Graduate Diploma in Laws - Flinders University

Graduate Diploma in

Laws

Graduate Diploma in

Laws

Build legal expertise and develop practical skills for diverse careers in law, corporate, and government sectors.

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Fast Facts

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree in an area other than Law

See entry requirements

Duration

1 year

Delivery mode

Online

Availability

Full-time, part-time

Start dates

March, July

Annual indicative fees (2025)

$33,768 (FFP)

Available for mid-year entry?

Yes

Duration

3 years

Delivery mode

Online

Availability

Full-time, part-time

Start dates

March, July

Annual indicative fees (2025)

$33,768 (FFP)

Available for mid-year entry?

Yes

Overview

Overview Course details Career opportunities Your academics Entry requirements Enquire now

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Study Law at Flinders

Gain practical legal skills in just 1 year from a top law school.

Study Law at Flinders

Gain practical legal skills in just 1 year from a top law school.

Flinders University is ranked in the top 2% globally* and No. 2 in Australia in Law & Paralegal Studies for teaching quality**.

This 1-year program prepares you for careers across legal, corporate, and government landscapes through innovative learning. You’ll explore the relationship between law and its social, economic, and political contexts. Through practical, case-based teaching, this diploma will teach you how to address real-world legal challenges effectively.

*THE World University Rankings 2024 as a percentage of the total number of universities in the world according to the International Association of Universities.

**The Good Universities Guide 2023 (postgraduate).

What you will study

You’ll study 8 topics that provide comprehensive legal education, combining foundational courses with advanced study in various areas of law. The program is divided into two semesters: the first covers core legal concepts, and the second focuses on specialised areas such as international law, legal innovation, and property law.

What you will study

You’ll study 8 topics that provide comprehensive legal education, combining foundational courses with advanced study in various areas of law. The program is divided into two semesters: the first covers core legal concepts, and the second focuses on specialised areas such as international law, legal innovation, and property law.

Semester 1

First semester may include the following core topics:

The Australian Legal System
Contract
Torts
Legal Theory and Research

Semester 2

Second semester may include:

Dispute Resolution
Legal Innovation and Problem Solving
Property, Equity and Trusts
Principles of Public International Law

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Course handbook

Your career

The Graduate Diploma in Laws opens doors to career opportunities in legal, corporate, and government sectors. Graduates can pursue roles in policy development, compliance, risk management, or corporate advisory, or use this qualification as a pathway to further legal studies and professional advancement.

Your career

The Graduate Diploma in Laws opens doors to career opportunities in legal, corporate, and government sectors. Graduates can pursue roles in policy development, compliance, risk management, or corporate advisory, or use this qualification as a pathway to further legal studies and professional advancement.

Potential occupations

Regulatory Manager

$150,000*

Legal Manager (non-practicing)

$145,000*

Governance Consultant

$130,000*

Compliance Manager

$125,000*

Senior Policy Analyst

$110,000*

*Upon completion of Practical Legal Training, typical salaries are drawn from a variety of sources, including Seek, Glassdoor and Indeed, and may vary. Please do your own research.

Potential employers

Law firms
Corporations entities
Government
Non-profit organisations
Legal consultancies

Potential occupations

Regulatory Manager

$150,000*

Legal Manager (non-practicing)

$145,000*

Governance Consultant

$130,000*

Compliance Manager

$125,000*

Senior Policy Analyst

$110,000*

*Upon completion of Practical Legal Training, typical salaries are drawn from a variety of sources, including Seek, Glassdoor and Indeed, and may vary. Please do your own research.

Potential employers

Law firms
Corporate entities
Government
Non-profit organisations:
Legal consultancies

Practical experience

Gain practical skills and processes to apply the law in a dynamic, interconnected, global and increasingly digital world.

Practical experience

Gain practical skills and processes to apply the law in a dynamic, interconnected, global and increasingly digital world.

Interactive, case-based teaching

Debate and reflect on real-world issues

Interactive, case-based teaching

Debate and reflect on real-world issues

Interactive, case-based
teaching

Debate and reflect on real-world issues

Practical assessments

This course has no mandatory placement requirements. Instead, students are provided with assessments and opportunities throughout the course to develop practical skills as part of their coursework in each topic.

