The JD is a postgraduate level law degree that is recognised for the purpose of admission to practise law. A 144 unit of credit program, it may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. It is made up of 96 units of credit of compulsory courses, 6 units of credit of prescribed electives and 42 units of credit of free electives. The compulsory courses and prescribed electives cover the areas of study prescribed by the Legal Profession Admission Board (NSW) for recognition of the degree for professional practice.

1. Duration/Award:

The program is a three-year full-time program leading to the award of Juris Doctor (JD).

2. Entry Requirement:

The program is available to graduates or graduands of another Faculty of UNSW or another approved university. Applicants who hold only postgraduate qualifications are welcome to apply for entry to this program but must indicate this by writing to the Faculty of Law directly for consideration as well as following the usual application procedures. For Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens, applications for the UNSW JD are online through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Go to www.uac.edu.au and click on “UAC Postgraduate”.

3. Progression Requirements:

The JD is a flexible program and can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis. Students can choose their rate of study within program rules (ie. can move between full-time and part-time study). The maximum duration is 8 years.

Students will acquire a sound knowledge base in the discipline of Law due to their completion of a sequence of core courses and a wide range of elective courses.

Approved Sequence

There is no assumed knowledge requirement for entry to Faculty of Law courses but students must study law courses in an approved sequence. An approved sequence can be found here:

Plan for Juris Doctor

Other sequences may be approved in special circumstances.

Juris Doctor students who have completed 120uoc of JD study at UNSW may be eligible to undertake a full academic year at the University of Oxford completing the degree requirements of Oxford’s Bachelor of Civil Law or a Masters in Law and Finance. Following successful completion of these degree requirements at Oxford, the student will be eligible to receive the Juris Doctor degree without further study at UNSW.

Juris Doctor with Distinction Policy from 2015 onwards

Students who complete the Juris Doctor Program from 2015 onwards (from Summer 2015) will be eligible for the Juris Doctor with Distinction.
To be awarded the Juris Doctor with Distinction, students:

For more information on the Juris Doctor with Distinction, please visit Juris Doctor with Distinction

Rules Relating to the Juris Doctor Program

1. No person shall be permitted to enrol in any program in the Faculty of Law at the same time as he or she is enrolled for any other degree or diploma in the University or elsewhere, except with the approval of the Faculty.

2. Where, in these Rules, reference is made to the requirement that a candidate shall complete a program, the requirement shall be construed as meaning that the candidate shall:

(1) attend such lectures, seminars, tutorials or other classes, and such court sessions, offices or institutions as may be prescribed in that program, and maintain a satisfactory standard of preparation for and participation in such classes and activities;

(2) perform satisfactorily in such exercises, essays, theses and other work (whether written, oral or practical) as may be prescribed in that program and undertake any prescribed reading related to that program; and

(3) attain a satisfactory standard in the examination or examinations, and such other means of assessment of a candidate's results in that program as the Faculty may prescribe.

3. The Faculty of Law shall specify a number of units of credit in respect of each Law course for which credit is given in the award of the Juris Doctor degree. On completion of the course, a candidate shall be credited with the specified number of points.

4. (1) In the case of the Bachelor of Laws degree program credit shall be given for the courses set out in the following table, each of which shall, unless otherwise determined by the Faculty, carry the number of units of credit (if any) specified.

Compulsory Courses

Prescribed Elective Courses (Total units - 6 UOC)
One of the following:

Free Elective Courses

Approximately 25-30 electives are made available each session. The number of students that may take an elective may be limited. Please refer to the section 'Elective Courses' below.

JD students who commenced their studies in Session 1, 2013 or later will have to complete 72UOC in Law courses in order to be eligible to enrol in Elective courses except for those Elective courses which have other academic requirements. Information on pre-requisite requirement can be found on the online handbook.

5. (1) A candidate for the award of the degree of Juris Doctor shall complete:

(a) all of the courses prescribed in under the heading 'Compulsory Courses', totalling 96 units of credit;

(b) one of the selected courses from the courses prescribed under the heading 'Prescribed Elective Courses';

(c) such Legal Research and Writing Programs, Prescribed Readings in Law, Moot Court Work and other work as the Faculty may require; and

(d) such Elective Courses to the extent necessary to bring his or her total units of credit for Compulsory and Elective Law Courses to a total of 144 UOC.

(2) All students must complete a capstone experience that provides a synthesis of their prior learning and experience in subject areas required for practice as a lawyer and prepares them for ongoing growth as professionals and further intellectual development. This requirement will be met by completion of a Prescribed Elective in legal theory or by completion of internships, clinics or other experiential learning activities for which JD UOC are awarded.


6. (1) Total Units of Credit: A candidate for the award of the degree of Juris Doctor shall complete Elective Courses prescribed in Rule 4 to the extent necessary to bring his or her total units of credit for Compulsory and Elective Law Courses to a total of 144 UOC (Core: 96 UOC; Electives: 48 UOC)

(2) Approval: A candidate's choice of Elective Courses shall require the approval of the Faculty.


7. Faculty: In these Rules, unless the contrary is indicated, 'the Faculty' means the Faculty of Law.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  UNSW Fee Website.

and any other courses specified by the Faculty.