Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law

The specialisation in human rights law offers the widest range of human rights subjects in Australia.

Many world-renowned experts teach in the program, offering students exciting opportunities to examine a range of human rights instruments, institutions, theories and practices in contemporary context.

The program is particularly relevant to lawyers currently working, or planning to work, in the field of human rights, as well as those with a non-law background working in development agencies and other human rights-related organisations in Australia and around the world.

Course structure

Students must complete 50 credit points from the prescribed list.

Students who do not have a law degree from a common law jurisdiction or any prior legal studies or experience are also expected to complete the two-day preliminary subject Australian Legal Process and Legal Institutions.

Note: Most subjects in the MLM program are 12.5 credit points each. Check individual subject handbook entries for confirmation.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) at honours standard or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice; or
• a degree in Law (LLB, JD or equivalent) or equivalent leading to admission to legal practice and at least one year of documented, relevant professional experience; or
• an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and at least one year of documented, relevant professional work experience.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic performance; and if necessary
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Melbourne Law Masters welcomes applications from students with disabilities. The inherent academic requirements for study in the Melbourne Law Masters are:

• The ability to attend a minimum of 75% of classes and actively engage in the analysis and critique of complex materials and debate;
• The ability to read, analyse and comprehend complex written legal materials and complex interdisciplinary materials;
• The ability to clearly and independently communicate in writing a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and to critically evaluate these;
• The ability to clearly and independently communicate orally a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and critically evaluate these;
• The ability to work independently and as a part of a group;
• The ability to present orally and in writing legal analysis to a professional standard.

Students who feel their disability will inhibit them from meeting these inherent academic requirements are encouraged to contact Student Equity and Disability Support.

Intended learning outcomes

Graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law will:

• Have advanced understanding of a systematic and coherent body of knowledge relating to the field of international and domestic human rights law
• Be an engaged, informed and open-minded participant in debates about the contested universality of international human rights and its application in diverse domestic jurisdictions
• Be able to make a sophisticated assessment of the practical effectiveness of different mechanisms for implementing or enforcing human rights
• Have an advanced appreciation of the relationship between law and politics, at the international and domestic levels, in the field of human rights law
• Have advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills to analyse critically, evaluate and convey information about human rights law and its role in providing solutions to complex problems
• Be able to analyse, interpret and assess the challenges posed to the implementation of international human rights obligations in the context of globalisation
• Have the ability to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or advocate in the field of human rights law.