Course summary
Open the door to your legal career with this two-year degree, which not only provides a professional qualification as a paralegal or in conveyancing, but also an admission pathway to becoming a lawyer.
The Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies) explores the Australian legal system and criminal processes. The course will introduce you to legal research and writing and also equip you with foundational principles in key areas of the law, combining intellectual rigour with practical legal skills.
This degree offers a fantastic opportunity to gain a qualification and start working in the legal profession quickly. Graduates will be able to work in a range of professional fields, and eligible students may also choose to continue their studies to become a lawyer.
Open the door to your legal career with this two-year degree, which not only provides a professional qualification as a paralegal or in conveyancing, but also an admission pathway to becoming a lawyer.
The Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies) explores the Australian legal system and criminal processes. The course will introduce you to legal research and writing and also equip you with foundational principles in key areas of the law, combining intellectual rigour with practical legal skills.
This degree offers a fantastic opportunity to gain a qualification and start working in the legal profession quickly. Graduates will be able to work in a range of professional fields, and eligible students may also choose to continue their studies to become a lawyer.
This course consists of compulsory law units and elective units. Students can choose to study a major in Conveyancing.
Additional information: Some elective units, when studied online, require students to attend on-campus workshops.
| Graduate Attribute | Course Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Intellectual rigour | Apply critical judgement including analysis, reasoning, and appropriate directed research to legal issues and challenges in paralegal, professional and social contexts. |
| Creativity | Apply legal reasoning and research to generate appropriate and creative responses to legal problems in paralegal, professional and social contexts. |
| Ethical practice | Demonstrate an understanding and evaluate issues with reference to principles of social justice and legal ethical frameworks. |
| Knowledge of a discipline | Demonstrate an understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge relating to the paralegal, professional and social contexts of the fundamental areas of law, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts. |
| Lifelong learning | Learn and work independently within broad parameters. Reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance. Access, manage and evaluate sources of information relevant to legal research and practice. |
| Communication and social skills | Communicate appropriately and effectively, both orally and in writing. Collaborate effectively and constructively with others. |
| Cultural competence | Apply an understanding of Australian Indigenous perspectives to all aspects of legal professional practice. |
Students may undertake voluntary legal experience and para-professional placement with legal firms or offices to complement their practical legal skills and become familiar with the issues facing working paralegals.
Course overview
Course code
2206351
Course abbreviation
AssocDegLaw (Paralegal)
Credit points
192
Equivalent units
16
Duration
2 years full-time; 4 years part-time
Duration
2 years full-time
Availability details
Domestic
| Location | Teaching period | UAC code | QTAC code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | Session 1 | 336361 | 056361 |
| Lismore | Session 1 | 336300 | 056061 |
| Online | Session 1 | N/A | N/A |
Fee information
International
| Location | Teaching period | Annual Fees | CRICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | Session 1 | $24,000 ($3,000 per unit) | 016182B |
| Lismore | Session 1 | $24,000 ($3,000 per unit) | 016182B |
Course requirements
See the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, in conjunction with the Specific Award Rules listed below.
To be eligible to receive the Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies), students must complete 192 credit points, comprising:
- 8 core units; and
- the Conveyancing Major; or
- 72 credit points in Law electives and 24 credit points in Law or University-wide electives.
Schedule of units
Course progressions
Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.
Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment
Browse uni-wide elective units by selecting Uni-wide elective in the advanced filter of the Unit search.
