Master of Legal Studies

Note

The Master of Legal Studies is not a professional legal qualification. Students seeking admission to practise as a lawyer should consider the Juris Doctor (C04236) or the Bachelor of Laws (C10124). Some subjects in the Master of Legal Studies may be credited towards these degrees.

The Master of Legal Studies is for non-law graduates who are seeking to develop their understanding of law and the legal system in Australia. This course is particularly useful if you work in professions such as accounting, auditing and compliance, business development, financial advising or property development.

This course will not qualify you to become a lawyer, but you will gain invaluable insights into how the law impacts your field, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions and manage legal risks.

If you want to become a lawyer, you can apply to transfer to the Juris Doctor at UTS Law upon completion of three core subjects, and the completed subjects will be applied towards the Juris Doctor.

This course is also for overseas qualified lawyers who wish to practise law in NSW. You apply to the external accrediting authority, the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB), for an assessment of your existing legal qualification. This assessment will list the core Australian Law subjects you need to complete to meet the academic requirements for admission as a lawyer in NSW. We offer all core Australian law subjects in this course.

You will study a range of subjects across core areas of the legal system, including contracts, criminal law, company law, and constitutional law, and you will have the option to specialise in areas of law that are relevant to your field of work or your interests.

You will learn from experienced academics, practitioners and industry experts. You will enjoy a flexible learning environment that allows you to balance work or other commitments with subjects offered in a variety of delivery modes, including collaborative face-to-face seminars, online, evening classes and intensives. As a valued member of our postgraduate community, you will have access to a range of facilities, including our exclusive UTS Law postgraduate student lounge that provides a dedicated study and relaxation space for our postgraduate students.

A postgraduate qualification in legal studies opens career opportunities in a range of vocations including business, government, law enforcement, non-profit sector and administration. You will graduate with the skills and practical experience needed to create real-world change and become a leader in your profession.

Students come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, such as insurance, human resources, banking, finance and education, and work in roles where knowledge of the legal landscape is critical to their work. Course content includes criminal, ethics, contract, tort and constitutional law. Students can also use their elective choices to build specialist legal expertise in areas such as compliance and intellectual property law.

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

Applicants must have one of the following:

• Completed Australian doctorate, or overseas equivalent

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 3.8/7

OR

• Completed Australian graduate certificate or Australian graduate diploma, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 5/7

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a GPA between 3.30/7 and 3.79/7 AND Capacity to study the course demonstrated through relevant professional experience

The qualification must be in a field of study other than law or, if the qualification is in a legal field of study, it shall not be an academic qualification for legal practice.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C07122 Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies or C11264 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

For applicants who need to demonstrate capacity to pursue the course:

• Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of service in one of the following formats:
  • A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer
  • A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer
  • A statutory declaration confirming work experience (for Australian Residents only)
  • An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations, and the nature of the business
  • A business certificate of registration in original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)
• Personal statement outlining relevant professional experience and reasons for pursuing the course.
• Relevant work-related references

For Applicants seeking credit recognition for core law subjects in overseas legal qualification

• Written assessment from the NSW Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) indicating which subjects need to be completed to meet the requirements for admission as a Legal Practitioner.

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

Applicants must have one of the following:

• Completed Australian doctorate, or overseas equivalent

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 3.8/7

OR

• Completed Australian graduate certificate or Australian graduate diploma, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 5/7

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a GPA between 3.30/7 and 3.79/7 AND Capacity to study the course demonstrated through relevant professional experience

The qualification must be in a field of study other than law or, if the qualification is in a legal field of study, it shall not be an academic qualification for legal practice.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C07122 Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies or C11264 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

For applicants who need to demonstrate capacity to pursue the course:

• Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of service in one of the following formats:
  • A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer
  • A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer
  • A statutory declaration confirming work experience (for Australian Residents only)
  • An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations, and the nature of the business
  • A business certificate of registration in original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)
• Personal statement outlining relevant professional experience and reasons for pursuing the course.
• Relevant work-related references

For Applicants seeking credit recognition for core law subjects in overseas legal qualification

• Written assessment from the NSW Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) indicating which subjects need to be completed to meet the requirements for admission as a Legal Practitioner.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

• Accountant
• Business Development Manager
• Compliance Manager
• Engineer
• Financial Advisor
• IT Manager
• Law Enforcement Officer
• Paralegal
• Policy Officer