Have you heard people discussing a Juris Doctor course, but don’t know what it means? Maybe the course has been recommended, and you want to know what it entails? You aren’t alone! We are frequently asked about a Juris Doctor course and are here with the answers you need, including an overview of this postgraduate law course and what you can expect to learn.
What is a Juris Doctor course?
A Juris Doctor (JD) is a postgraduate law program that provides you with the skills and knowledge to advance your career as a practising lawyer. The course is designed to provide you with practical knowledge in core areas of law, including constitutional law, property law, torts, and contract law. These courses are designed to meet the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, allowing you to move into a new career or advance yours as a lawyer, even if you don’t have an undergraduate law degree.
JD courses will take three to four years to complete, with many course providers offering part-time and online study options. When studying online, you get fantastic flexibility, allowing you to research and complete the course at your own pace. You can also spread the payments for online study, paying one unit at a time to make the course more accessible to students.
What are the learning outcomes of a JD course?
The learning outcomes of a JD can vary slightly depending on your course provider, but they are usually very similar. All JD courses must meet specific standards to equip their students for success as lawyers, so you can expect to see a lot of overlap in their learning outcomes and course content. Typically, a JD will have the following learning outcomes:
Flexible work-integrated learning
Many JD courses offer flexibility, allowing you to choose from electives that tailor the course to suit your career goals perfectly. You can create the perfect course that provides the knowledge to succeed, but when choosing your course, check that the provider offers units that align with your goals.
Legal fundamentals
Through the course, you will gain the foundations in legal studies needed to develop diverse and inclusive advocacy abilities and legal skills. You will do so while understanding the history and theory of the law.
Manage new worlds of technology, business, and justice
You will learn how the law engages with and shapes technologies, understanding the profession’s broader social and economic contexts.
Problem prevention, problem solving
You will learn practical legal problem-solving skills, along with dispute resolution skills, helping you to evaluate responses to legal issues and create solutions to legal problems.
What will I learn on a juris doctor course?
What you will learn on your Juris Doctor course will depend on the electives you choose and your course provider. A Juris Doctor combines a graduate certificate in law and a graduate diploma in law to provide the information that you need, where you will study set units and then choose your electives to tailor the course to suit your needs. These units and electives can vary depending on your course provider, so make sure you check with them before applying. You will usually find the following units on a Juris Doctor course:
- Administrative law
- Advanced legal research writing and skills
- Dispute management
- Civil procedure
- Corporations law
- Constitutional law
- Contract law
- Criminal law and procedure
- Equity and trusts law
- Evidence law
- International law
- Law internship
- Legal research project A and B
- Lawyers and professional responsibility
- Legal methods and skills
- Legal systems
- Legal theory
- Property law
- Torts law
You may be able to choose from the following electives, which can vary depending on your course provider:
- Intellectual property
- Human rights law
- Law, innovation and technologies
- Law reform and social change
- Negotiation
- Workplace law in context
What do I need to apply for a Juris Doctor course?
To apply for a Juris Doctor course, you will need to have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in any non-law discipline. Candidates usually need a GPA of at least 5/7, but this can vary depending on the course provider that you choose. If English is not your first language, you will need to meet English language requirements. These can vary depending on your course provider, so it is best to speak to them directly.
Find your Juris Doctor course today
The juris doctor course is a great way to transfer into a career as a lawyer, providing you with the skills and experience you need. The University of Canberra offers an entirely online course that can be tailored to our career goals and studied at a time that suits you. Reach out to them to learn more about their Juris Doctor (JD) course today.
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