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Course snapshot
Domestic snapshot
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Start Date
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Duration
2 years full-time; 4 years part-time
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Location
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Course abbreviation
AssocDegLaw (Paralegal)
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Course code
2206351
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Credit points
192
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Equivalent units
16
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Indicative Fee
Overview
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.
| Course Learning Outcome |
|---|
GA1: Intellectual rigour Apply critical judgement including analysis, reasoning, and appropriate directed research to legal issues and challenges in paralegal, professional and social contexts. |
GA2: Creativity Apply legal reasoning and research to generate appropriate and creative responses to legal problems in paralegal, professional and social contexts. |
GA3: Ethical practice Demonstrate an understanding and evaluate issues with reference to principles of social justice and legal ethical frameworks. |
GA4: 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. |
GA5: 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. |
GA6: Communication and social skills Communicate appropriately and effectively, both orally and in writing. Collaborate effectively and constructively with others. |
GA7: Cultural competence 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.
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.
| Location | Teaching period | UAC code | QTAC code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | Term 1 , Term 3 | N/A | N/A |
| Online | Term 1 , Term 3 , Term 5 | N/A | N/A |
Career Outcomes
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.
The subject ‘LEGL2012 - Mediation Practice and Procedure’, meets the training and assessment threshold requirements as specified in the National Mediator Accreditation System. As such, Southern Cross University is recognised as an Education and Training Provider Member of the Mediation Standards Board. Upon successful completion of the unit, students may apply to a Registered Mediation Accreditation Body (RMAB) to finalise their accreditation.
Requirements
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you are not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, our team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Before applying, make sure you double check all entry requirements, gather required documentation and review the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, noting any specifics listed below.
Course requirements
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).
Course structure
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.
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Available | Credit points | Notes | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Complete the following units to satisfy the Requirements of the Award |
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First Year |
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| LEGL1001 | Legal Research and Writing |
Term1,3,5
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12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL1004 | Australian Legal System |
Term1,3,5
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2055 | Criminal Process |
Term2
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL1002 | Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics |
Term2
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12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2001 | Introduction to Land Law |
Term3
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2007 | Principles of Contract Law |
Term4
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2056 | Family Law Practice |
Term5
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2002 | Foundations of Torts |
Term5
|
12 | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Second Year |
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| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective OR University-wide Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Law Elective OR University-wide Elective | ||||||||||||||||||
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Available | Credit points | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Complete the following units to satisfy the Requirements of the Award |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Year |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL1001 | Legal Research and Writing |
Term1,3,5
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL1004 | Australian Legal System |
Term1,3,5
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2055 | Criminal Process |
Term2
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL1002 | Interviewing, Negotiation and Ethics |
Term2
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2001 | Introduction to Land Law |
Term3
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2007 | Principles of Contract Law |
Term4
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2056 | Family Law Practice |
Term5
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEGL2002 | Foundations of Torts |
Term5
|
12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Second Year |
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| LEGL2005 | Legal and Conveyancing Practice |
Term1
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2024 | Commercial Law |
Term1
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAWS2022 | Competition and Consumer Law |
Term2
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LEGL2008 | Conveyancing Law |
Term2
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12 | Note 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LEGL2004 | Conveyancers Professional Practice |
Term4
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LAWS2018 | Wills and Estates |
Term4
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LAWS2014 | Local Government and Planning Law |
Term1,5
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LAWS2001 | Company Law |
Term5
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12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Note 1:
Unit requires attendance at a compulsory workshop.
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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