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Master of Laws (Research) (LLMR) - LLR

CRICOS code (International applicants): 078845K

 On-campusExternal
Start:Semester 1 (February)
Semester 2 (July)
Semester 1 (February)
Semester 2 (July)
Campus:Springfield, Toowoomba -
Fees:Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme
Standard duration:1.5 years full-time, up to 6 years part-time 

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au  

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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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

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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.


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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 a three-year or four-year Australian university Bachelor degree in the area of law, or equivalent.

  • Provide an outline of the dissertation topic they intend to pursue.

  • English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.


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.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a 精东传媒app-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 .

Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme

All Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens commencing a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program will have their tuition fees paid by the Australian Commonwealth Government under the Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset scheme. The RTP Fees Offset scheme covers program fees for an HDR student up to a maximum period of four years for full-time study or up to eight years part-time study for a Doctoral program, and up to a maximum period of two years for full-time or four years part-time for a Masters by Research program.
As part of the enrolment process, students are required to submit proof of citizenship or permanent residency status and transcripts of all previous academic study. This documentation enables the 精东传媒app of Southern Queensland to determine eligibility for an RTP Fees Offset place.

If a student's RTP Fees Offset entitlement expires before completion of the program, the student will be required to pay full tuition fees.

Students eligible for an RTP Fees Offset place are those who:

  • have not used RTP Fees Offset funding in the previous three years; or

  • have already used RTP Fees Offset funding and have successfully completed an HDR program. Once a student completes an HDR program, full entitlements of RTP Fees Offset are restored.


The Australian Commonwealth Government鈥檚 contribution to program fees must be acknowledged on all published material relating to a research project via a statement identifying the support received through the RTP Fees Offset scheme.

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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:

Course  Semester of offer
Distance/Online 
Semester of offer
Toowoomba campus 
Semester of offer
Springfield campus 
(one unit)  1, 2 
(one unit)  1, 2  1, 2  1, 2 
(two units)  1, 2  1, 2  1, 2 
(four units)  1, 2  1, 2  1, 2 

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.

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Required time limits

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

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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 .

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.


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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).

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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

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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.


CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirementsComments
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem
1111Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following programs: DPHD, DJUR, LLBH, LLMR or LLMC 1 unit
11111 unit
1112Pre-requisite: 2 units
12Pre-requisite: 4 units
21Pre-requisite: 4 units
21Pre-requisite: 2 units
22Pre-requisite: 2 units
31Pre-requisite: 2 units
32Pre-requisite: 2 units