First Year enrolment FAQs and Study Plans

Bachelor or Laws (LLB) – LLB students study law as part of a double degree and in their first year will usually take one law subject per term. Each subject will have five hours of classes or structured learning activities per week for nine weeks (over a ten-week period). There will be assigned readings prior to each class as set out on Moodle. As a guide, students in first year subjects can expect no less than one hour of reading for every hour of class. You will also need to schedule in time for assignments and other assessment items and to revise for the exam at the end of term. The workload for your other degree will depend on what you are studying. For example, Science may include lab time in addition to classes. Check with the relevant faculty for more information.

Juris Doctor (JD) – If you are a full-time JD student, your first-year load will be two or three law subjects per term. Each subject will have five hours of classes or structured learning activities per week for nine weeks (over a ten-week period). There will be assigned readings prior to each class as set out on Moodle and, as a guide, students in first year subjects can expect no less than one hour of reading for every hour of class. You will also need to schedule in time for assignments and other assessment items and to revise for the exam at the end of term. It is a heavy workload, and many students find the volume of reading to be a challenge at first. In later years the number of contact hours and the volume of reading varies and depends on whether the subject is a core course or elective.

Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (BCCJ) – BCCJ students study Criminology as a standalone degree or as part of a double degree with Law or Social Work.  Each subject will have three hours of classes or structured learning activities per week for nine weeks (over a ten-week period). Class time will be supplemented by assigned readings and/or activities that should be completed prior to each class as set out on Moodle. As a guide, students in first year subjects can expect one to two readings per week per course, which will require around hour of reading time for every hour of class. You will also need to schedule in time for assignments throughout the term and exam revision at the end of term in courses where exams are set. The workload for your other degree will depend on what you are studying. For example, Law courses have different associated work hours per week per course (see above for details), and Social Work courses will often include significant placement requirements. Check with your Program Authority or Director if you have any questions.

Master of Laws (LLM) - If you are studying full time for your LLM, you will take two or three subjects per term.  Each subject has 24 hours of contact time across the term, with some classes running weekly, and some running in more intensive format. Classes are based on participation and will usually have assigned readings, so you should anticipate spending at least one hour of preparation per hour of class.  You will also need to schedule in time for assignments and other assessment items.  

Practical Legal Training - Graduate Diploma of Legal Professional Practice

The GDLPP is made up of a compulsory 5-day full time synchronous Immersive, 19 weeks of online coursework and 8 weeks of workplace experience. The Immersive week workshops focus on essential skills such as interviewing, negotiation and advocacy. PLT coursework commences after the Immersive week and is full-time (timetabled over a period of 19 weeks). The 4 core courses are taken sequentially over the term followed by your 2 chosen electives and there is also flexibility within the workplace experience components. While undertaking the coursework you can expect to spend 10-15 hours a week attending online synchronous webinars, engaging with resources and learning materials and completing weekly assessments.

Most Law & Justice courses have multiple assessment tasks. A typical pattern of assessment is divided into a take-home assignment (40%), an examination under open book conditions (50%) and a class participation mark (10%). The latter is for class participation rather than performance. It's generally a measure of your level of engagement with the class rather than your brilliance at answering questions, so it's less threatening than it might seem, and it's a valuable learning tool.

The calibre of our students is very high and consequently the failure rate is very low – about 1–2%. Withdrawal from the year is more common than failure, as some people might decide Law & Justice isn’t right for them. If you appear to be having difficulties, the lecturer will ask to meet with you to determine whether your performance is due to an academic problem, lack of motivation, family or personal problems, or something else. Where there seems to be an academic issue, we will direct the student to the Peer Tutor Program or the Learning Centre, or wherever else is appropriate. Where there are other issues affecting a student’s work, they may be directed to additional support services and/or advised to withdraw without failure for the year and return the following year.  

The Law & Justice Peer Leader Program is available to Law & Justice dual degree students and Juris Doctor (JD) students in the first year of their degree. The aim of the program is to develop your understanding of legal concepts and skills needed for the study of Law & Justice. The program is available free of charge to any student who needs it, and students with English as a second language are encouraged to join the program as soon as classes begin.

The Nucleus: Student Hub, opens in a new window is your first go-to point for anything that you need throughout your student journey. The Nucleus specialise in handling student administration, covering enrolment, graduations, official documentation requests and much more. If you're not sure where to go for your enquiry, get in touch and they will direct you to the right place!

Alternatively, the University’s Student Support Team , opens in a new windowis there to help you with personalised advice and information about university life, wellbeing, academic performance and study skills, student visas, UNSW procedures, financial management or if you need help but don't know where to go.

If your enquiry is about an academic matter, you should first speak to your lecture lecturer, or your Program Director. For more information and useful academic contacts please visit the Faculty useful contacts, opens in a new window page.