Melbourne JD Curriculum
The Melbourne JD comprises 24 subjects. Seventeen are compulsory, enabling the Law School to provide its students with cumulative learning, by integrating both subject matter and skills across and between semesters. Students normally remain in the same cohort to complete the compulsory subjects. This enhances the collegial experience of students during their time in the Law School and establishes bonds that will continue long after graduation. Remaining subjects are chosen by students from a wide range of optional subjects offered by the School. These vary from year to year, enabling the School to respond to changes in the law and legal thinking and giving students access to the latest developments in research by some of the leading scholars in the School.
Course objectives
The objectives of the Melbourne JD are to ensure, as far as possible, that every graduate has the following attributes and skills:
- Profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship and legal practice
- Highly developed cognitive, analytic and problem-solving skills
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning
- Intellectual curiosity and creativity including understanding of the philosophical and methodological bases of research activity
- Extensive knowledge of the discipline of law, including a substantive knowledge base and the capacity to track, comprehend and evaluate changes that occur over time
- Highly developed legal skills in finding, analysing and using law, in a variety of different contexts
- Informed respect for the principles, disciplines, values and ethics of the legal profession
- Ability and self-confidence to comprehend complex concepts, to express them lucidly, whether orally or in writing, and to confront unfamiliar problems
- Awareness of advanced communications technologies and modalities, sound working skills in the application of computer systems and software, and receptiveness to the expanding opportunities of the ‘information revolution’
- International awareness and openness to the world, based on understanding and appreciation of social and cultural diversity and respect for human rights and dignity
- Leadership capacity, including a willingness to engage in constructive public discourse, to accept social and civic responsibilities and to speak out against prejudice, injustice and the abuse of power
- Ability and confidence to participate effectively in collaborative learning as a team-member, while respecting individual differences
- Ability to plan work and to use time effectively.