Bachelor of Legal and Dispute Studies
Student type:
Quick facts
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Entry score
ATAR 70.25
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Duration
Full-time 3 years, Part-time 6 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
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Next intake
February, July
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Entry score
IELTS 6.5
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Duration
Full-time 3 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
AU$24,960 (2018 annual)
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Next intake
February, July
Program brochure
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Overview
Developed in consultation with industry, the program offers insight into moral and legal aspects of society within Australia and other countries, along with the skills to critically analyse them.
You will gain knowledge and skills in alternative dispute resolution and mediation, international human rights, restorative justice and policy analysis. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of the legal system to help create a just, socially aware and responsible community.
You'll be prepared for employment in private law firms, government, corporations, tribunals, community organisations and legal services.
Details
RMIT offers a variety of learning and teaching approaches including lectures, seminars, studios, workshops, presentations and group discussions.
Your lectures and tutorials will take place in a number of different spaces, including traditional lecture theatres and the interactive theatres in RMIT's Swanston Academic Building.
You will complete a wide range of assessments, including essays, online tests and group presentations, and you may also submit some of your assessment online.
Academics are actively involved in teaching, research and professional practice in agencies such as the Dispute Settlement Centre (Victoria), Amnesty International Australia and the Australian Human Rights Teachers’ Network.
All programs are delivered in English. You will have access online and digital resources through the myRMIT student portal.
This program includes a variety of learning experiences such as:
- fieldwork
- work placements
- rich online study environments
- real-world projects.
In your final year, you will have the opportunity to undertake a 50-day supervised field placement or internship. These internships have assisted past students in gaining employment within the industry.
Previous field placements have taken place in:
- Department of Justice
- Victorian Legal Aid
- community legal centres
- private law firms
- Dispute Settlement Centre, Victoria
Integral to the success of RMIT justice programs are their close links with the Dispute Resolution Centre, the court system, community legal centres and criminal justice agencies. These links influence and complement program design, development and delivery.
This program is developed in consultation with an advisory committee made up of representatives from the Department of Justice, courts and tribunals, Corrections Victoria, Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police and the wider justice community. Their involvement ensures that the program is vocationally relevant, meets the needs of graduate employers and incorporates the latest issues emerging in the sector.
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
You have the opportunity to undertake international study tours where you can apply your knowledge to real-world projects in international contexts. Past study tours have included students participating in an international forum on migration and human trafficking in the Philippines. Students returning from study tours are able to reflect on the new perspectives they have gained and the experiences they have enjoyed.
You are encouraged to take one semester of the program at a partner university. RMIT University has exchange partners all over the world including the US, Mexico, China, Chile and more.
By combining international exchange, professional internship and international research projects, you may be away for an entire year. Financial support is available through scholarships, RMIT travel grants and government loans.
RMIT’s Global Experience Office (GEO) supports students to undertake exchange or short-term mobility activities with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
This program consists of 3 complementary areas of study, as follows:
- social science in relation to legal studies
- legal and justice studies
- field education (internship).
Year 1
You will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the sociology of law and an introduction to important areas such as family law, criminal law, torts and alternative dispute resolution.
Year 2
You will develop a solid legal grounding in welfare law, information law, mediation and international human rights. You will study critical debates relating to how society responds to social issues including substance abuse, criminality and imprisonment.
Year 3
You will develop a solid legal grounding in civil procedure, legal and justice issues of relevance to young people and engage in the practice of mediation. You will acquire the knowledge and skills to perform paralegal duties and understand policy processes in the legal and justice system.
You will also gain organisational skills and undertake work experience.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Legal and Dispute Studies | City Campus |
3 years full-time/6 years part-time
|
3 years full-time
|
BP204P16 | 052088A | |
| Bachelor of Social Science (Legal and Dispute Studies) | City Campus |
3 years full-time/6 years part-time
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3 years full-time
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BP204P6 | 052088A |
Choose a program structure
Program code: BP204
Career
Graduates work in administration and research within a legal context or as human rights and community workers in government and non-government agencies, or progress to further studies in law, mediation and negotiation.