Browse shared majors and their units at Shared majors
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| Part-time students should complete the first two units in Year 1, Session 1. The remaining two units should be completed in Year 2, Session 1. | |||
| LAW00051 - Legal Research and Writing | Introductory | ||
| LAW10157 - Australian Legal System | Introductory | ||
| LAW00050 - Criminal Process | Introductory | ||
| LAW00128 - Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics | Introductory | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| Part-time students should complete the first two units in Year 1, Session 2. The remaining two units should be completed in Year 2, Session 2. | |||
| LAW10159 - Principles of Contract Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00052 - Introduction to Land Law | Introductory | ||
| LAW00053 - Foundations of Torts | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00054 - Family Law Practice | Intermediate | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| 1st Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| 2nd Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| 3rd Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| 4th Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| 5th Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| 6th Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major | |||
| 7th Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major or University-wide Elective | |||
| 8th Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major or University-wide Elective | |||
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| LAW00051 - Legal Research and Writing | Introductory | ||
| LAW10157 - Australian Legal System | Introductory | ||
| LAW00052 - Introduction to Land Law | Introductory | ||
| LAW10159 - Principles of Contract Law | Intermediate | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| LAW00050 - Criminal Process | Introductory | ||
| LAW00128 - Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics | Introductory | ||
| 1st Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| 2nd Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| LAW00053 - Foundations of Torts | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00054 - Family Law Practice | Intermediate | ||
| 3rd Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| 4th Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| 5th Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| 6th Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives | |||
| 7th Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives OR University-wide elective | |||
| 8th Conveyancing major unit OR Law Electives OR University-wide elective | |||
Notes
| Note 1: | Unit requires attendance at a compulsory workshop. |
Unit groups
Conveyancing major
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAW00108 - Legal and Conveyancing Practice | Introductory | ||
| LAW00057 - Conveyancing Law | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| LAW00062 - Wills and Estates | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00107 - Conveyancers Professional Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00523 - Commercial Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00004 - Company Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00119 - Local Government and Planning Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00126 - Competition and Consumer Law | Intermediate |
Law Electives
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACC00132 - Taxation | Advanced | ||
| ACC00134 - Advanced Taxation | Advanced | ||
| LAW00004 - Company Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00057 - Conveyancing Law | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| LAW00058 - Litigation Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00059 - Welfare Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00061 - Drugs, Crime and the Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00062 - Wills and Estates | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00104 - Employment and Industrial Relations Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW00106 - EEO and OH&S Law and Practice | Advanced | ||
| LAW00107 - Conveyancers Professional Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00108 - Legal and Conveyancing Practice | Introductory | ||
| LAW00118 - Environmental Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00119 - Local Government and Planning Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00120 - Victimology | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00121 - Intellectual Property | Advanced | ||
| LAW00124 - International Business Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00125 - Information Technology and the Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW00126 - Competition and Consumer Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00214 - Mediation and Dispute Resolution | Introductory | Note 1 | |
| LAW00216 - Mediation Practice and Procedure | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| LAW00514 - Criminology | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00521 - International Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00522 - Human Rights | Advanced | ||
| LAW00523 - Commercial Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00525 - Cyberlaw | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00526 - International Criminal Justice | Advanced | ||
| LAW00529 - Restorative Justice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW01125 - Stock Exchange and Finance Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10068 - Law and Government Decision Making | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10069 - Veterans Law I | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10070 - Veterans Law II | Advanced | ||
| LAW10158 - Introduction to Evidence and Advocacy | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10160 - Public Interest Advocacy | Advanced | ||
| LAW10166 - Entertainment Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW10171 - Mediating Across Cultures | Introductory | ||
| LAW10206 - The Holocaust, Genocide and the Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10288 - Mooting | Advanced | ||
| LAW10292 - Education and the Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10472 - International Human Rights Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10487 - Animal Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10489 - Australian Military and National Security Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10490 - Trials and Witnesses | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10491 - Sexual Orientation and the Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW10527 - Comparative Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW10727 - Marine Animal Protection Law | Intermediate | ||
| LAW20001 - Paralegal Placement | Intermediate | ||
| LAW30004 - Comparative Criminal Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW72006 - Climate Law and Policy | Intermediate | ||
| LAW72008 - Indigenous Jurisprudence | Intermediate | ||
| LAW72011 - Why the State Needs to Kill: law, violence and the production of political authority | Intermediate | ||
| LAW72014 - Struggles, Movements, and the Idea of Communism | Intermediate | ||
| LAW72015 - Law, Film and Ideology | Intermediate | ||
| LAW71006 - The Rhetoric of Law | Introductory | ||
| LAW73004 - Legal Fictions: Writing the Law | Advanced | ||
| LAW72007 - International Business Negotiations | Intermediate | ||
| LAW73051 - Global Legal Pluralism | Advanced | Note 1 | |
| LAW73049 - Information Environmentalism | Advanced | Note 1 |