University of Technology Sydney
Graduate Certificate in Australian Law
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Offers a concise yet comprehensive introduction to key legal principles, providing a pathway for professionals seeking to understand or transition into the Australian legal system.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Australian Law is for overseas qualified lawyers from common-law jurisdictions who wish to practise law in NSW. Tailored to your unique needs based on the Legal Profession Admission Board's assessment, the course is a personalised study program that, upon completion, satisfies the academic requirements for admission as a lawyer to the NSW Supreme Court.
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, evening classes and intensives. As a valued member of the university's postgraduate community, you will have access to a range of facilities including an exclusive UTS Law postgraduate student lounge that provides a dedicated study and relaxation space for postgraduate students.
Key facts
What you will study
The course requires completion of 30 credit points of specified subjects. However, in some cases and subject to approval, students may substitute one subject. Each subject is valued at six credit points unless otherwise indicated.
Core Subjects
Complete all of the following subjects:
- Ethics Law and Justice
- Real Property (eight credit points)
- Australian Constitutional Law (eight credit points)
- Administrative Law (eight credit points)
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must have the following:
Completed Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor from outside Australia OR be admitted to practise as a legal practitioner in a common law jurisdiction outside Australia AND evidence from the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) of equivalency of the applicant’s legal qualification for the purpose of admission as a legal practitioner in NSW and the list of subjects that the LPAB deems necessary for the applicant to complete to seek admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
Students who have graduated with a Shari'a law qualification are not eligible to apply for this course.
English Language Requirements
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 a place offer.
Recognition of Prior Learning
UTS acknowledge both your formal qualifications and the wealth of informal learning you've accumulated along the way. This personalised RPL process not only recognises your hard work but also streamlines the duration and cost of your course, ensuring you reach your future goals faster.
Your previous education or employment must be evaluated to be equivalent to a UTS subject as per the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Procedures. This assessment considers:
- Currency of Knowledge
- Relevance of your Previous Learning
- Learning Outcomes
- Volume of Learning
- Content of Study
- Learning and Assessment Approaches
Prior learning can be recognised only once within any individual UTS course, it cannot be recognised again for another subject or component in that course.
Alternatively, subject substitution might be offered. This is where an alternative subject(s) of equivalent credit point value is added to your study plan.
It’s important to note that UTS assesses RPL only after an enrolment offer is accepted.
Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of a body of legal knowledge relating to the Australian legal system and laws and contemporary developments in law and its professional practice.
- Apply principles and approaches to ethical decision-making and professional responsibility in legal practice.
- Apply skills in legal research, critical analysis and evaluation of problems and questions in law.
- Reflect on Indigenous contexts to inform professional capabilities to work for and with Indigenous people across the legal sector.
- Generate solutions to legal issues through effective collaboration and communicate accurately and persuasively to a variety of audiences.
Career Outcomes
Career options include lawyer in NSW within a government or corporate department, private law firm or community law centre, providing students also undertake a course in practical legal training such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated tuition fee per session in 2025: $21,005 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The estimated fee is calculated based on a study load of 24 credit points per session.
Tuition fees are charged:
- Based on the particular course in which you are enrolled.
- Based on the number of credit points in which you are enrolled.
- At the rates set for the current year and revised annually.
In addition to tuition fees, students are required to pay a Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). The purchase of textbooks and other course materials may also result in additional costs.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.