Bachelor of Laws - Queensland University of Technology

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Why choose this course?
Law, Justice Studies and Legal Practice form QUT¿s Faculty of Law. Here, you will learn from academic staff who are highly involved in the legal and justice communities, use foremost on-line study facilities and legal technology and graduate with developed workplace skills.

Career outcomes
On average approximately 90% of QUT Law graduates are employed within four months of graduating or take on further study like the QUT Legal Practice Course to gain admission as solicitors. QUT Law graduates become solicitors, barristers, in-house counsel, government lawyers, policy officers and advisors or take on roles in business and industry.

Practical teaching
As a QUT Law student, you may sign up for a work experience program, choose the elective units 'Internships' and 'Legal Clinic' to gain legal experience in government and/or apply for paid Summer or Winter Clerkships with law firms.

Workplace Skills
The QUT School of Law is a recognised leader in innovative legal education, particularly in the area of workplace skills. You will graduate with improved general, practical skills that better prepare you for employment. Workplace skills are carefully integrated into your course through a staged skills program. These include: negotiation, client interviewing, legal drafting, advocacy, legal research, IT skills and communication and problem solving.

Industry links
You may hone your courtroom and mooting (mock trial) skills through coaching by retired judges who are regularly appointed as Judges-in-Residence or by the Shine Roche McGowan Moot Coordinator.

You will learn from academic staff with current firsthand experience. Many lecturers and tutors either work in or consult to the legal profession, government and other community organisations. Some law firms sponsor academic staff positions and have staff work for them on a regular basis. These include the Clayton Utz Professor in Public Law, the Gadens Professor in Property Law and the Shine Roche McGowan Moot Coordinator.

Academic staff carry out a wide variety of projects in the community. Examples include the QUT - Phillips Fox Water Project; a collaborative project investigating a legal framework for water law in Australia, a medico-legal video for doctors and a project promoting access to legal information amongst homeless people and homelessness service providers.

Course structure
You will complete a designated suite of core units which are mandatory for admission as a solicitor. In the second half of the course you choose from an array of electives which may include specialist areas like mooting, medico-legal law, Internet law, e-commerce law, alternative dispute resolution and media law.

If you already hold a degree, you may receive advanced standing of 48 credit points (4 units) and may undertake the course in an accelerated format. You may also be eligible to undertake the Graduate Certificate in Law in the later stages of your undergraduate studies.

Facilities / technology
You have the chance to graduate will some of the most advanced IT skills in the law including electronic courtroom operation and procedure and on-line legal research. QUT has a state-of-the-art electronic courtroom and has links with leading university e-courts overseas, eg. Courtroom 21, University of Virginia, USA.

All study units have their own web page with study resources included.

Overseas links
You may attend the many free seminars by visiting academics from around the world. Topics are diverse and may include cyber law and intellectual property; copyright, medico-legal law; biotechnology law and international law.

For the first time, Business/Law students have been awarded a community service grant. The students will provide business and legal skills training to eco-tourism operations in rural Fiji. Other overseas opportunities exist through QUT¿s student exchange program to universities around the world. The Faculty of Law has special exchange arrangements with selected universities in the UK and Canada.

You can learn about international uses of legal technology through the QUT¿s electronic courtroom, theQUT Moot Court and a collaboration with the USA's most advanced research electronic facility, Courtroom 21 at the College of William and Mary, University of Virginia.

Convenience
You may complete the QUT Bachelor of Laws in full-time or part-time modes. There is also an external option for distance students. The course is taught and administered at QUT¿s Gardens Point (city) campus. So whether you are located in Brisbane or elsewhere, you may benefit from gaining a QUT law degree. There is a free bus every 15 minutes between Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses, should you be taking Justice Studies elective at the Kelvin Grove campus.

Scholarships
On enrolment into the Bachelor of Laws or related double degree, you may apply for a QUT Law Founders¿ Scholarship. This is for first-year students who are socio-economically disadvantaged. Other scholarships available later in the course are the Blake Dawson Waldron Scholarship and the Shine Roche McGowan External Studies Scholarship.

Distance Education (External) Special Entry Requirements
Entry to the distance education (external) mode of the course is restricted to students who reside in Australia outside the Brisbane City Council boundaries.

Students who reside within the Brisbane City Council may be considered under exceptional circumstances. A covering letter outlining your exceptional circumstances claim with supporting documentation must accompany your admission application form.

Other Course Requirements
It is a requirement that distance education students participate in two three-day attendance schools per year in addition to the orientation attendance school for commencing students only. The attendance schools are an integral component of the distance education course and are compulsory. When undertaking the course via distance education, it is the students responsibility to ensure they have access to a suitable law library.

Graduate Entry
A graduate of any non-Law degree completed within the last 10 years is eligible for theGraduate Entry accelerated programwhich is normally completed in three years full-time or five years part-time/external.

Applicants with degrees (or equivalent) completed more than 10 years ago must provide evidence of graduate work experience and/or further studies since course completion with their QTAC application to receive further consideration.

QTAC students are not required to submit an Application for Academic Credit as this will be automatically awarded by QUT Admissions after offer and prior to the start of classes.

Mid-Year Entry
Mid-year full-time entry students should note that there are two compulsory units in the summer semester. Students can alter this structure but should consult with the Law School prior to doing so.

Professional Recognition
The QUT Bachelor of Laws course is an approved degree for the purposes of the Legal Practitioners Admission Rules. Accordingly, it enables graduates to satisfy the academic requirements for admission to practise as a solicitor and/or barrister in all Australian states and territories. The QUT LLB degree qualification is also recognised for admission purposes in West and East Malaysia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Course Structures