OUTLINE OF YOUR FIRST YEAR

Background Info

A career in the law industry is becoming increasingly competitive but also more diverse than every before. It is important that law students are prepared to meet the demands of the law in 2023 and beyond. Just like the industry, the law degree at QUT is constantly changing and updating to meet these new pressures. As you progress throughout your law degree, you will take a variety of subjects that will qualify you to enter into the workforce as a lawyer or any other career!

The Priestly 11

As part of your law degree, you will have a mix of core units and elective units. There are 11 core units known as the ‘Priestly 11’. in Australia, the completion of these units is mandatory to become a professional in the legal industry. These subjects are:

• Administrative Law

• Constitutional Law

• Civil Procedure

• Contract Law

• Corporations Law

• Criminal Law

• Equity and Trusts

• Evidence

• Professional Conduct

• Property (real and personal)

• Torts

QUT-SPECIFIC CORE UNITS

QUT also has their own mandatory subjects. These subjects are ones that the Law School believes are highly important to becoming a well-rounded lawyer. You will take a few of these subjects in your first year. These subjects include:

• Introduction to Law

• Statutory Interpretation

• Dispute Resolution

• Contemporary Law and Justice

Credit Points

A certain number of points are allocated to each subject at university. This credit system is standard across every single degree offered at QUT. Almost all QUT law subjects are worth 12 credit points, or CP for short. This is the university’s way of measuring how far thorugh your degree you are, and it also assists them in making sure you have met all the course requirements so you can graduate at the end!

WHAT IF I DEVIATE FROM THE RECOMMENDED COURSE STRUCTURE?

The key word is ‘recommended’, not ‘mandatory’. Tertiary education is different to all other levels of study because it is so flexible. We are all adults on different life paths and QUT Law reflects that fact superbly.

There will be various reasons why you may be unable to follow the course structure. These might include embarking on exchange, failing a unit, taking a break from study for a semester or two, or changing from full time to part time study. Any of these factors will not prevent you from graduating. At most, you will be at university longer than the time frame suggested.

Planning ahead can help you keep on track to graduate as early as possible, but venturing off the beaten path can sometimes open you up to new opportunities too!

PRE-REQUISITES

Almost all subjects beyond the first year will have prerequisite units, meaning you must have passed a certain unit to be able to take another unit. This becomes a problem when you haven’t completed a certain prerequisite unit/s and can find yourself locked out of classes and unable to progress in your degree.

Another important thing to note is that unit coordinators will often try to organise assessment and exam timetables so they are more advantageous for students who are following the course structure, so this will help you avoid having two exams in one day!

Electives

Electives subjects give you the chance to explore areas of law that you might be interested in practicing in. Electives are broken down into three groups depending on what stage of your degree you are at. These categories are introductory, general and advanced. Below, the three introductory law electives are outlined to get you thinking about what one you might like to do.

A good tip with electives is to keep an open mind about the subjects you want to take. Due to demand, teaching staff availability, and timetabling restraints, not every elective is offered every year. Therefore, if you see a subject you are keen on completing and it fits within your course structure, definitely do it because you do not know when it will be offered next! Also if you are unsure of which elective to pick definitely ask friends or Facebook groups such as Fellow Surviving Law Students for advice on the subject content and assessment.

You do not have to choose law-related electives! If you want to study subjects in different disciplines, you can choose from a list of university-wide subjects. You can also save up your elective credit points to use on exchanges throughout your degree.