Employment opportunities are primarily in the paralegal field for roles as dispute resolution professionals, and in policy positions in:
- private firms
- government departments
- corporations
- legal aid
- council legal offices
- tribunals
- activist organisations
- community legal services
Careers
- paralegal
- indigenous services liaison
- youth justice officer
- legal aid
- law clerk
- victim support officer
- legal policy officer
- counsellor
- judge’s associate
- case manager.
Admissions
Successful completion of an Australian Year 12 senior secondary certificate of education or equivalent.
RMIT is committed to admissions transparency. View the 2018 ATAR distribution information for our degrees and information about how admissions work at RMIT:
You must have successfully completed an Australian Year 12 or equivalent senior secondary school qualification with a minimum 70% average (check calculator below).
Equivalent qualifications may also include completion of the RMIT Foundation Studies program or a recognised post-secondary diploma in the relevant discipline with the required grades.
Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee entry. Your application will still need to be assessed and accepted.
Entry requirements
If you are not studying year 12 in 2017 you should submit a personal statement outlining:
- your reasons for wanting to study this program
- the personal strengths and attributes you will bring to the program
- your understanding of current issues relevant to the program
- details of any related work or voluntary experience
If you do not submit a personal statement you will be considered on the basis of academic achievement only, e.g. ATAR.
Non-academic abilities you’ll need to complete this program
To complete this program, you will need to meet its inherent requirements. These are the non-academic abilities you will need to participate in and complete your studies.
Some inherent requirements for this program include:
- reading and writing skills for understanding and contributing to client case notes and producing client reports
- managing your behaviour and emotions to provide safe and competent client care
- time based problem-solving when working with clients
View the full list of Bachelor of Legal and Dispute Studies inherent requirements:
Who are they for?
Inherent requirements apply to every applicant and may be worth considering if you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition.
Why do you need to know?
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, and the non-academic abilities you may need in this program, you can:
- understand more about the program
- determine if you may need support during your studies
- make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you.
What support is available?
If there are any activities that may be difficult for you to undertake, please discuss this with RMIT program staff or Equitable Learning Services (ELS).
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we may be able to support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with ELS.
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 6.5 (with no individual band below 6.0)
- TOEFL (Paper Based Test): minimum score of 580 (TWE 4.5)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 92 (with minimum of 20 in all sections)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 58 (with no communication band less than 50)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): minimum of 176 with no less than 169 in any component.
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Non-academic abilities you’ll need to complete this program
To complete this program, you will need to meet its inherent requirements. These are the non-academic abilities you will need to participate in and complete your studies.
Some inherent requirements for this program include:
- reading and writing skills for understanding and contributing to client case notes and producing client reports
- managing your behaviour and emotions to provide safe and competent client care
- time based problem-solving when working with clients
View the full list of Bachelor of Legal and Dispute Studies inherent requirements:
Who are they for?
Inherent requirements apply to every applicant and may be worth considering if you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition.
Why do you need to know?
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, and the non-academic abilities you may need in this program, you can:
- understand more about the program
- determine if you may need support during your studies
- make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you.
What support is available?
If there are any activities that may be difficult for you to undertake, please discuss this with RMIT program staff or Equitable Learning Services (ELS).
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we may be able to support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with ELS.
Pathways
Fees
All undergraduate and honours degrees have Commonwealth supported places (CSP) available.
In a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government. Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set each year by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
As a CSP student, you may be eligible to apply for a HECS-HELP loan, which allows you to defer payment of up to 100% of your student contribution.
Learn more about fees for undergraduate study.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
Courses (subjects) fall into one of three bands. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in 2018
| Student contribution band by course (subject) | Maximum annual student contribution amount in 2018 |
|---|---|
| Band 1: humanities, behavioural science, social studies, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education, nursing | $6,444 per standard year $805 per standard (12 credit point) course |
| Band 2: mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, science, engineering, surveying, agriculture | $9,185 per standard year $1,148 per standard (12 credit point) course |
Band 3: law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, dentistry, medicine, veterinary science |
$10,754 per standard year $1,344 per standard (12 credit point) course |
HECS-HELP
The Australian Government provides financial assistance via the HECS-HELP loan scheme, which allows eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) to defer payment of up to 100% of their student contribution.
How does a HELP loan work?
If your HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2018 is $298.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA‑HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2018 commencement is AU$79,680.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.