Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law

Graduate Diploma

Online and on-campus subjects available Most Melbourne Law Masters subjects are available online in 2021 with some taught on campus. See subject quotas for current subject availability.

Key details

Degree Type

Graduate Diploma

Duration

6 months full-time, 12 months part-time

Course Code

075314F

Study Mode

In person

Intake Months

Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug

About this course

Online and on-campus subjects available

Most Melbourne Law Masters subjects are available online in 2021 with some taught on campus. See subject quotas for current subject availability.

Study locations

Parkville

What you will learn

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 or experience are also expected to complete the two-day preliminary subject Australian Legal Process and Legal Institutions.

Subject timing and format

The Melbourne Law Masters program has been designed around the busy schedules of working professionals. Subjects are offered from February to December each year. Most subjects are taught intensively over five days, with some subjects taught for two hours each week during the semester.

Subjects delivered online will have a combination of pre-recorded lecture content, live sessions and discussion boards among other resources. On-campus subjects involve interactive, seminar-style classes in the Law Building in Melbourne.

Class sizes are typically limited to 30 students regardless of delivery mode.

Duration

Full-time students enrol in 50 credit points per semester (or half-year period) and have an expected course duration of six months. Part-time* students enrol in 25 credit points per semester (or half-year period) and have an expected course duration of one year. Semesters without enrolments require a student to apply for a leave of absence.

*Part-time enrolment is for domestic students only. Part-time students may reduce their study load to 12.5 credit points per half-year period and thus have a maximum course duration of two years.

For detailed course and subject information, see the Handbook: Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law.

Career pathways

As a student in the Graduate Diploma of Human Rights Law, you'll develop an advanced understanding of the complex body of knowledge in the field of human rights law, including:

An advanced and integrated knowledge of international and domestic legal and institutional frameworks for the protection and promotion of human rights
An advanced appreciation of the relationship between law and politics, at the international and domestic levels, in the field of human rights law
The cognitive and technical skills to independently examine and critically evaluate current issues by reference to international and domestic human rights standards
The ability to understand and critically examine the interrelationships between international, regional and domestic histories, philosophies, policies and practices of human rights law
The ability to participate in debates about the contested universality of international human rights and its application in diverse domestic jurisdictions in an engaged, informed and open-minded manner
The ability to make a sophisticated assessment of the practical effectiveness of different mechanisms for implementing or enforcing human rights, including domestic and regional courts, specialised tribunals, national human rights institutions, human rights treaty bodies, international institutions and specialised agencies, nongovernmental organisations and international criminal courts
The ability to analyse, interpret and assess the challenges posed to the implementation of international human rights obligations in the context of globalisation, particularly the increased threat to human rights presented by non-state actors and efforts to develop and strengthen accountability protocols and other mechanisms
The ability to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and advocate in the field of human rights law.

How to apply

Application Dates

Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Eligibility

Australian or New Zealand citizens
Australian permanent residents
Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders

(View eligibility requirements and application dates for International citizens)

Intake periods

The majority of students will start in either the Semester 1 (start year) or Semester 2 (mid year) intake:


Begin study in	Applications close
2021 Semester 1 (February)	21 January 2021
2021 Semester 2 (July)	17 June 2021

For students wishing to begin study outside of the normal intake periods (for example, a winter intensive subject) - find your first subject's starting date in the Handbook, then find the name of the intake period you should apply for below.


First subject commences in	Intake name
August to November	Spring
December to early February	Summer
March to May	Autumn
June to early July	Winter

Applicants are advised to apply at least a month prior to the start of the subject.

Note: Students will need to ensure their desired subject hasn't yet reached its quota limit - view quotas

Application Outcome

Once we receive the completed application, we aim to have a response to you within four to six weeks.

Orientation

Orientation week for full-time students
- Start year intake: 22-26 February 2021, online via Zoom
- Mid year intake: TBC
Orientation for part-time students
- Online via the Learning Management System (Canvas LMS)

Graduate outcomes

Graduate satisfaction and employment outcomes for Law & Paralegal Studies courses at University of Melbourne.

89.1%

Overall satisfaction

85.6%

Skill scale

71.2%

Teaching scale

90.4%

Employed full-time

$80k

Average salary

Data source