2019 Postgraduate Courses
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Master of Laws (Criminal Practice) | 2019

Testamur Title of Degree:

Master of Laws (Criminal Practice)

Abbreviation:

MLaws(CrimPrac)

UOW Course Code:

584

CRICOS Code:

067078B

Total Credit Points:

48

Duration:

1 year full-time or part-time equivalent

Home Faculty:

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts

Intake Session(s):

Autumn/Spring

Delivery Mode:

On-campus (Flexible)

Delivery Campus:

Sydney CBD

Overview

The UOW Master of Laws (Criminal Practice) is the only Masters-level qualification of its kind in Australia.

This program is designed for lawyers working in (or aspiring to work in) criminal practice as a prosecutor or defence lawyer. It attracts practitioners from across Australia, New Zealand and PNG. You will gain practical experience in a supported environment, applying your legal knowledge to case scenarios. You will also develop your written and oral critical analysis skills.

The program consists of six subjects, four of which satisfy the related Graduate Certificate in Criminal Practice program. These subjects cover: the fundamentals of criminal practice, with a focus on bail and sentencing; examination of applied criminal law areas, such as character, incompetency of counsel, separate and judge alone trials, and mental health issues in criminal practice; complex evidentiary issues, such as identification, tendency and compellability; and the use of experts.

There are two further subjects required for the Master of Laws (Criminal Practice): Criminal Trial and Appellate Advocacy, which includes chief, cross, a trial opening and a contested application; and Jury Advocacy, which looks at the process and mechanics of jury selection, and then prepares students to run a jury trial, with the jurors being law students.

Each subject combines self-directed and collaborative learning through semester-long distance study supported by our e-learning platform, written assessments and a three-day intensive class, where you will interact with judges, advocates and experts, and share the working experiences of your fellow students.

A thesis is also required for the Master of Laws (Criminal Practice), which is usually taken after completing the six required subjects.

Entry Requirements & Credit Arrangements

Information on academic and English language requirements, as well as eligibility for credit for prior learning, is available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to demonstrate:

CLO Description
1 Demonstrate a clear understanding of the critical aspects of the substantive criminal law, together with the applicable evidentiary and procedural rules, and how they operate in a practical context
2 Formulate legal arguments and witness examination techniques and strategies necessary to effectively present a case in court, and successfully communicate these both orally and in writing
3 Demonstrate the capacity to perform the role of a courtroom advocate in an engaging, proficient and persuasive manner, with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability
4 Critically reflect on their ability to perform the role of a courtroom advocate in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards
5 Independently plan and execute a substantial research-based project or piece of scholarship that demonstrates advanced understanding and critical analysis of the Criminal Practice field

Course Structure

To qualify for the award of the degree, the Master of Laws (Criminal Practice), a candidate must successfully complete 48 credit points as outlined in the table below:

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points
Core
LWPD900 Criminal Practice 6
LWPD901 Applied Criminal Law 6
LWPD902 Advanced Criminal Law 6
LWPD920 Prosecutions Research Project 12
LWPD926 Experts and their Evidence 6
LWPD928 Criminal Trial and Appellate Advocacy 6
LWPD929 Jury Advocacy 6

Click on subject codes in the above course structure for information on sessions of offer for each subject. To find out specific information on timetables, tutorials, and classes, visit the Timetable page.

All subjects except for LWPD920 are normally offered as three (3) day intensives.

Other Information

For further information email: lha-enquiries@uow.edu.au

Last reviewed: 18 June, 2020