment pattern should contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.