University of Canberra

Graduate Diploma in Law

The Graduate Diploma in Law is a postgraduate law program designed for those who have completed or are close to completing a bachelor's degree in a non-law discipline to enhance their qualifications through graduate legal studies. Students tailor their individual program of study to their needs by studying two foundation units and six electives, including subject streams such as business law and public policy streams.Students may transition to the Juris Doctor (JD), which is a master's level pathway to legal practice throughout Australia with professional accreditation with the Supreme Court of the ACT and the State of New South Wales (the Graduate Diploma is not itself a qualification to practice law). With an emphasis on practical legal problem-solving, the JD units are designed to ground legal education in the broader social and economic context and support students' development as ethical professionals.With small class sizes and highly qualified and experienced staff, students are encouraged to develop their advocacy abilities and legal skills. Students who transition to a JD will apply their skills in the workplace, with opportunities to complete an extended practical research project or law internship through linkages with law firms, government and non-government agencies and overseas universities.