Master of Laws
Advance your understanding of the law.
Advance your understanding of the law.
Explore Postgrad is your opportunity to discover the benefits of postgraduate study and get all your questions answered.
The UNSW Master of Laws (LLM) is a highly regarded and internationally recognised postgraduate course designed to expand your legal knowledge and accelerate your career.
Suitable for legal practitioners and non-law professionals, this flexible degree provides the opportunity to tailor your program to your goals, whether that’s advancing your existing practice or providing entry into a new field.
The UNSW Master of Laws (LLM) is a one-year full-time postgraduate degree that offers you the opportunity to develop an advanced and contemporary understanding of one or more areas of legal study, acquire further expertise and enhance your career prospects.
You can choose from eight specialisation areas that reflect UNSW Law & Justice’s expertise and the latest developments in legal scholarship. Our LLM areas of specialisation include:
Alternatively, you can complete a generalist program and benefit from choosing courses across our specialisations.
Please note this program is not a pathway to legal practice. Students looking for a postgraduate qualification enabling them to practice law should instead consider UNSW's Juris Doctor.
World-class Scholarship
Learn from the minds at the forefront of research and industry knowledge at UNSW Law & Justice, ranked 1st in Sydney and 13th in the world*. Access the highest teaching quality among Australia’s research-intensive law faculty within the Group of Eight (Go8) universities.
Exclusive Career Support
Graduate career-ready with UNSW Law & Justice’s in-house careers service, dedicated to our students and alumni. The service includes a jobs board and a range of resources, presentations and workshops to maximise your employability.
Engage with World-recognised Centres
UNSW Law & Justice is home to leading academics in our China International Business and Economic Law (CIBEL) Centre ; Centre for Crime, Law and Justice (CCLJ); Indigenous Law Centre; National Children and Youth Law Centre; Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law; and The Allens Hub for Technology, Law & Innovation. Students have opportunities to undertake internships during their LLM program
Global Student Opportunities
Gain global perspectives by studying other countries’ legal systems through overseas electives in China, the USA, Switzerland, India, Vanuatu and Chile.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023
The UNSW LLM is open to law and non-law graduates. If you’re applying to the program with a non-law degree or with a law degree from a non-common law country, you’ll need to incorporate compulsory core courses into your program.
To be eligible for the Master of Laws by Coursework, you must have any of the following:
For (5) and (6), relevant professional experience could include professional experience in legal and policy issues gained as an officer in local government; consulting on legal and policy issues; an officer/manager or similar for state or federal government agency with responsibility for legal and policy issues; corporate auditing, monitoring or managing legal and policy issues; project management with a legal or policy focus; NGO or international organisation responsible for law or policy reform.
Credit Transfer Policy
If you've completed postgraduate law courses at another tertiary institution or in another UNSW degree, you may be eligible for a credit transfer. Find out more in the Credit Transfer Rules and Regulations.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
The UNSW LLM is open to law and non-law graduates. If you’re applying to the program with a non-law degree or with a law degree from a non-common law country, you’ll need to incorporate compulsory core courses into your program.
To be eligible for the Master of Laws by Coursework, you must have any of the following:
For (5) and (6), relevant professional experience could include professional experience in legal and policy issues gained as an officer in local government; consulting on legal and policy issues; an officer/manager or similar for state or federal government agency with responsibility for legal and policy issues; corporate auditing, monitoring or managing legal and policy issues; project management with a legal or policy focus; NGO or international organisation responsible for law or policy reform.
Credit Transfer Policy
If you've completed postgraduate law courses at another tertiary institution or in another UNSW degree, you may be eligible for a credit transfer. Find out more in the Credit Transfer Rules and Regulations.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
You can complete the UNSW Master of Laws (LLM) in one year of full-time study or part-time across four or more terms. You’ll choose from eight specialisation areas or complete a generalist program and choose a combination of courses from any of our specialisations. To be awarded an LLM with a specialisation, you must complete at least four courses in your chosen field.
In this degree, you’ll study eight courses (48 units of credit), including the option to undertake:
If you choose to complete a specialisation (made up of a major sequence of four courses), you’ll receive the name of the specialisation in parentheses after 'Master of Laws' on your testamur.
Leading academics and industry professionals will teach your courses in various formats throughout the UNSW academic calendar's three terms. Some of your classes will run for three hours per week over a teaching term, while in others, courses may arrange the class hours more intensively to allow you to focus entirely on your research project. Courses are offered either online or involve in-person classes. Depending on what courses you choose, it may be possible to complete your LLM fully online.
To help you plan your timetable, you can view the 2023 Postgraduate course offerings for the UNSW Master of Laws as well as the 2024 Postgraduate course offerings.
You'll graduate with advanced, integrated and up-to-date legal knowledge that you can apply to a broad range of law and non-law career opportunities.
Law graduates will find this program appealing as it allows them to acquire a new field of legal knowledge for a career change, career advancement or professional development. For non-law graduates, the acquired legal knowledge and skills will help them understand how the law works in their industry.
Applications must be submitted through our Apply Online portal. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term. Some high-demand programs and Faculties with limited places may have an earlier application deadline or commencement date. Find out more.
For most international students, applications are submitted via our Apply Online service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement date. For more information visit our international applicant information page.
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.
Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit UNSW International.
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
UNSW Scientia PhD Scholarship Scheme
High-achieving students may be able to develop a research interest throughout their masters studies capable of being developed into a PhD research proposal suitable for the annual UNSW Scientia PhD Scholarship scheme.
UNSW Law & Justice International Award (PUCA1028)
This award was established to empower the brightest and most passionate international students to achieve their goals through their studies at UNSW Law & Justice.
QS World University Rankings, 2024.
AFR Top 100 Future leaders Award.
#1 Australian uni attended by start-up founders.