Course summary

Paralegals are a highly-valued part of the legal sector and there is increasing demand for paralegal professionals who can think outside the box.

This course will get you working in law quickly and lays the foundation for career progression. As you explore the Australian legal system, you will gather skills in legal research and writing, and absorb foundational principles in key areas of the law. You can choose to undertake voluntary legal experience or a para-professional placement to become familiar with the issues facing working paralegals. An optional major in Conveyancing provides the academic pre-requisite for qualification as a conveyancer in NSW. 

Paralegals work with solicitors and barristers, in government legal departments, law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, court administration, public prosecutions and in the community and corporate sectors in finance, banking, insurance and conveyancing.

Graduates may also consider roles as a para-professional within a range of industries. This degree is also a pathway to further studies to become a lawyer.

Paralegals are a highly-valued part of the legal sector and there is increasing demand for paralegal professionals who can think outside the box.

This course will get you working in law quickly and lays the foundation for career progression. As you explore the Australian legal system, you will gather skills in legal research and writing, and absorb foundational principles in key areas of the law. You can choose to undertake voluntary legal experience or a para-professional placement to become familiar with the issues facing working paralegals. An optional major in Conveyancing provides the academic pre-requisite for qualification as a conveyancer in NSW. 

Paralegals work with solicitors and barristers, in government legal departments, law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, court administration, public prosecutions and in the community and corporate sectors in finance, banking, insurance and conveyancing.

Graduates may also consider roles as a para-professional within a range of industries. This degree is also a pathway to further studies to become a lawyer.

This course consists of compulsory law units and elective units. Students can choose to study a major in conveyancing.

Please note: Some elective units, when studied online, require students to attend on-campus workshops.

Course Learning Outcome

Apply critical judgement including analysis, reasoning, and appropriate directed research to legal issues and challenges in paralegal, professional and social contexts.

Apply legal reasoning and research to generate appropriate and creative responses to legal problems in paralegal, professional and social contexts.

Demonstrate an understanding and evaluate issues with reference to principles of social justice and legal ethical frameworks.

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.

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.

Communicate appropriately and effectively, both orally and in writing.

Collaborate effectively and constructively with others.

Apply an understanding of Australian Indigenous perspectives to all aspects of legal professional practice.

You 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.

When taken with the conveyancing major, the Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies), fulfils the academic requirements necessary to obtain a conveyancer’s licence in NSW, and is accredited by NSW Fair Trading. For licensing requirements, and details of mandatory additional work experience required to enable registration, enquiries should be made to NSW Fair Trading.

Note that each Australian state or territory has its own legislation regulating conveyancing practice.


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 N/A N/A
Online Session 1 N/A N/A

Fee information

Commonwealth supported


International

Location Teaching period Annual Fees CRICOS
Gold Coast Session 1 $26,800 ($3,350 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 the equivalent of 16 units (192 credit points), comprising:

  • 8 core units (96 credit points); and
  • the Conveyancing Major (96 credit points); or
  • 6 Law electives (72 credit points) and 2 Law or University-wide electives (24 credit points).

Schedule of units

Title Note

Core Units

LEGL1004 - Australian Legal System
LAWS2055 - Criminal Process
LEGL1002 - Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics
LEGL1001 - Legal Research and Writing
LEGL2007 - Principles of Contract Law
LEGL2001 - Introduction to Land Law
LAWS2056 - Family Law Practice
LEGL2002 - Foundations of Torts

Electives

Title Note
ACCT2001 - Taxation
ACCT3001 - Advanced Taxation
LAWS2001 - Company Law
LEGL2008 - Conveyancing Law Note 1
LAWS2057 - Welfare Law
LAWS2060 - Drugs, Crime and the Law
LAWS2018 - Wills and Estates
LAWS2019 - Employment and Industrial Relations Law
JUST2005 - EEO and OH&S Law and Practice
LEGL2004 - Conveyancers Professional Practice
LEGL2005 - Legal and Conveyancing Practice
LAWS2010 - Environmental Law
LAWS2014 - Local Government and Planning Law
JUST2001 - Victimology
LAWS2020 - Intellectual Property
LAWS2021 - International Business Law
LEGL2010 - Information Technology and the Law
LAWS2022 - Competition and Consumer Law
LEGL2011 - Mediation and Dispute Resolution Note 1
LEGL2012 - Mediation Practice and Procedure Note 1
LAWS2054 - Criminology
LAWS2023 - International Law
JUST2004 - Human Rights
LAWS2024 - Commercial Law
JUST2002 - International Criminal Justice
JUST2003 - Restorative Justice
LAWS2025 - Stock Exchange and Finance Law
LEGL2013 - Law and Government Decision Making
LEGL2006 - Introduction to Evidence and Advocacy
LEGL2017 - Public Interest Advocacy
LAWS2026 - Entertainment Law
LEGL2018 - Mediating Across Cultures
LEGL2009 - Mooting
LAWS2059 - International Human Rights Law
LAWS2028 - Animal Law
LAWS2031 - Sexual Orientation and the Law
LAWS2032 - Comparative Law
LAWS2004 - Paralegal Placement
LAWS2066 - Climate Law and Policy
LAWS2037 - Indigenous Jurisprudence
POLT2005 - Struggles, Movements, and the Idea of Communism
LAWS2034 - The Rhetoric of Law
LAWS2041 - Legal Fictions: Writing the Law
LAWS2035 - International Business Negotiations
LAWS2042 - Information Environmentalism Note 1
LAWS2044 - Crimen Exceptum: The English Witch Prosecution in Context Note 1
LAWS2049 - Wisdom, Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property Note 1
JUST2009 - The Legalities of Artificial Intelligence Note 1
JUST2010 - Myths for the Future: Law and Climate Fiction in the 21st Century
LAWS2027 - Introduction to Chinese Business Law
JUST2007 - Performances and Power in Literature and the Law
JUST2008 - Justice Framed: Law in Films and in Graphic Novels/Comics
JUST2006 - Shifting Cultural Paradigms: Law & Literature After Postmodernism
JUST2012 - The Art of Advocacy: Mooting and Performance Rhetoric
LAWS2067 - Crossing the Line: Law and Morality in Fiction
LAWS2068 - Borders and Boundaries: Writing About Family in the 21st century
LAWS3005 - European Union: Internal Market
LAWS2069 - Troubling Transactions in Private Law

