Question 1

What will I learn in a law course?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the course you choose, but you might cover:

Criminal law
Contract law
Corporate law
Torts law
Legal interpretation
Legal research methods
Legal writing and drafting

Postgraduate students can specialise in a particular area of law. Those who already work in the profession can upskill with a short course or standalone law subject.

Question 2

Why should I study law?

Accepted Answer

If you like to tackle challenges head on and help others navigate tough situations, a career in law may be great path for you.

With a focus on communication and research, a law degree in Australia will teach you how to speak with confidence, read efficiently, write commandingly and find pertinent facts under piles of precedent. This will prepare you for a legal career, or for other fields like politics and journalism.

You’ll graduate with strong employment prospects and a bright, rewarding future ahead of you.

Question 3

Why should I study law online?

Accepted Answer

Studying law online gives you the flexibility to complete your learning whenever and wherever it suits you. This can be a great option if you’re fitting study around existing work and life commitments.

Question 4

How long is a law course?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you choose to study, if you're getting qualified for the first time, or if you're studying to specialise.

Here’s a general guide:

Course	Duration
Single subject	10-18 weeks
Short course	10-18 weeks
Undergraduate certificate	6 months (if full time)
Diploma	1 year (if full time)
Associate degree	2 years (if full time)
Bachelor degree	3 years (if full time)
Graduate certificate	6 months (if full time)
Graduate diploma	1 year (if full time)
Masters degree	2 years (if full time)
Juris Doctor	3 years (if full time)

If you study a degree in law through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.

Question 5

What are the entry requirements for a law course?

Accepted Answer

The entry requirements to study law vary from course to course, so make sure you read the relevant course page carefully for more information.

If you enrol through Open Universities Australia, you can get into certain law courses without needing an ATAR. Speak with us today about how to make this happen.

Question 6

What law specialisations are available?

Accepted Answer

Within law, there are many different specialisations. As just a few examples, you may be interested in exploring:

Environmental law
Criminal law
Family law
Property law
International law
Constitutional law
Business law

Question 7

Can I practice law after completing an online law course?

Accepted Answer

There are several steps you need to complete to be able to practice law in Australia.

After studying law at university—whether that’s in person or online—you need to complete additional practical legal training (PLT). This involves work experience with a practising lawyer and the completion of a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

After this, you can apply to the Supreme Court for admission as an Australian legal practitioner. Keep in mind, this process differs slightly between states and territories in Australia.

Read more about how to become a lawyer.

Question 8

What other career opportunities can I explore as a law graduate?

Accepted Answer

Aside from life as a lawyer, studying law could set you up for many career pathways. You could go on to become a:

Question 9

How do I enrol?

Accepted Answer

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.

Question 10

What if I’m not sure law is the study area for me?

Accepted Answer

You can study these single law subjects to see if you like the field before committing to a full qualification.

Otherwise, we recommend checking out these related study areas, which allow you to pursue a career in and around the justice system:

I want to...	We recommend exploring...
understand the psychology of the criminal mind	criminology courses
help governments improve society	public policy courses
push for social change and the rights of the disadvantaged	human rights courses
understand what influences social behaviour	sociology courses

Law courses

Introduction to Law