Juris Doctor
The Deakin Juris Doctor (JD) combines a commercial focus with the development of practical skills essential to contemporary legal practice. Designed for non-law graduates, this intellectually stimulating course is offered fully online after an optional, but highly recommended, induction program held in Melbourne.
The Deakin JD goes beyond the teaching of legal knowledge and practical skills, to the development of a broader understanding of the policy informing the law, focusing on current policy issues and developing skills in the use of legal theory and legal research methods.
Your assignments will reflect the challenges you'll face in your future role and might include:
Group assignment work is also a feature of some units to ensure you develop the important skills necessary to work as part of a team.
The Deakin JD meets the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Victoria and other Australian jurisdictions. If your goal is to practise as a lawyer, you'll also need to complete a 12-month traineeship program or six-month legal practice course to demonstrate you're a 'fit and proper person' as required by Australian admitting bodies.
The Deakin JD is designed to produce graduates who can become first-class law practitioners by providing comprehensive training in each of the major areas of legal practice, while systematically embedding research, theory and policy considerations throughout the curriculum. A distinctive feature of the course is its orientation towards commercial law, though students may broaden their knowledge by choosing from a range of elective options including placement in the Deakin Law Clinic - an award-winning community legal centre where students can work with practicing solicitors and real clients.
Leading practising lawyers help shape our courses, so everything you learn is relevant to the industry and preparing you for a successful career in law.
A Juris Doctor is a qualification that offers great career opportunities. In addition to opportunities within law firms, which range from small rural and regional general legal practices through to large national or international practices, law graduates may enter other industries such as business (e.g as a corporate lawyer, company administrator or business manager); government service (e.g. as a lawyer with departments or authorities as diverse as the Attorney-General's Department, the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission); industrial relations; public administration; academia; or bodies that recommend law reform (e.g. as a law reform commissioner).
To complete the Juris Doctor, students must attain a total of 24 credit points, including 17 core units and 7 elective units, plus completion of the compulsory 0-credit point module, MAI010 Academic Integrity Module. Each unit (think of units as 'subjects') is equal to 1 credit point.
Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the ability to apply those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature.
17
Core units
7
Elective units
24
Total units
The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.
You can also refer to the Recognition of Prior Learning System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.
Recognition of Prior Learning into the Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) may be granted to students who have successfully completed appropriate Masters-level law studies in Juris Doctor programs offered at other universities.