Course structure and plans
Melbourne Law School offers a variety of course plans to provide students with the necessary flexibility to tailor their studies to their broader needs and goals.
Course structure
The JD course comprises 24 subjects, including 16 compulsory subjects required for admission to legal practice within Australia. The remaining eight subjects are chosen by students from a wide range of optional subjects offered by the School.
The various course plans enable students to take advantage of other educational, professional and social opportunities during the summer and winter breaks, including seasonal clerkships, international exchanges, internships, mooting and Law Review editorial work. Where students have significant non-study commitments, less intensive course plans offer a path to fully integrate study alongside such other obligations.
Note: Full-time students who are receiving Centrelink payments are advised to check their eligibility if they extend beyond 3.5 years as they are required to maintain a certain study load to be eligible. Part time students are unlikely to be eligible for Centrelink payments.
Part-time students: Students who have indicated they will be studying part time will be contacted prior to the first subject Legal Method and Reasoning being taught to organise course advice and assistance with prerequisite waivers for subjects. Please see the part-time course plans and links below for further information.
Students may also use the new My Course Planner tool for assistance with planning their studies.
3 year course plan
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | ||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Administrative Law | Remedies |
| Principles of Public Law | Evidence and Proof ^ | Legal Research or Elective | |
| Torts | Property | Elective | |
| Elective | Elective | ||
| Semester 2 | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | Elective or Legal Research |
| Contracts | Criminal Law and Procedure | Elective | |
| Disputes and Ethics | Equity and Trusts | Elective | |
| Legal Theory | Elective | Elective |
^ This subject will be offered alternatively as an intensive during July.
Extended 3.5 year course plan
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | |||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Administrative Law | Remedies | Elective |
| Principles of Public Law | Evidence and Proof ^ | Elective | Elective | |
| Torts | Property | Elective | Elective | |
| Elective # | ||||
| Semester 2 | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | Legal Research | |
| Contracts | Criminal Law and Procedure | Elective | ||
| Disputes and Ethics | Equity and Trusts | Elective | ||
| November/December (Intensive) | Legal Theory |
^ This subject will be offered alternatively as an intensive during July.
# This elective may be moved to an earlier study period.
Extended 4 year course plan
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | |||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Administrative Law | Remedies | Legal Research |
| Principles of Public Law | Evidence and Proof ^ | Elective | Elective | |
| Torts | Property | Elective | Elective | |
| Semester 2 | Constitutional Law | Criminal Law and Procedure | Corporations Law | Elective |
| Contracts | Equity and Trusts | Elective | Elective | |
| Disputes and Ethics | Legal Theory * | Elective |
^ This subject will be offered alternatively as an intensive during July. Places are quota restricted. Students can enrol into this offering on a first-in basis, based on their date/time of enrolling into the subject.
* This subject will be offered alternatively as an intensive during November/December. Places are quota restricted. Students can enrol into this offering on a first-in basis, based on their date/time of enrolling into the subject .
Accelerated 2.5 year course structure
The Melbourne JD can also be accelerated by students with outstanding results in the first semester or first year of the JD with approval from the Law School. While students are encouraged to take advantage of other educational, professional and social opportunities, the ability to participate in all of these possibilities will be limited due to the accelerated nature of this course plan.
Course Acceleration - Important Information
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer/January/February (Intensive) | Elective in Year 2 or Year 3 | Elective in Year 2 or Year 3 | |
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | ||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Administrative Law | Remedies |
| Principles of Public Law | Property | Legal Research | |
| Torts | Evidence and Proof | Elective | |
| Elective | Elective | ||
| Winter/July (Intensive) | Elective | ||
| Semester 2 | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | |
| Contracts | Criminal Law and Procedure | ||
| Disputes and Ethics | Equity and Trusts | ||
| Legal Theory | Elective | ||
| November/December (Intensive) | Elective | Elective |
Part-time 4 year course plan
This course plan takes advantage of intensive study options alongside two subjects per semester to increase to a six subject study load per year, with a seventh subject in one of the second, third or fourth years of the degree in order to complete in four years.
Course advice for part-time students: As mentioned previously students who will be studying part time will be provided with course advice. Course advice and prerequisite waiver approval will be given by Judith Marychurch, Assistant Dean – Teaching and Learning (jmarychurch@unimelb.edu.au).
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer/January/February (Intensive) | Elective | Elective | ||
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | |||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Principles of Public Law | Administrative Law | Legal Research or Elective |
| Torts | Property | Elective | ||
| Winter/July (Intensive) | Evidence and Proof | Elective | Elective | |
| Semester 2 | Disputes and Ethics | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | Elective or Legal Research |
| Contracts | Criminal Law and Procedure | Equity and Trusts | Elective | |
| November/ December (Intensive) | Legal Theory | Elective | Remedies |
Part-time 5 year course plan
This course plan allows students to study four or five subjects per year, using intensive offerings of three compulsory subjects and one elective.
Course advice for part-time students: As mentioned previously students who will be studying part time will be provided with course advice. Course advice and prerequisite waiver approval will be given by Judith Marychurch, Assistant Dean – Teaching and Learning (jmarychurch@unimelb.edu.au).
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer/January/February (Intensive) | Elective | ||||
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | ||||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Principles of Public Law | Administrative Law | Property | Legal Research or Elective |
| Torts | Elective | Elective | Elective | ||
| Winter/July (Intensive) | Evidence and Proof | ||||
| Semester 2 | Contracts | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | Equity and Trusts | Elective or Legal Research |
| Disputes and Ethics | Elective | Criminal Law and Procedure | Elective | Elective | |
| November/December (Intensive) | Legal Theory | Remedies |
Part-time 6 year course plan
This course plan allows students to study four subjects per year with no intensives, excluding Legal Method and Reasoning.
Course advice for part-time students: As mentioned previously students who will be studying part time will be provided with course advice. Course advice and prerequisite waiver approval will be given by Judith Marychurch, Assistant Dean – Teaching and Learning (jmarychurch@unimelb.edu.au).
| Time of year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (Intensive) | Legal Method and Reasoning | |||||
| Semester 1 | Obligations | Principles of Public Law | Administrative Law | Evidence and Proof | Remedies | Legal Research or Elective |
| Torts | Property | Elective | Elective | Elective | ||
| Semester 2 | Contracts | Constitutional Law | Corporations Law | Equity and Trusts | Elective | Elective or Legal Research |
| Disputes and Ethics | Legal Theory | Criminal Law and Procedure | Elective | Elective | Elective |