Practical assessments

This course has no mandatory placement requirements. Instead, students are provided with assessments and opportunities throughout the course to develop practical skills as part of their coursework in each topic.

Industry connections

The Juris Doctor Connect Mentor Network at Flinders University connects students with experienced legal professionals, providing valuable mentorship opportunities, and exposes them to a broad range of legal practice beyond those fields covered in the course itself.

Flinders University is a future you can count on

Pathway to qualify to practise law in Australia and in Singapore with a university ranked in the top 2% globally.

No. 2 in Australia in Law & Paralegal Studies for teaching quality**

Flexible online study - study anywhere, anytime and start, stop and restart your studies when life allows

Fast-track foundational legal knowledge complete the program in just 1 year and gain a strong understanding of essential legal principles and their applications

In demand skills. Improve decision-making, compliance, and problem-solving in various industries, making you more competitive in your field

Learn from experienced Lawyers through interactive, cased-based teaching

Pathway to qualify to practise law in Australia and in Singapore with a university ranked in the top 2% globally.

No. 2 in Australia in Law & Paralegal Studies for teaching quality**

Flexible online study - study anywhere, anytime and start, stop and restart your studies when life allows

Fast-track foundational legal knowledge complete the program in just 1 year and gain a strong understanding of essential legal principles and their applications

In demand skills. Improve decision-making, compliance, and problem-solving in various industries, making you more competitive in your field

Learn from experienced Lawyers through interactive, cased-based teaching

**THE World University Rankings 2024 as a percentage of the total number of universities in the world according to the International Association of Universities)
**The Good Universities Guide 2023 (postgraduate)

Meet your academics

Our incredible teaching and professional staff are experts in their fields and well-connected to industry.

Meet your academics

Our incredible teaching and professional staff are experts in their fields and well-connected to industry.

Robert Chalmers

Senior Lecturer

Robert draws on his diverse experience as a lawyer, educator, and commercial adviser to prepare students for real-world challenges. Specialising in intellectual property and technology, he explores the dynamic interplay between technological innovation, societal impacts, and regulatory frameworks.

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Robert Chalmers

Senior Lecturer

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Robert draws on his diverse experience as a lawyer, educator, and commercial adviser to prepare students for real-world challenges. Specialising in intellectual property and technology, he explores the dynamic interplay between technological innovation, societal impacts, and regulatory frameworks.

See full profile

Simone Daniells

Associate Lecturer

Simone is a lawyer with over 13 years' experience, and integrates legal and business innovation into her teaching. As Dedicated Course Mentor for the Juris Doctor program, she fosters student success by blending practical expertise in law with collaborative problem-solving and design thinking approaches.

See full profile

Simone Daniells

Associate Lecturer

Show less

Simone is a lawyer with over 13 years' experience, and integrates legal and business innovation into her teaching. As Dedicated Course Mentor for the Juris Doctor program, she fosters student success by blending practical expertise in law with collaborative problem-solving and design thinking approaches.

See full profile

Professor Tania Leiman

Dean of Law

Tania leads Flinders Law’s innovative undergraduate curriculum, focusing on legal education for emerging technologies, access to justice, and sustainability. An award-winning educator and researcher, she contributes to national initiatives on future mobility, legal tech, and regulatory frameworks, shaping the future of legal practice and education.

See full profile

Professor Tania Leiman

Dean of Law

Show less

Tania leads Flinders Law’s innovative undergraduate curriculum, focusing on legal education for emerging technologies, access to justice, and sustainability. An award-winning educator and researcher, she contributes to national initiatives on future mobility, legal tech, and regulatory frameworks, shaping the future of legal practice and education.

See full profile

Robert Chalmers

Senior Lecturer

Robert draws on his diverse experience as a lawyer, educator, and commercial adviser to prepare students for real-world challenges. Specialising in intellectual property and technology, he explores the dynamic interplay between technological innovation, societal impacts, and regulatory frameworks.

