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Professional accreditation

The Juris Doctor has been accredited by the , and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland as an approved academic qualification under the Supreme Court (Admission) Rules 2004 (Qld). It has also been approved by the Australian Law Schools Standards Committee under the Standards for Australian Law Schools adopted by the Council of Australian Law Deans. This degree will partially satisfy the requirements to practise as a lawyer in Queensland or elsewhere in Australia. Intending lawyers (whether barristers or solicitors) must also complete an approved practical legal training course in order to become admitted to practise law. Advice on practical legal training programs can be obtained through .

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Program aims

The Juris Doctor is a graduate entry program (for holders of non-law bachelor degrees) that provides students with the opportunity for a comprehensive study of law. The program aims to equip students with an academic qualification for professional practice. Not all law graduates aspire to a career in legal practice, but the specialised capabilities that a legal education can offer enhances their capacity to pursue many other possible careers. The program provides opportunities for students to develop advanced skills in analysis, problem-solving, communication, dispute-resolution, ethical decision-making, research and critical thinking - and engage with varying theories and perspectives on the law and the broader contexts for its operation. The program includes a particular focus on the development of high-level applied research skills.

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Program objectives

Upon completion of the Juris Doctor students will be able to:

• demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge that includes: the fundamental areas of legal knowledge, the Australian legal system and underlying principles and concepts (including Indigenous, international and comparative contexts); the broader contexts within which legal issues arise; the principles and values of justice and of ethical practice in lawyers’ roles; and contemporary developments in law, and its professional practice (JD TLO 1)

• demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making, an ability to recognise and reflect upon (and a developing ability to respond to) ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts, an ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community, and a developing ability to exercise professional judgement (JD TLO 2)

• identify and articulate complex legal issues, apply legal reasoning and research to generate appropriate jurisprudential and practical responses to legal issues, engage in critical analysis and make reasoned and appropriate choices amongst alternatives, and demonstrate sophisticated cognitive and creative skills in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses (JD TLO 3)

• 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 (JD TLO 4)

• communicate in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences, and collaborate effectively (JD TLO 5)

• learn and work with a high level of autonomy, accountability and professionalism; and reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance, and make use of feedback as appropriate, to support personal and professional development (JD TLO 6)

• explain the legislative process and identify applicable legislation and delegated legislation, apply general principles of statutory interpretation, make appropriate use of authorised aids to statutory interpretation, and deploy appropriate techniques in the course of solving interpretative problems

• reflect on and articulate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in key areas of law in order to develop an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, values, histories and contributions to Australian society, demonstrate an appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal issues in an Australian context, and critically reflect on the responsiveness of western law to Indigenous histories, values and needs.

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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 .

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Completion of an Australian university three-year Bachelor degree in an area other than law, or equivalent.

• English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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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. Students 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. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The graduate entry program is 24 units in total. It has two prime components: a core (20 units) and law approved courses (4 units).

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 9 years to complete this program.

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Core courses

.

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Electives/Approved courses

Choose four of the following law approved courses, including at least one of the approved research courses marked *. Some courses are offered biennially.

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IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the .

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Other program requirements

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

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Exit points

A student who chooses not to complete, or who does not maintain good standing in this program, will be permitted to exit with a lesser qualification as set out below:

• A student who successfully completes eight Juris Doctor core units may, upon application, exit with a Graduate Diploma of Jurisprudence.

  The Graduate Diploma of Jurisprudence is located at Level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

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Credit

Maximum credit

Credit from USQ courses credited to the Juris Doctor may be granted for a maximum of 50% of the program, that is, 12 courses.

Maximum credit for completed undergraduate courses

Credit from USQ courses creditable to the Juris Doctor may be granted for successful completion of undergraduate courses on condition that:

1. any other requirements for the granting of credit in these guidelines are met

2. if the student had been previously enrolled in a combined program with law at USQ or another university, and law courses were credited to the other award, credit is only granted so that, on completion of the Juris Doctor at USQ, the student will have successfully completed the equivalent of at least 6 years of full-time study

3. subject to paragraph 2, the maximum proportion of undergraduate courses that are taken or credited towards the Juris Doctor is 50% of the program, that is, the equivalent of 12 courses.

Admission courses

Credit may be granted from a core course that deals with an area of knowledge that is set out in the Admission Guidelines for Approving Academic Qualifications issued under Rule 9AA of the Supreme Court (Admission) Rules 2004 (Qld) if:

1. the course that was successfully completed at another university deals in substance with the topics that are set out in that area of knowledge

2. the course was undertaken in a program that is an approved academic qualification for the purposes of admission as a lawyer in any Australian state or territory.

Credit from a course in the Juris Doctor will only be granted if:

1. the workload for the course that was successfully completed at another university is at least 70% of the workload required for the course from which a credit is being granted

2. at least 70% of the content of the course that was successfully completed at the other university is similar to the content of the course from which a credit is being granted.

Credit may be permitted for a limited number of courses, equivalent in content and level, successfully completed recently with a recognised institution, in accordance with USQ policy.

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

• Recommended enrolment patterns
• Recommended enrolment pattern - standard Semester 1 intake
• Recommended enrolment pattern - standard Semester 2 intake
• Recommended enrolment pattern - 3 courses per semester

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Recommended enrolment patterns

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.

The flexibility of this program, particularly for the distance learning students means there will be a range of enrolment patterns, and many distance learning students will have a unique enrolment pattern. Students requiring assistance should contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.

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Recommended enrolment pattern - standard Semester 1 intake

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.

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Recommended enrolment pattern - standard Semester 2 intake

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.

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Recommended enrolment pattern - 3 courses per semester

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.