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Develop your knowledge of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing your industry.
Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies
Note
The Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies is not a professional legal qualification. Students seeking admission to practise as a lawyer should consider the Juris Doctor (C04236) or the Bachelor of Laws (C10124). Some subjects in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies may be credited towards these degrees.
The Graduate Diploma of Legal Studies is for non-law graduates who require a solid grasp of legal and regulatory frameworks to excel in their career.
This course is particularly useful if you work in professions such as human resources, accounting, auditing and compliance, business development, financial advising or property development.
You will gain invaluable insights into how the law impacts your field, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions and manage legal risks.
You will study three core subjects across core areas of the Australian legal system, including Foundations of law, criminal law and constitutional law. You will then choose additional elective subjects, allowing you to specialise in areas of law that are relevant to your field of work or your interests. If you want to qualify as a lawyer, you can apply to transfer into the Juris Doctor program at UTS Law upon completion of three core subjects, and completed subjects will be applied towards the Juris Doctor.
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, online, evening classes and intensives. As a valued member of our postgraduate community, you will have access to a range of facilities, including our exclusive UTS Law postgraduate student lounge that provides a dedicated study and relaxation space for our postgraduate students.
The Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies will complement your current professional capabilities with legal knowledge that will empower you to make informed decisions and provide a competitive edge in your field.
Course content includes ethics, criminal and tort law. Students can also use their elective choices to build specialist legal expertise in areas such as compliance and intellectual property law.
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Study plan
To view the study plan please visit the UTS Handbook.Course fees
For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:
Local student
In most cases, UTS offers domestic students entry to postgraduate courses on a fee paying basis.
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
Fees for future year(s) published in the online calculator, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.
Tuition fees can be found in the online calculator.
A small number of postgraduate courses offer government subsidised Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). Find out whether there are CSPs available in this course by visiting our postgraduate fees page.
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.
UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage
International student
Tuition fees for international postgraduate coursework students can be found using fees search.
Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.
For this course, the cost per credit point for 2025 is $1042. The total credit points are 48.
All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:
- Protocol on refund of fees for international students - contains the refund of fees information for international students.
- Tuition Protection Service - designed to ensure that students receive the tuition they have paid for
In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.
UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage
For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit the international students' fees information page.
Careers
This course particularly benefits accountants and auditors, business development managers, compliance managers, engineers and architects, financial advisers and planners, IT professionals, law enforcement officers, paralegals, policy officers in the public, private and non-profit sectors, property developers and public sector managers and administrators (especially those who work in Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Attorney-General's Department and Treasury).
Course structure
To view the course structure please visit the UTS Handbook.Additional information
Course duration
The course can be completed in a minimum of one year of full-time or two years of part-time study. Subjects may also be available in Summer session, allowing accelerated progression.
The course is offered in a variety of attendance patterns, including intensive block attendance and weekly on-campus evening classes.
On campus - WeeklyAdmission requirements
Admission requirements
To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.
Applicants must have the following:
- Completed Australian bachelor's degree, or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent
The qualification must be in a field of study other than law or, if the qualification is in a legal field of study, it shall not be an academic qualification for legal practice.
Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C11264 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies.
Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application
For Applicants seeking credit recognition for core law subjects in overseas legal qualification
- Written assessment from the NSW Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) indicating which subjects need to be completed to meet the requirements for admission as a Legal Practitioner.
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 offer of a place.
International studentsVisa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.
Applicants must have the following:
- Completed Australian bachelor's degree, or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent
The qualification must be in a field of study other than law or, if the qualification is in a legal field of study, it shall not be an academic qualification for legal practice.
Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C11264 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies.
Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application
For Applicants seeking credit recognition for core law subjects in overseas legal qualification
- Written assessment from the NSW Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) indicating which subjects need to be completed to meet the requirements for admission as a Legal Practitioner.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.
Recognition of prior learning
General and course-specific recognition of prior learning information regarding the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies is available at postgraduate course information.
Scholarships and prizes
Scholarships
For Law students
- ARC Linkage Project in digital-twin driven prognostics for the mining industry
- Crescent Leadership Scholarship
- Developing a governance model for reef and fisheries governance in SE Asia
- Ericsson Technology Scholarship
- International Research Training Program Scholarship (IRTP)
- Mentoring of Women in Engineering and IT Scholarship
- RACE for 2030 CRC Industry PhD Scholarship
- Rosemary Johnston HDR Scholarship
- Scape Accommodation Scholarship
- Supporting sustainable and equitable coral reef and fisheries governance in SE Asia
- Telstra Enterprise Certitude Scholarship
- The Wonderful, Fluorescent, Massive World of Tiny Invisible Things: Creating Transformative Science Stories for Children. A collaboration between science and the creative arts.
