Graduate Diploma in Asian Law

The specialisation in Asian law is ideal for lawyers and other professionals dealing with Asian legal systems in commercial, legal or policy capacities, or for researchers and scholars interested in Asia.

International and domestic students will benefit from the diversity of subjects, exposure to teaching staff who speak Asian languages and who have lived and practiced law in Asian jurisdictions.

It will also provide access to the Asian Law Centre – Australia’s first and largest centre devoted to developing understandings of Asian laws and legal systems and its sister centre, CILIS, which is devoted to the study of Indonesian law and Islamic law across the Asian region.

Covering a range of Asian legal systems and societies, the program offers insights into laws, institutions and their reform and practices that will determine how governments, businesses and broader stakeholders interact within and across borders.

Course structure

Students must complete 50 credit points of study from the prescribed list of subjects.

Students who do not have a law degree from a common law jurisdiction or any prior legal studies 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 Asian Law will:

• Have advanced knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge relating to the field of Asian law, including the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in relation to:
• the legal systems of East and South East Asia in their social, political and economic context
• how Asian lawyers, business people, legislators and leaders may respond to particular legal issues and
• the relevance of different Asian legal experiences in Australia
• Have advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills that enable them to:
• locate, analyse critically, evaluate and convey information and
• generate ideas and solutions to complex problems from both theoretical and practical perspectives relevant to Asian laws and legal institutions
• Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner in the laws of Asian jurisdictions.