Your previous studies could count towards your Law degree at UTS. Find out if you qualify for recognition of prior learning.
Recognition of Prior Learning - Undergraduate
Receive credit towards your degree
For UTS Law undergraduate courses, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) on the basis of previous studies may be granted in the form of subject exemptions. RPL is not granted on the basis of work experience or TAFE studies.
How to apply
You should lodge your RPL application when accepting your offer, and prior to your enrolment. If your RPL is not approved and recorded on your study plan, you will encounter delays with enrolment.
All applications for RPL for UTS Law courses must handled through the Student Centres. Please note, it could take up to 15 business days to process and assess RPL applications from the time of submitting your application.
Students studying within the Faculty of Law can now direct enquiries to Students Centre. RPL Applications can be submitted via ASK UTS enquiry
Application form
To apply, use the Recognition of Prior Learning application form (PDF, 404kB).
Application requirements
The following documentation is required to support your Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) application:
- A completed UTS RPL application form.
- A certified copy of your academic transcript.
- A detailed subject outline i.e. indicating the contact hours per week, coverage of the subject, topics discussed per week, assessment structure, reference and reading materials. The subject outline should be current at the time of the subject being studied.
Credit for applicable subjects previously completed at UTS, you will need to submit:
- A completed UTS RPL application form.
- You do not need to submit a certified copy of your academic transcript.
Procedure
Recognition of prior learning based on previous studies may be granted subject to the UTS Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Procedure, section 6 of the Student and Related Rules, and guidelines of the Faculty Board in Law. The granting of exemptions is at the discretion of the associate dean (education).
An application for recognition of prior learning (RPL) is accepted only in circumstances where the basis for credit for law subjects was successfully undertaken in a comparable course of study at a recognised university.
Credit granted for subjects must comply with the AQF level for which the credit in being sought. This includes the same purpose, knowledge and skills required at the relevant level.
For applications for RPL where topics within areas of knowledge are distributed across subjects differently to subjects offered at UTS, the faculty assesses credit to reflect fulfilment of requirements of the nearest subject(s) offered at UTS.
Credit given for the subject taken at the other recognised university can only be up to the credit-point value of the equivalent UTS subject.
Applied experience subjects are not typically considered for credit (i.e. internships, practice-based placements, exchange subjects, research-only subjects and fulfilment of practical experience-type subjects).
Application
Students submit applications for RPL to the UTS Student Centre (part of the Lifetime Learner Experience Unit, or LLE). LLE reviews the application for completeness. If the subject on which the RPL is based appears on the Precedent List - or the subject was completed in the year before or after the same subject that appears on the Precedent List, LLE can approve the application under delegated authority of the Faculty of Law Board. A detailed subject outline or other documents are not required if a precedent can be applied.
If no precedent exists for the subject, the applicant must provide documentation as determined by the LLE. The application is forwarded to the Faculty for assessment.
Credit point limits
The maximum overall amount of credit granted for a Faculty of Law undergraduate or postgraduate course shall not exceed one half of the credit-point value of that course (subject to the following course-level requirements immediately below).
Students transferring into a UTS law course from an incomplete UTS course may be granted credit for all subjects completed at UTS which are part of the structure of the destination course, even if the total amount of credit exceeds the general, course-level or course-specific credit point limits.
The maximum RPL available in an undergraduate course is no more than:
- 48 credit points for core or elective law subjects, and
- 42 credit points for non-law subjects. The LLB is the only course with non-law subjects.
Time limits
As a general rule, a limit of five years applies to law subjects used as the basis of credit, calculated from the date the subject was successfully completed to when credit is sought except in the following circumstances:
- Where there have been significant recent changes in the law, an exemption may not be granted even though the subject was successfully completed less than five years ago
- Applications for recognition of prior learning for practical legal training subjects have a time limit of three years, and
- The Faculty Board in Law shall retain discretion to waive the application of the rule in cases where there is additional evidence of work or study experience.
Appeal of decision
An RPL decision is final. There is no right of appeal in relation to an RPL decision. A student who is dissatisfied with the process of their application for RPL may submit a complaint to the SCRO.
Bachelor of Laws (C10124) and all combined Bachelor of Laws degrees
Recognition of Prior Learning in the law component of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or in the Juris Doctor (JD) (and combined LLB and JD awards), and Legal Studies Program (LS) will only be offered on the basis of completed study in a course recognised as leading to practise as a legal practitioner within a law school at a recognised university.
An application for unspecified credit towards the elective component of the LLB, JD and courses in the LS program on the basis of having completed a Priestley 11 subject equivalent to the LPAB academic areas of knowledge (the LPAB Schedule 1 academic areas of knowledge comprises of Criminal Law and Procedure, Torts, Contracts, Property, Equity, Company Law, Administrative Law, Federal and State Constitutional Law, Civil Dispute Resolution, Evidence, Ethics and Professional Responsibility) at another university will not be approved irrespective of if the law subject completed at another university was insufficient to warrant exemption from a UTS core law subject.
Core subjects
Applications for recognition of prior learning of a core subject in the LLB, JD or LS:
- will be assessed to ensure coverage of 'academic areas of knowledge' as set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 (the 'Priestley' 11), and
- must include official information from the other university indicating where the subject on which the RPL is based fits into the overall course structure of the other course (i.e. the University Handbook, or similar).
As a general rule, credit for 70102 Foundations of Law will be offered on the basis of completion of an equivalent core first year introductory subject taught within a law school at a recognised university provided that the subject addresses foundational knowledge and skills, including content in legal method and legal research.
Non-law component
Students may be granted the following unspecified credit towards the non-law component of the LLB:
- up to a maximum of 42 credit points on the basis of a completed or incomplete bachelor’s degree (three year’s full time equivalent) or completed or incomplete postgraduate degree from a recognised university;
- up to a maximum of 24 credit points on the basis of a completed advanced diploma from a recognised university;
- up to a maximum of 12 credit points on the basis of a completed diploma from a recognised university.
This RPL is only available in the non-law component of the stand-alone UTS LLB, and is not permitted in the non-law component of the UTS LLB combined degree courses.
No RPL can be sought for a partially completed advanced diploma or diploma.
Inquiries
Further information is available at:
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
Ask UTS
