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Graduate Diploma in Government Law (178AA)
Graduate DiplomaYear: 2024 Delivered: On Campus (Parkville)
About this course
Contact
Melbourne Law School
Currently enrolled students:
Future students:
Principal Coordinator
Jason Varuhas
Overview
Award title | Graduate Diploma in Government Law |
---|---|
Year & campus | 2024 — Parkville |
CRICOS code | 075330F |
Fees information | Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date |
Study level & type | Graduate Coursework |
AQF level | 8 |
Credit points | 50 credit points |
Duration | 6 months full-time or 12 months part-time |
Government operates within a framework of law and practice, consistently with the rule of law. This framework includes constitutional law and administrative law but extends well beyond both to a host of particular legal regimes that apply to government actors.
This is a dynamic branch of law, constantly changing in response to new pressures and government responses. It lends itself to comparison between countries, enabling students to understand different ways of tackling problems and to draw lessons from them. In an age of globalisation, it has a large and growing interface with international law, requiring a grasp of both areas.
The specialisation in government law reflects the changing nature and complexity of the field. The subjects offer students expertise in matters that lie at the cutting-edge of government law in Australia and elsewhere.
Links to further information
Entry requirements
Start Year Intake 2024
1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) at honours standard or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice; or
• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice and at least one year of documented, relevant professional experience; or
• an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and at least one year of documented, relevant professional work experience.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance; and if necessary
• the professional experience.
3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.
Mid-year Intake 2024
1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) at honours standard or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice; or
• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice and at least one year of documented, relevant professional experience; or
• an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and at least one year of documented, relevant professional work experience.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance; and if necessary
• the professional experience.
3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7.0 with no band less than 6.5 is required.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The Melbourne Law Masters welcomes applications from students with disabilities. The inherent academic requirements for study in the Melbourne Law Masters are:
- The ability to attend a minimum of 75% of classes and actively engage in the analysis and critique of complex materials and debate;
- The ability to read, analyse and comprehend complex written legal materials and complex interdisciplinary materials;
- The ability to clearly and independently communicate in writing a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and to critically evaluate these;
- The ability to clearly and independently communicate orally a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and critically evaluate these;
- The ability to work independently and as a part of a group;
- The ability to present orally and in writing legal analysis to a professional standard.
Students who feel their disability will inhibit them from meeting these inherent academic requirements are encouraged to contact Student Equity and Disability Support.
Intended learning outcomes
Graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Government Law will:
Have advanced knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge relating to the field of government law, including the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in relation to:
- the legal and institutional framework for Australian government in theory and practice
- an analysis and resolution of the complex problems of government law
- a range of alternative approaches to government law in other countries and systems and the methodology of comparative public law
- the context within which government law operates and the sensitivities peculiar to it
Have advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills that enable them to:
- analyse critically, evaluate and convey information and
- generate ideas and solutions to complex problems from both theoretical and practical perspectives in the field of government law
Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner in the field of government law.
- .
Graduate attributes
-
Advanced understanding of the changing knowledge base in the relevant area of law
The specialist focus of the Melbourne Law Masters, the constant review and renewal of subjects and courses, the range and expertise of instructors from Australia and around the world, and regular advice from our advisory boards combine to ensure that courses and subjects reflect emerging knowledge and ideas -
Ability to evaluate and synthesise existing knowledge in the area
Small classes, a discussion-based environment and the emphasis on quality teaching and learning create an environment in which knowledge is exchanged, critically examined and adapted to current circumstances -
Well-developed problem solving abilities, characterised by flexibility of approach
Most subjects approach knowledge by reference to various issues or problems. Students are encouraged to critically analyse problems and identify and develop a range of appropriate solutions through class discussion, individual study and assessment tasks. -
Advanced competencies in legal research and analysis
Class preparation and class discussions are designed to enhance these skills, which are tested in all forms of assessment. -
Capacity to communicate, orally and in writing
Classroom discussion and formal presentations provide an opportunity to hone oral communication skills, and written assessment tasks are graded in part on written communication skills. -
Appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of original research
Research papers and other research tasks are expected to attain a degree of originality and discovery that befits a quality postgraduate program, and students are encouraged and assisted to publish work of a high standard in refereed journals. -
Capacity to manage competing demands on time
The demanding nature of graduate study requires effective time-management skills from all students. The rigour of our programs, whether undertaken part-time or full-time, ensures that all successful graduates have enhanced time-management skills. -
Profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, including the ethics of scholarship
Some subjects have a substantive ethical component. All instructors have a respect for intellectual integrity and are skilled scholars or practitioners in their own right. -
Appreciation of the way in which knowledge provides a foundation for leadership
Instructors in the Melbourne Law Masters are leaders in their fields, and many subjects involve visiting academics, exposing students to a wider array of leaders in a range of legal fields. The Law School is committed to the significance of knowledge, which informs all regular programs and a wide range of additional activities. -
Capacity to value and participate in teamwork
Small class sizes and an intensive teaching format are valuable in encouraging group dynamics and teamwork. -
Understanding of the significance and value of knowledge to the wider community
Law and legal knowledge are a community resource. In some subjects, this perspective is covered explicitly by the syllabus and the manner in which issues are treated in class. In addition, our diverse student body ensures that a range of perspectives on the way law impacts on the community are identified and analysed. -
Capacity to engage with issues in contemporary society
Our programs focus on the most up-to-date legal knowledge, analysing current issues and problems through the curriculum design, classroom discussion and assessment tasks. International students are also invited to participate in extracurricular activities to aid understanding of Australian law and legal institutions. -
Advanced working skills in the use of new technology
The most advanced IT infrastructure is available to Melbourne Law Masters students in the Law Library, the Moot Court Room, classroom settings and for private study.
