University of Newcastle Law School

University of Newcastle Law School

Program Overview - Bachelor of Laws

University and Faculty:	The University of Newcastle Faculty of Business and Law
Program:	Graduate-entry Bachelor of Laws
University Location:	Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
City Population:	150,000
Student Population:	36,000
Campus Location:	Callaghan, Newcastle, New South Wales
Program Duration:	Graduate-entry Bachelor of Laws: three years
Semester Intake:	February each year
Next Intake:	February 2014
Est. Annual Tuition:	$18,500 AUD (2013)
Est. Total Tuition:	$55,500 AUD (based on 2013 fees)

The University of Newcastle Law School offers the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree which is undertaken as a three-year, full-time graduate program, for those who have already completed an undergraduate degree. The School of Law at Newcastle has established a reputation for innovative legal education.

The School of Law's integrated Professional Program was the first in Australia where students could take the three components of professional legal training - theoretical learning, skills training and experiential learning - at the same time. The University of Newcastle Legal Centre is the centerpiece of this clinical program. Functioning as both a legal practice and a teaching facility, the Centre provides an intensive clinical placement site for students. By working with the Centre's solicitors and dealing with real clients with actual legal problems, students gain skills and experience in the practice of law.

Graduate Law students complete four core program Laws courses during their first year of study. These core program courses are Legal System and Method, Criminal Law and Procedure, and Torts and Contracts.

Once students have completed these four core program courses, the LLB program diverges into two streams: the Bachelor of Laws (the LLB Program), referred to as Option A (in which students undertake traditional law studies with a wide choice of electives) and the Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Legal Practice, referred to as Option B (the Professional Program), which merges traditional undergraduate law teaching with practical legal training and experience. The Professional Program must be completed full-time, and admission to the Professional Program is competitive and based on academic performance in the core Laws courses.

The Bachelor of Laws degree meets the academic requirements needed to gain admission to the practise of law in New South Wales and provides a broad understanding of how Australian society functions.

Through its first-class facilities and innovative, integrated approach to legal education the University of Newcastle ensures that graduates gain all the necessary theory, skills and experience for a career in legal practice.

Unique Features of the Program

The University of Newcastle Legal Centre (UNLC)

The UNLC is both a community legal service and a teaching facility for law students. It was established in 1994 as an initiative of the School of Law and provides the centrepiece for the School's Professional Program. The Centre provides an intensive clinical placement site for students. By working with the Centre's lawyers and dealing with real clients with actual legal problems, students gain skills and experience in the practise of law.

The Professional Program at the Clinic is open to senior law students and offers supervised placements in legal offices throughout the Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast regions. LLB students are also able to undertake voluntary work experience at the UNLC.

The UNLC operates as a community legal centre, providing free legal advice and assistance to community members in the Hunter region. The operations of the UNLC are directed to the provision of assistance to disadvantaged members of the community, focusing on those with limited financial means or on matters in the public interest. By working with the Centre's solicitors and dealing with real clients' actual legal problems, students gain skills and experience in the practice of law.

Law on the Beach

Last summer, students from the University of Newcastle Legal Centre offered beachgoers free legal advice as a part of the innovative 'Law on the Beach' program. The drop-in clinic, held in mid-summer at the Newcastle Beach Surf Life Saving Club, particularly aims to target young people by taking the law to them.

Law on the Beach also provides a unique opportunity for law students to apply their studies to actual legal practice with real clients. Casually dressed students, supervised by the University's Legal Centre lawyers, will provide advice on a range of matters from neighbourhood disputes to debt and family law issues.

Professional Certification/Accreditation Information

If you complete a Newcastle Law degree, you are eligible to apply to practise law in Canada. It is imperative that you understand the requirements and procedures associated with entering the legal profession in Canada. Contact OzTREKK for information about accreditation.

Scholarships

Every student who applies (and accepts) via OzTREKK and commences his/her studies at an OzTREKK Australian university will receive a $500 scholarship from OzTREKK.
Click here for more info about OzTREKK's Scholarships!

Admissions Criteria/Entry Requirements for Canadians

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline.

The current admission policy at the University of Newcastle is that applicants with a cumulative average of 70 percent or above in their university studies, will be issued an offer into the LLB program. Please note that each applicant's average is calculated over all years of university study. The University of Newcastle does not require the LSAT for entry.

Students who have not yet completed an undergraduate degree may apply, as long as they will have graduated prior to commencing the Newcastle LLB program.

Total Number of Places in the Program: no set quota

Application Deadline for the February 2014 intake: There is no official application deadline. OzTREKK recommends that students apply at least three months prior to the program's start date.

OzTREKK Admissions Officer: Shannon Tilston