Juris Doctor
The Melbourne JD (Juris Doctor) is a postgraduate law degree that has set a benchmark for legal education in Australia. It is available if you already have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than law or if you have a law degree from a different legal system.
The Melbourne JD equips you with the skills and knowledge to take a leading role in a range of careers including legal practice, business, government and community organisations.
You will be taught by respected academics who are genuine leaders in their fields in Australia and around the world, who draw on legal research and practice to deliver an intellectually challenging degree.
Your JD experience will be as much about your fellow students as your teachers. The cohort system means that you will complete your first semester classes with the same group of students, making it easier to get to know your classmates, develop friendships and build your network.
You will study in seminar-style, discussion-based classes with students from a range of undergraduate backgrounds, adding new perspectives and approaches to your learning.
Campus Information
Parkville campus
Our Parkville campus is a city within a city. With cafes, 12 libraries, gyms, specialty stores, a small supermarket, and even a seasonal farmers market, you’ll never have to leave. The Parkville campus is situated within a renowned knowledge precinct, which includes eight hospitals, many leading research institutes and a wide range of knowledge-based industries.
Intakes
- Feb
Application Processing Time in Days: 20
Application Process
Minimum English Language Requirements
English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
The University of Melbourne runs a twice-annual mentoring programme that brings students together with alumni mentors who guide them through the career decision-making process.
Faculty-specific resources assist students in finding the most relevant careers advice for them. Students are also able to take self-assessment tests to help them determine which occupation is most suited to them.
We run workshops, one-on-one sessions, and student mentoring programs to give you the advice you need, when you need it.
Get one-on-one support
The Careers and Employability Studio has gone virtual. Book in for an appointment with a career adviser.
Attend a workshop or session
We run a range of workshops, seminars and events to help support your skill development and employability.
About Careers and Employability
We provide you with the resources, support, and tools you need to achieve your career goals. Learn about our approach to employability and careers.
When you start university you may already know which career path you’d like to pursue. Or, you might be exploring your unique interests, passions, and opportunities.
No matter which category you’re in, career development starts from your first day at university. Career development doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to develop a greater awareness of who you are and what you want to achieve.
At the University of Melbourne, career development is a journey that involves:
- Understanding and reflecting on your motivations and preferences, current skills and knowledge gaps
- Researching potential opportunities that help you develop meaningful, industry-relevant experiences
- Goal setting and deciding on what career success means to you
- Seeking and applying for roles that align with this vision.
- During this process, your ability to understand and apply your knowledge will be critical in making successful career decisions. We have dedicated career advisers who can guide you through this career development journey.
What are employability skills?
Employability skills are more than just your ability to land a job. They cover your attitude, personal qualities, and transferable skills (e.g. teamwork and communication).
These skills are valued regardless of the role or industry you’re interested in—and understanding their importance can help you succeed in your career and beyond.
Our aim is to help you develop these skills so you can progress professionally in the workforce and community.
How we can help you
We provide online and in-person services: from one-on-one guidance, to learning modules, on campus workshops, and more.
We support you to:
- Understand the possibilities open to you during and after your time at university
- Design your career by understanding where your degree can take you, and guide you on what experiences will help you gain future employment
- Identify your skills and how they apply to actual jobs in the industry you’re interested in
- Find opportunities via our online jobs board and our employability programs
- Connect with employers and professionals through our mentoring programs and industry networks
- Navigate the job application process so your cover letter, resume, and interview style sets you up for success.
- Our services are available to all current undergraduate and graduate University of Melbourne students.
The Melbourne JD leads to admission to the legal profession in all Australian jurisdictions, and can be used as a basis for seeking admission in many overseas jurisdictions.
The Melbourne JD is well-regarded by a wide-range of employers and can be used to pursue a variety of careers in different sectors.
Melbourne Law School graduates work as:
- Judges, Judges’ Associates and others in the judicial sector
- Barristers and public prosecutors
- Lawyers in law firms
- In-house and corporate lawyers
- Lawyers in the community sector (ie community legal centres)
- Lawyers in not-for-profit organisations (ie human rights NGOs)
- Government lawyers
- Policy analysts and advisers in government
- Management consultants
- Merchant bankers
- Entrepreneurs
- Parliamentarians
- Careers support
As a JD student, you’ll have access to specialised career services, such as a mentoring program, workshops and mock interviews with dedicated advisors, to help you achieve your professional goals.
PSW Opportunity
- 2 years PSW
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
- You need to successfully complete an undergraduate degree, either from the University of Melbourne, another Australian institution, or a university overseas. You also need to meet English language requirements and be eligible to be offered an international graduate place.
- If you've achieved high marks in your Melbourne undergraduate studies you can even be made an early offer. Depending on your previous studies and experience you could also be eligible for credit towards your studies at the University.
TOEFL – you need a score from a minimum of 577+ including a score of at least 4.5 in the Test of Written English for a paper-based test. Or a score of at least 79 and scores of at least 21 for writing, 18 for speaking, 13 for reading, 13 for listening for an internet-based test.
IELTS – you need a score from a minimum of 6.5 or more in the Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no bands less than 6.0.
Pearson Test of English – you need an overall score from a minimum between 58-64 inclusive and achieve no PTE communicative skills score below 50.
Cambridge English, Advanced/Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – you need a Cambridge English Score from a minimum 176 with no skill below 169.
- Course Code: 073303C
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Masters/PG Degree
- Duration: 03 Year
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Total Tuition Fee:
140223 AUD
Annual Cost of Living: 21041 AUD
Application Fee: 100 AUD
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