Program Overview

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Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice

The Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (GDLPP) is a program designed for law graduates to develop the skills needed for a legal practitioner's day-to-day tasks through a combination of coursework and practical experience.

Overview

Practical Legal Training (PLT) is an essential step for law graduates to enter the legal profession. UNSW's PLT program, the Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (GDLPP), combines coursework and practical experience to develop skills and proficiency in the day-to-day practice of law.

Key Features

• Complete your PLT at a Law Faculty ranked #1 in Australia and #12 globally for law and legal studies.
• Take advantage of online courses which can be accessed from a wide range of devices to learn on the go in a flexible, digital pathway to practice.
• Benefit from close interaction with industry professionals with a practitioner-mentor model of student engagement.
• Opportunities to undertake unique work experience in the Facultys clinics and centres.
• Get more out of your PLT qualification with legal project management and opportunities to acquire additional specialised experience, skills, and knowledge in our innovative practicum.

Program Structure

The UNSW PLT program combines coursework (four core courses and two electives) and workplace experience (40 days). The full-time 20-week coursework component consists of a 5-day intensive followed by 19 weeks of online courses. Workplace Experience (1) is 20 days; and Workplace Experience (2) and practicum can be completed in your own time.

Coursework

• Immersive Workshop (five days): Our program begins in Orientation Week (O-Week) of Terms 1 and 3, with five days of workshops.
• Online Coursework (19 weeks): The online coursework is completed over 19 weeks and consists of four core courses and two elective practice areas.
  • Core courses:
    1. Skills in Practice: Lawyers skills, problem solving, work management, business skills, wellbeing, and legal project management.
    2. Values in Practice: Ethics and professional responsibility, trust, and office accounting.
    3. Litigation Practice: Skills, values, and competencies for civil litigation practice.
    4. Transactional Practice: Property practice and commercial and corporate practice.
  • Elective practice areas:
    • Administrative Law Practice
    • Banking and Finance
    • Criminal Law Practice
    • Family Law Practice
    • Employment and Industrial Relations Practice
    • Consumer Law Practice

Work Experience

• Work Experience 1: 20 days of work experience that requires the submission of supervisor declarations.
• Work Experience 2 or Practicum: Choose to complete a second 20-day work experience placement or undertake a practicum, which offers opportunities to acquire additional specialised experience, skills, and knowledge.

Entry Requirements

Candidates for the GDLPP are required to have completed an accredited academic qualification in law. Accepted qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree
• Juris Doctor degree
• Other qualifications considered equivalent from an Australian university or tertiary institution

Applicants with academic qualifications from a jurisdiction outside Australia need to have the qualifications assessed by the Legal Profession Admission Board (NSW) before applying to undertake Practical Legal Training (PLT).

English Language Requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW, depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments, and examinations.

What Will I Study?

The program covers the skills and values required to be a legal practitioner in Australia. Youll graduate from the program confident that you can complete essential tasks required of legal professionals in areas such as:

• Litigation and Transactional Law (Property, Commercial, and Corporate)
• Administrative Law
• Banking and Finance
• Criminal Law
• Family Law
• Employment and Industrial Relations
• Consumer Law Practice

Future Careers

Practical legal training (PLT) is an essential step in your legal career and a requirement for admission as a lawyer in Australia. The UNSW GDLPP program provides the qualification graduates require to apply to be admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales and satisfies the Legal Profession Admission Board's requirements.

Accreditation

This graduate diploma is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board.

Fees & Scholarships

• 2026 Indicative First Year Full Fee: $11,000
• 2026 Indicative Full Fee to Complete Degree: $11,000

Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually. The indicative fees listed are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only; other fees and charges are not included.

Scholarships

At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether youre a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes, and awards can support your journey.