See full profile

Simone Daniells

Associate Lecturer

Simone is a lawyer with over 13 years' experience, and integrates legal and business innovation into her teaching. As Dedicated Course Mentor for the Juris Doctor program, she fosters student success by blending practical expertise in law with collaborative problem-solving and design thinking approaches.

See full profile

Professor Tania Leiman

Dean of Law

Tania leads Flinders Law’s innovative undergraduate curriculum, focusing on legal education for emerging technologies, access to justice, and sustainability. An award-winning educator and researcher, she contributes to national initiatives on future mobility, legal tech, and regulatory frameworks, shaping the future of legal practice and education.

See full profile

Three qualifications in one

Flinders University offers staggered qualifications as you complete certain milestones. Finish four topics and you’ll receive a Graduate Certificate. Finish another four topics, and you’ll receive a Graduate Diploma. Complete a further 12 topics in addition to those, and you will be awarded a Juris Doctor.

Three qualifications in one

Flinders University offers staggered qualifications as you complete certain milestones. Finish four topics and you’ll receive a Graduate Certificate. Finish another four topics, and you’ll receive a Graduate Diploma. Complete a further 12 topics in addition to those, and you will be awarded a Juris Doctor.

Juris Doctor

24 topics
3-years duration

Graduate Diploma in Laws

8 topics
12-month duration

Graduate Certificate in Laws

4 topics
6-month duration

Juris Doctor

24 topics
3-years duration

Graduate Diploma in Laws

8 topics
12-month duration

Graduate Certificate in Laws

4 topics
6-month duration

Entry requirements

To be accepted into this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following entry requirements:

hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in an area other than law, or
hold a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in law that does not make them eligible to be admitted to practise law in Australia.

Have a question?

Find the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Have a question?

Find the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Who can study a Graduate Diploma in Laws?

The Graduate Diploma in Laws is designed for graduates from non-legal disciplines who wish to gain a foundational understanding of law. It’s ideal for those looking to advance their careers in fields such as corporate governance, policy development, or compliance, or as a pathway to further legal studies.

Can I study the Graduate Diploma in Laws part-time?

Yes, the program is flexible, offering part-time study options to accommodate your personal and professional commitments.

How long does the course take to complete?

The Graduate Diploma in Laws is typically completed in one year of full-time study. If you choose to study part-time, the duration will depend on your study load.

Are there any prerequisites for enrolling in the Graduate Diploma in Laws?

Yes, you need to have completed a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. No prior legal knowledge is required.

Is the Graduate Diploma in Laws recognised by employers?

Yes, this qualification is highly regarded by employers in legal, corporate, and government sectors for its emphasis on practical skills and industry-relevant knowledge.

Can I use the Graduate Diploma in Laws as a pathway to becoming a lawyer?

Yes, it is a pathway to advanced legal studies, such as the Juris Doctor, which leads to admission into the legal profession.

What is Practical Legal Training?

If you want to practise law in Australia, Practical Legal Training (or PLT) is the next step to complete after graduating after completing a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws – Legal Practice Entry. It is a requirement that helps you transition from your academic studies to real-life legal practice.

How to apply?

Select your preferred course.

Check the entry requirements and your eligibility.

Check the key application and enrolment dates.

Apply and submit your application via Direct Entry.

Who is eligible to apply?

Flinders Online courses are available for Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents, holders of Australian permanent humanitarian visas and Pacific Engagement visa holders.

International students in Australia who hold a student visa are not eligible to apply.

For further information regarding course eligibility, refer to the individual entry requirements for each course.

When do I apply?

You are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and by no later than teaching commencement dates. If places fill, applications for your preferred start date may close without notice and you will be considered for the next available intake.

Semester 1: teaching commences 3 March 2025 – Applications close 28 February 2025
Semester 2: teaching commences 28 July 2025 – Applications close 25 July 2025

Some courses have non-standard semester commencement dates as follows:

February Study Period: teaching commences 24 February 2025 – Applications close 21 February 2025
June Study Period: teaching commences 30 June 2025 – Applications close 27 June 2025
September Study Period: teaching commences 29 September 2025 – Applications close 26 September 2025

Please refer to the individual Flinders Online course for more information.

Other critical and key dates