About the Melbourne JD
A graduate program
Taught at a graduate level, the Melbourne Juris Doctor equips graduates with the analytical skills and intellectual maturity to take a leading role in contemporary legal practice, the business world, government or community organisations. The Melbourne JD is designed specifically for graduate students. Our teaching focuses on the law, providing an exciting and intellectually stimulating experience for students who already have accumulated knowledge and life experience.
Why choose a graduate law degree?
Nationally and internationally recognised
The Melbourne JD will provide you with a degree that is highly regarded and readily recognised, both nationally and internationally. The JD leads to admission to the legal profession in all Australian jurisdictions. It can also be used as a basis for seeking admission in many common law jurisdictions overseas, including the United States, Canada, England and Wales, and New Zealand.
Admission to Practise website - Law School Career Development Services
An innovator in teaching law
With experience gained over 150 years, Melbourne Law School is a leader in legal education. The Law School has led the shift to graduate law in Australia with its Juris Doctor program. As a highly respected and innovative institution, Melbourne Law School offers you an exceptional learning environment.
More on studying in the JD for future students
Diverse and expert teaching staff
Melbourne Law School academics are leaders in their fields, deploying expertise from legal scholarship and professional engagements to deliver challenging and intellectually stimulating courses. Together, our outstanding faculty and carefully selected program of visitors will give you the opportunity to learn about legal issues from the best legal minds in Australia and overseas.
Engaged and motivated students
Your JD experience will be as much about your fellow students as your teachers. You will study law in discussion-based classes with other highly motivated and engaged graduates. Experience the challenge and stimulus of learning with, and from, students of diverse educational backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. As part of a tightly knit graduate cohort, you will enrich one another's education and build a network for life.
More about life as a Melbourne JD student
Career focus
The Melbourne JD is not just about classrooms and casebooks. We are also focussed on the career development of our students. With exceptional links to the legal profession, Melbourne Law School provides the opportunity to build a network of valuable professional connections. Our mentoring program will support you in your first year of studying law by providing a real-world link to legal professionals working in practice and beyond. We also facilitate internships for career development, offering internships exclusive to JD students as well as supporting applications to over 100 other work destinations.
See our career programs for JD students
International opportunities
As a Melbourne JD student, you will be a part of a law school vitally interested in global legal practice. Linking with the best universities in Europe and North America, Melbourne Law School works with world leaders in legal education to create a truly global educational experience for its students. This includes opportunities for overseas study, degree partnerships with international law schools and a curriculum that encompasses transnational, international and comparative legal issues.
More details on international programs
An inspiring community
Find inspiration in the vibrant intellectual community of Melbourne Law School. As a Melbourne JD student you will have the chance to join societies, edit journals, attend programs on leading-edge topics hosted by our research centres or participate in cultural events, moots or art competitions. The Law School offers you great ways to add an extra dimension to your JD experience. We also run an active calendar of events, with over 200 conferences, lectures, seminars and special events every year.
See JD activities and programs
First-rate facilities in the centre of Melbourne
Central to the Melbourne Law School experience is its location on Melbourne's city fringe - enjoy proximity to the central business district, the historic University of Melbourne campus and the cafes of inner city Carlton. Melbourne Law School has been designed specifically for legal education. Study in a state-of-the-art building, with access to simulated court facilities, purpose-built study spaces in the library and comfortable student areas for relaxation.
The JD student - attributes and achievements
At the completion of the Melbourne JD, all students are able to demonstrate competence in a range of core skills essential to many career paths in law.
The JD has surpassed every expectation I had coming into the degree. Melbourne Law School is characterised by an environment that is congenial to academic growth as well as personal development. I am continuously inspired by the teachers and students who have made my JD experience so rewarding.
Angela Kittikhoun, Melbourne JD student
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How to Apply