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 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.
LEGL1001 - Legal Research and Writing
LEGL1004 - Australian Legal System
LAWS2055 - Criminal Process
LEGL1002 - Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics
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.
LEGL2007 - Principles of Contract Law
LEGL2001 - Introduction to Land Law
LEGL2002 - Foundations of Torts
LAWS2056 - Family Law Practice
Year 2, Session 1
1st Law Electives Unit or Conveyancing major
2nd [UG3296] 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 Note
Year 1, Session 3
LEGL1001 - Legal Research and Writing
LEGL1004 - Australian Legal System
Year 2, Session 1 follow the course progression for Session 1 commencement excluding the completed units.

Notes

Note 1: Unit requires attendance at a compulsory workshop.

Unit groups

Law Electives

Title Note
ACCT2001 - Taxation
ACCT3001 - Advanced Taxation
LAWS2001 - Company Law
LEGL2008 - Conveyancing Law Note 1
LAWS2057 - Welfare Law
LAWS2060 - Drugs, Crime and the Law
LAWS2018 - Wills and Estates
LAWS2019 - Employment and Industrial Relations Law
JUST2005 - EEO and OH&S Law and Practice
LEGL2004 - Conveyancers Professional Practice
LEGL2005 - Legal and Conveyancing Practice
LAWS2010 - Environmental Law
LAWS2014 - Local Government and Planning Law
JUST2001 - Victimology
LAWS2020 - Intellectual Property
LAWS2021 - International Business Law
LEGL2010 - Information Technology and the Law
LAWS2022 - Competition and Consumer Law
LEGL2011 - Mediation and Dispute Resolution Note 1
LEGL2012 - Mediation Practice and Procedure Note 1
LAWS2054 - Criminology
LAWS2023 - International Law
JUST2004 - Human Rights
LAWS2024 - Commercial Law
JUST2002 - International Criminal Justice
JUST2003 - Restorative Justice
LAWS2025 - Stock Exchange and Finance Law
LEGL2013 - Law and Government Decision Making
LEGL2006 - Introduction to Evidence and Advocacy
LEGL2017 - Public Interest Advocacy
LAWS2026 - Entertainment Law
LEGL2018 - Mediating Across Cultures
LEGL2009 - Mooting
LAWS2059 - International Human Rights Law
LAWS2028 - Animal Law
LAWS2031 - Sexual Orientation and the Law
LAWS2032 - Comparative Law
LAWS2004 - Paralegal Placement
LAWS2066 - Climate Law and Policy
LAWS2037 - Indigenous Jurisprudence
POLT2005 - Struggles, Movements, and the Idea of Communism
LAWS2034 - The Rhetoric of Law
LAWS2041 - Legal Fictions: Writing the Law
LAWS2035 - International Business Negotiations
LAWS2042 - Information Environmentalism Note 1
LAWS2044 - Crimen Exceptum: The English Witch Prosecution in Context Note 1
LAWS2049 - Wisdom, Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property Note 1
JUST2009 - The Legalities of Artificial Intelligence Note 1
JUST2010 - Myths for the Future: Law and Climate Fiction in the 21st Century
LAWS2027 - Introduction to Chinese Business Law
JUST2007 - Performances and Power in Literature and the Law
JUST2008 - Justice Framed: Law in Films and in Graphic Novels/Comics
JUST2006 - Shifting Cultural Paradigms: Law & Literature After Postmodernism
JUST2012 - The Art of Advocacy: Mooting and Performance Rhetoric
LAWS2067 - Crossing the Line: Law and Morality in Fiction
LAWS2068 - Borders and Boundaries: Writing About Family in the 21st century
LAWS3005 - European Union: Internal Market
LAWS2069 - Troubling Transactions in Private Law