- Thrive: Next Generation Graduates - PhD – Social Science and Policy
- UTS Diploma to Degree Pathway Scholarship
- UTS Housing Resident Networker Scholarship
- UTS Scholarship for European Undergraduate Students
- UTS-Vietnam Government Project 89 PhD Scholarship
- Wikipedia and Australian history and events
Only for international students
- Australia Awards Scholarships (Australian Government Scholarships)
- UTS Academic Excellence International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship – South Asia
- UTS Chinese Postgraduate Tuition Fee Scholarship
- UTS MACC Postgraduate Scholarship
- UTS Study Abroad Excellence Scholarship
- UTS Vice-Chancellor’s International Postgraduate Coursework Scholarship
For all domestic students
Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students
Prizes and awards
For Law students
- AJ Park Prize
- Allens Prize
- Andrew and Lina Gullotta UTS Community Pharmacy Award
- Aqua Nine and DeAúrora UTS Good Manufacturing Practice Prize
- Ashurst Litigation Prize
- Australian Insurance Law Association Prize
- Banking Law Prize
- Blackstone Waterhouse Prize
- Business Deans Merit List (Postgraduate)
- City of Sydney Law Society Practical Legal Training Award
- Clyde & Co Prize
- CommBank & Telstra UTS Best Venture Prize
- Competition Law Prize
- Dame Mary Gilmore Memorial Prize in Journalism
- David & Catherine Barker Mooting Prize
- David Toolan Memorial Prize
- Engineering (Management) Postgraduate Achievement Prize
- Engineering (Technical) Postgraduate Achievement Prize
- Ernst & Young Prize
- Fragar Prize in Environmental Planning and Development Law
- Gareth Ivory Memorial Prize in Journalism
- Guy Morrison Prize for Excellence
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Employment Law
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Labour Law
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Industrial Relations Society of NSW Prize for Excellence in Industrial Relations Undergraduate Study
- Information Technology Postgraduate Achievement Prize
- King & Wood Mallesons Award
- Lance Jolly Prize
- Law Partners Personal Injury Lawyers Prize
- Law Society of New South Wales Prize
- Legal Futures & Technology Major Law Prize
- Maurice Blackburn Prize
- Michael Whitbread Prize
- MinterEllison Prize
- New South Wales Bar Association Prize
- Norton Rose Fulbright Prize
- Orthoptics Australia Prize
- Peter Egri Memorial Prize
- Pharmaceutical Defence Limited Prize
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Prize for Excellence in Pharmacy
- Philippa Williams Ethics and Justice Prize
- PMI Project Management Prize
- Refugee Law and Practice Prize
- SHPA NSW Branch Prize for Excellence in Clinical Practice
- Sir Owen Dixon Chambers Prize
- Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts Award for Achievement in Adult Education
- Teachers Mutual Bank Rural Student Placement Prize
- The BioCeuticals Prize for Good Manufacturing Practice
- The Carla Zampatti Foundation Design Award
- The Complementary Medicine Group (CMG) for Good Manufacturing Practice Prize
- The Hon Michael Kirby – Voiceless Prize for Animal Law
- The Hon. Helen Sham-Ho Law Postgraduate Prize
- The Hon. Helen Sham-Ho Law Undergraduate Prize
- The iNova Pharmaceuticals Prize for Good Manufacturing Practice
- The Star Combo Pharma Prize for Good Manufacturing Practice
- The Webstercare Prize for Good Manufacturing Practice
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Advanced Commercial Law
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Media Law
- Trevor Buchner Design Prize
- UTS Anthology Writing Prize
- Veronica Pike Prize
- Zonta Club of Sydney Inc Prize for the Woman MBA Graduate of the Year
Download a course guide
Transfer between UTS courses
Subjects undertaken within the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies are recognised within the Master of Legal Studies (C04264). Students enrolled in the graduate diploma may apply to internally transfer to the master's. Candidates are not awarded the graduate diploma but subjects undertaken are applied towards the master's.
Subjects undertaken within the Juris Doctor (C04236) are recognised within the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies. Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor may apply to internally transfer to the graduate diploma. Candidates are not awarded the Juris Doctor but subjects undertaken are applied towards the graduate diploma.
Students who successfully complete three core subjects in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies may apply to internally transfer to the Juris Doctor (C04236). Candidates are not awarded the graduate diploma, but completed subjects are applied towards the Juris Doctor (C04236).
UTS: Handbook
See the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.
Information for international students
Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help you get the most out of your study at UTS.
Part of The Faculty of Law