Course structure
Students must complete 50 credit points from the prescribed lists.
Students who do not have a law degree from a common law jurisdiction or any prior legal studies or experience are also expected to complete the two-day preliminary subject Australian Legal Process and Legal Institutions.
Note: Most subjects in the MLM program are 12.5 credit points each. Check individual subject handbook entries for confirmation.
Subject options
Government Law subjects
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS70334 | Bills of Rights | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90170 | Bringing in the People | October (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90011 | Comparative Constitutional Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90056 | Comparative Federal Constitutional Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70269 | Constitution Making | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70222 | Constitutional Law in Practice | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70411 | Constitutional Problems in Comparison | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90013 | Constitutional Rights and Freedoms | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90255 | Constitutionalism and the Global South | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90218 | Constitutions in Global Perspective | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90149 | Corruption: A Global Approach | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70201 | Current Issues in Administrative Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70417 | Elements of Legislation | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70447 | Executive Power | August (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90117 | Federal Jurisdiction | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70372 | Freedom of Information | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70390 | Freedom of Speech | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90091 | Global Administrative Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70448 | Global Constitutionalism | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90118 | Government Liability | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90217 | Hot Topics in Public Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70379 | Judicial Reasoning | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70397 | Latin American Constitutionalisms | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90119 | Law and Public Administration | September (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70367 | Law of Democracy | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70368 | Law of Intergovernmental Relations | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90024 | Law-making: Legislatures and Courts | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70425 | Money, Law and Politics | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90106 | Multiculturalism and the State | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90180 | Multi-level Government | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90103 | Private Law and Government | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70460 | Regulatory Design,Compliance&Enforcement | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70037 | Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70424 | Separation of Powers | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90150 | States: When, Why and How they Happen | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70404 | Statutes in the 21st Century | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90151 | The Law of Public Contracting | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90082 | The Legal System: Bases and Challenges | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90284 | Legal Pluralism | March (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90276 | Judicial Review and Indigenous Peoples | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90277 | Designing Effective Legislation | May (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90282 | Constitutions and Culture | May (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90281 | Public Law Litigation & Comparative Law | October (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Other subjects
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS90167 | Administrative Law in Tax Matters | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70407 | Australians Detained Abroad | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90250 | Civil Appeals | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90084 | Comparative Foreign Affairs Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90058 | Comparative Human Rights Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90127 | Comparative Indigenous Rights | August (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70016 | No longer available | ||
LAWS90142 | Public Law in Asia | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90041 | Corruption in International Sport | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90018 | Development, Labour and Human Rights | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90019 | Domestic Courts and International Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70415 | Comparative Criminal Justice in Asia | July (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90121 | Economic and Social Rights | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70100 | Environmental Law | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70386 | Environmental Rights | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70186 | Human Rights Advocacy | July (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70422 | Human Rights and Armed Conflict | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70091 | Human Rights and Terrorism | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70391 | Human Rights at Work | August (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70360 | Human Rights Beyond Borders | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90174 | Human Rights in Australia | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70454 | Human Rights: From Morality to Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90175 | Human Rights: Global Policy and Practice | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90153 | Institutional Abuse and Legal Redress | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70446 | International Equality Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70264 | International Human Rights Law |
February (On Campus - Parkville)
July (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS70120 | International Law and Children's Rights | October (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90023 | International Law and Geopolitics | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70366 | International Refugee Law | June (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70184 | Criminalising Speech in the Internet Age | December (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90026 | Native Title Law and Practice | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70349 | Planning and Development Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70313 | Post-Conflict State-Building | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70430 | Poverty, Human Rights and Development | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70082 | Privacy Law |
April (On Campus - Parkville)
September (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS90120 | Public Health Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70433 | Regional Integration: The Case of the EU | September (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70401 | Regulation of Health Practitioners | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS90049 | Reimagining Human Rights Law | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70462 | Sports Integrity and Investigations | May (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90130 | Tax Administration | December (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70319 | Tax Policy | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90253 | Transitional Justice | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
LAWS70185 | Water Law & Natural Resources Management | August (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS90181 | International Trade Remedies Law | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Last updated: 9 February 2024