Juris Doctor
Program code
5734
Available at
Nathan
Gold Coast
Mount Gravatt
Logan
South Bank
Online
Offshore
Other
Duration
2 to 3 years full-time
6 years part-time
Credit points
240
Indicative fee
$36,500.00* per year (more)
* 2025 indicative annual fee
Important Notes
The Trimester 3 intake will only be available to those students undertaking the Canadian Law major at the Gold Coast campus and online. Commonwealth Supported Places are not available for this intake.
About this program
The Juris Doctor program will prepare you for a rewarding career. It is an alternative to the Bachelor of Laws for students who have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline.
Griffith Law School offers a professional legal curriculum that focuses on core areas of legal practice and the legal skills that lawyers must have. You will have the opportunity to choose law electives based on your interests, including high-level research and clinical courses that emphasise practical legal skills, insights and experience.You will also have the option of completing a major in Canadian Law, International Law or Migration Law.
You will make connections between law and ethics, legal theory, Indigenous issues, and internationalisation. You will also develop interdisciplinary understandings of law and legal work.
You will take courses that cover areas such as crime, contracts, property, corporate law, torts and theories of law.
The major in Canadian Law assists with preparing for meeting the entry requirements for the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in the legal profession in Canada's common law provinces.
This program can be completed in two years by taking courses across each trimester.
The Juris Doctor is an AQF Level 9 Masters Extended degree.
Attendance information
The Juris Doctor is offered full-time and part-time on-campus at the Nathan and Gold Coast campuses and online.
As a full-time student you will generally attend 10-15 hours of scheduled classes per week throughout the trimester. Classes may be scheduled during the day and early evening throughout the week and online.
Some law electives are based at the Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses. Some electives are offered online and a few law electives are run in intensive mode, including in Trimester 3. Intensive mode means that classes may be compacted over a week, or over several weekends. Some law electives are 'clinics' which typically involve work off campus.
Student Income Support
To be classed as a full-time student, you are required to enrol in a minimum number of credit points each standard study period. The minimum credit points for full-time enrolment in this program is 30 credit points.
Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 are deemed standard study periods. As Trimester 3 is a non-standard study period, continuing students moving from one year to the next will not be required to study during this trimester to be eligible for student income support.
Domestic students who commence in Trimester 3 may be eligible for student income support from the onset of study provided they are enrolled full-time in this study period.
Please refer to the Australian Government website for more details.
Work-integrated learning
The Juris Doctor provides the opportunity for optional work-integrated learning through its variety of clinic courses.
My career opportunities
A Juris Doctor degree from Griffith is your passport to the world and is recognised as a qualifying degree for admission into the legal profession in many countries around the world.
Prepare for a career as a solicitor or barrister, after gaining professional recognition. You may also find opportunities in business and government in areas such as academia, administration, banking, finance, industrial relations, management and marketing.
Professional recognition
To be eligible for admission as a solicitor, a person must complete an approved Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree (undertaken approved practical legal training via a practical legal training course or supervised traineeship at a law firm) and be able to satisfy the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board and the Supreme Court of their fitness to practise law.
- Queensland Law Society
- Steps to practising law interactive tool outlining the steps to practise law, information on admission and practising law in Queensland, interstate and internationally
Canada: Griffith's on campus Juris Doctor is accepted for entry into the legal profession in Canada's common law provinces, when accompanied by a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. The five Canadian Law courses will help you prepare for the NCA exams while gaining credit towards your degree.
Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak): Students from Sabah or Sarawak who have a Griffith Juris Doctor and wish to return to Sabah or Sarawak to practise law may do so providing they gain admission to practice in an Australian jurisdiction first and then fulfil additional requirements upon their return to Sabah or Sarawak.
Fiji: All Australian law degrees are recognised in Fiji. Graduates must also complete their Practical Legal Training to be admitted to practice law in Fiji.
Papua New Guinea (PNG): All Australian law degrees are recognised in PNG. Graduates that are not citizens of PNG must complete their Practical Legal Training, have three years' post admission experience, and complete three exams on PNG law to be admitted to practice law in PNG.
Brunei: All Australian law degrees are recognised in Brunei. Graduates must also complete their Practical Legal Training to be admitted to practice law in Brunei.
India: Griffith's law degree is recognised for the purposes of admission to legal practice in India.
Please note that different jurisdictions' admission rules and requirements are subject to change. You should carefully examine the relevant legal requirements which are usually available on each jurisdiction's relevant law or bar association's websites.
Fee-paying postgraduate (domestic) students
Indicative annual tuition fee
The indicative annual tuition fee is calculated based on a standard full-time study load which is usually 80 credit points.
The indicative annual tuition fee is based on current conditions and available data and should only be used as a guide. These fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.
Tuition fees
- A fee-paying postgraduate student pays tuition fees.
- Students are liable for tuition fees for the courses they are enrolled in as at the census date.
- The tuition fee for students who commence their program prior to 2014 is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student commenced the program.
- The tuition fee for students who commence their program from 2014 onwards is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student is enrolled.
Program fees for the Juris Doctor (5734)
If the fee rate for your program is not displayed above, please contact Student Connect for assistance.
Tuition fees for your degree program
Changing programs
If a postgraduate student changes to a different program they will be subject to the approved program fee for the trimester in which they are enrolled.
Further information
- Calculating your EFTSL
- Fees and Charges Procedure
- Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- Financial help and support
Additional fee information
This program has been approved by the Australian Government for student income support (for example, Youth Allowance and Austudy). Students should contact Centrelink for more information about their eligibility for student income support payments.
Commonwealth supported students
This postgraduate program offers a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places. If you are eligible, the Australian Government will contribute to the cost of this program, but you will also be required to make a contribution.
Only applications received by 31 January 2025 (Trimester 1) and 18 May 2025 (Trimester 2) will be considered for a Commonwealth Supported Place.
The majority of offers for this program are for Fee-Paying Postgraduate places.
The limited quotas are allocated based on meritorious performance and allocated to successful applicants post the close date. If you are not successful in gaining a Commonwealth Supported Place, you may be eligible for a Fee-Paying Postgraduate place. Please note that deferrals are not permitted for programs with Commonwealth Supported Places. The 2025 indicative annual CSP fee for this program is $16500.