Program Overview

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Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma in Law

Expand your knowledge of the legal system as a next step to furthering your career in law.

Course Details

This course is available to graduates with a recognised law degree who wish to pursue advanced or further study in law.

About the course

This course is designed to equip practising lawyers and law graduates with an advanced understanding of the law to meet the challenges of the dynamic workplace. You'll learn from world-class teaching staff and study with the next generation of leaders in legal practice, government, business and the not-for-profit sector.

The Graduate Diploma in Law consists of four postgraduate option units (24 points) and may be articulated into a Master of Laws or Master of Commercial and Resources Law. Units are often taught intensively, in non-standard teaching periods, to accommodate practitioners and overseas students. However, we also offer a range of options throughout the academic semesters.

Quick details

• Status: Available
• Locations: Perth (Crawley campus)
• Attendance: Full-time, Part-time
• Delivery: On-campus
• Starting dates: Applications are accepted throughout the year.
• Weekly contact time: Variable - includes intensive teaching blocks
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Course Code: 20320
• CRICOS code: D
• Full time/part time duration: 6 months
• Degrees course is available in: Graduate Diploma in Law

Careers and further study

Explore the career opportunities available to you.

Career Pathways

Expand your skills, expertise and knowledge of law to prepare yourself for the next step in your law career.

While many graduates continue their legal careers or take up a position as a lawyer, some use their qualifications to enhance their employment opportunities in areas across business, government and non-government organisations.

Further study opportunities

After completion of the Graduate Diploma in Law, you may wish to enrol in:

• Master of Laws
• Master of Public Policy
• Master in International Law
• Master of Taxation Law
• Master of Mining and Energy Law
• Master of Resources and International Commercial Law

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course.

Domestic Student Fees

• Annual course fee: 2025 Full-Fee Paying Place $34,800.00

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

Admission requirements

If you’re interested in furthering your career by studying this postgraduate course, find out the admission details below.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

1(a) a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; or 2(a) (i) a bachelor's degree in a cognate area, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and (ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; or 3(a) (i) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and (ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; and (iii) at least two years of relevant professional experience.

Ranking and Selection Process

Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

This course has higher ELC requirements. Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 6.5. For more information visit ELC requirements.

How to apply

Ready for the next step?

Find out how to apply through our simple online application process.

We'll guide you through our entry requirements, admission pathways available to you and application deadlines for your chosen course.

Course structure

Postgraduate coursework degrees and combined (coursework and research) degrees comprise a number of units. Refer to the course structure for more information.

Students without a recognised law degree: take 24 points from group A and B. Must include LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions.

• Option - Group A
  • Take units as per the sequence notes.
    • LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions (6)

Students with a recognised law degree: take 24 points from group B and C.

• Option - Group B
  • Take units as per the sequence notes.
    • LAWS5114 International Environmental Law (6)
    • LAWS5167 Comparative Legal Method (6)
    • LAWS5181 Health Law and Policy (6)
    • LAWS5215 Risk Regulation (6)
    • LAWS5219 International Criminal Law (6)
    • LAWS5220 International Humanitarian Law (6)
    • LAWS5223 Theories for Contemporary Criminal Justice (6)
    • LAWS5226 International Human Rights Law (6)
    • LAWS5251 International Sales Law (6)
    • LAWS5254 International Trade Law (6)
    • LAWS5260 Intersections of Law, Policy and Governance (6)
    • LAWS5261 Planning Law (6)
    • LAWS5296 Technology Law and Governance (6)
    • LAWS5305 Mediation: Practice and Skills (6)
    • LAWS5398 Construction Law (6)
    • LAWS5517 Mining Law (6)
    • LAWS5521 Climate Change Law (6)
    • LAWS5532 Energy Agreements: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy and Sustainability (6)
    • LAWS5540 Environmental Protection Law (6)
    • LAWS5577 Governing the Commons: Oceans, ice and outer space (6)
    • LAWS5590 Water Resources Law (6)
    • LAWS5694 Research Paper I (6)
    • LAWS5695 Research Paper II (12)
    • LAWS5696 Research Paper III Part 1 (6)
    • LAWS5697 Research Paper III Part 2 (6)
    • LAWS5813 Legal Issues for Not-for-Profit Entities (6)
    • SVLG5001 McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship (6)
• Option - Group C
  • Take units as per the sequences notes.
    • LAWS5117 Advanced Evidence and Proof (6)
    • LAWS5118 Family Law (6)
    • LAWS5132 Income Taxation Law (6)
    • LAWS5144 Mining and Energy Law (6)
    • LAWS5150 Intellectual Property Law (6)
    • LAWS5152 Media Law (6)
    • LAWS5160 Law Review Part 1 (0)
    • LAWS5161 Law Review Part 2 (6)
    • LAWS5165 Public International Law (6)
    • LAWS5358 Innovations in Lawyering (6)
    • LAWS5360 Employment Law (6)
    • LAWS5503 Conflict of Laws (6)
    • LAWS5528 Unjust Enrichment and Restitution (6)
    • LAWS5541 Equity Capital Markets & Securities Regulation (6)
    • LAWS5576 International Commercial Arbitration (6)

Why study this course?

1. You can choose a specialised area or broaden your knowledge across a range of subjects including commercial law, government regulation, resources law, and a wide variety of public and private international law areas.
2. You'll gain advanced reasoning skills, develop knowledge and research skills.
3. You can enhance and update your existing legal qualifications.
4. It’s all electives in law – you'll choose all the units to take!

Western Australia's premier Law School

The UWA Law School is ranked in the top 150 law schools in the world for Law and Legal Studies (QS 2025). You will join and contribute to 90 years of excellence: we are the first law school established in WA and the fifth oldest in Australia.

Our graduates include a Prime Minister, a Governor of Western Australia, State Ministers, Justices of the Supreme Court of WA, a Young Australian of the Year, Rhodes Scholars, and more.

While we have a long and proud history, we're also a closely-knit, creative and progressive Law School, fostering critical thought, ethical scholarship and practice, a deep connection to our Indigenous past and present, and supportive student culture based upon wellbeing and inclusion.

You'll learn to

You'll develop expert, specialised cognitive and technical legal skills, which will vary depending on your unit choices. This will allow you to independently:

• analyse critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories as developed in seminars and through your independent research essays.
• research and apply established theories to a body of knowledge or practice.
• interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Graduate outcomes

Students will have an in-depth understanding of advanced complexities and challenges of a variety of legal topics. They will be able to adapt the degree to their own specialisation, given free choice to extend their basic legal knowledge in the subjects open to them, thus utilising the degree to tailor their specialised knowledge as they wish. All units will ensure that students will have learned independent study and research, as well as critical legal analysis. They will have worked independently on research essays and tasks, and gained working knowledge of legal method and legal research principles alongside their specialised legal knowledge.

Students will develop expert, specialised cognitive and technical legal skills, which will vary depending on their unit choices. This will allow them to independently:

• analyse critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories as developed in seminars and through their independent research essays.
• research and apply established theories to a body of knowledge or practice.
• interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.