Doctor
of Juridical Science
THE
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
FACULTY
OF LAW
DOCTOR
OF JURIDICAL SCIENCE
WORKING
RULES
These
working rules should be read
in conjunction with the Professional
Doctorates Rules 2001.
1.
Definitions
‘Prescribed
authority’ means the Dean
of the Faculty of Law or another
person appointed by the Dean
to be the prescribed authority
for the purpose of these rules.
‘Committee’
means the Graduate Degrees
Committee.
‘Degree’
means the Doctor of Juridical
Science.
2.
Admission
2.1
The prescribed authority may
admit as a candidate an applicant
who holds:
-
a
degree of bachelor of
laws with first or upper
second class honours
from an approved institution;
or
-
another
qualification in a relevant
discipline that the
prescribed authority
determines is equivalent
to such a degree.
Except
with the permission of the
Committee, on the recommendation
of the prescribed authority,
a candidate must not undertake
this program at the same time
as undertaking a degree, diploma
or other award program in
the University or in another
university or tertiary educational
institution.
2.2
Transfer from Master of Laws
program by coursework
The
prescribed authority may admit
as a candidate for the degree
of Doctor of Juridical Science
a person who, immediately
prior to that admission ,
was a candidate for the Master
of Laws degree by coursework.
2.3
Status
2.3.1
If a candidate has, before
admission, performed postgraduate
work (whether at the University
or at another tertiary educational
institution approved by the
prescribed authority), the
prescribed authority may grant
the candidate status for that
work towards the degree to
a maximum of 24 units.
2.3.2
However, status may not
be granted for work done as
part of a program for another
degree or diploma that has
been, or will, be awarded
to the candidate.
2.3.3
Status will not normally
be granted for courses completed
more than five years prior
to the commencement of the
degree program
3.
Supervision
3.1
Interim Supervisor
The
prescribed authority within
one month of the admission
of a candidate will appoint
an academic interim supervisor
to assist in course choice
and preparation of a research
topic. No interim supervisor
shall be appointed where a
candidate transfers with status
from the Master of Laws program.
3.2
Supervisor
3.2.1
The prescribed authority
no later than the date of
commencement in the thesis
component of the degree must
appoint one or more supervisors
for the candidate.
3.2.2
At least one supervisor
must be a member of the full-time
academic staff of the Faculty
of Law, or the Department
of Law within the Research
School of Social Sciences
of the University.
3.2.3
With the approval of the
Committee, a person who is
not a full-time member of
the academic staff of the
University may be appointed
as an additional supervisor.
3.2.4
Where appropriate an academic
adviser will be appointed
in addition to the supervisor.
4.
Program
4.1
The program of study consists
of:
-
coursework,
comprising 24 units
-
thesis
to a maximum of 65,000
words (96 units).
4.2
Coursework
4.2.1
The program consists of
a total of 24 units selected
from the list of courses available
from the Graduate Program
in Law and approved by the
prescribed authority, or other
such courses that the prescribed
authority approves, excluding
fundamental, undergraduate
or Legal Workshop courses.
4.2.2
The 24 units of coursework
must be completed with a minimum
overall grade point of average
of Distinction before progressing
to the thesis.
4.2.3
It is recommended but
not mandatory that the courses
be from one specialised area.
4.2.4
Where a fundamental course
(as listed in Appendix 1)
is required as a prerequisite
to another course, that course
must be taken in addition
to the 24 units required for
the degree.
4.2.5
Examination and assessment
for the coursework component
will follow as closely as
possible to the Examinations
(The Faculties) Rules.
4.3
Thesis
4.3.1
No later than three months
after the commencement of
the research part of the program
the prescribed authority must
approve the candidate’s topic
of research.
4.3.2
The candidate must:
-
carry
out, under supervision,
independent research
of a high standard;
and
-
make
a substantial contribution
to learning, and demonstrate
a capacity to relate
that research to the
broader framework
of the discipline
of law at the standard
internationally recognised
for the degree in
the discipline of
law.
4.3.3
The candidate will be required
to submit an annual report.
5.
Duration of program
5.1
The program may studied
full-time or part-time.
5.1.1
A full-time program must
be pursued for not less than
two nor more than four consecutive
years.
(a) The
coursework component may be
completed in one semester
of full-time study;
(b) The
thesis component is expected
to take two years of full-time
study.
5.1.2
A part-time program must
be pursued for not less than
four nor more than eight consecutive
years.
(a) The
coursework component may be
completed in two semesters
of part-time study;
(b) The
thesis component is expected
to take four years of part-time
study.
5.2.3
If status has been granted
the duration of a candidate’s
program must be adjusted accordingly.
6.
Suspension
6.1
A candidate for the degree
may request a suspension from
the Committee through the
Faculty of Law office on the
appropriate form.
6.2.
The Committee may suspend
a candidate’s program for
such period as it thinks fit.
6.3
A period of suspension
may be a period commencing,
or commencing and ending,
before the date on which the
suspension is granted.
6.4
In calculating the periods
of the duration of the program
a period of suspension must
not be taken into account.
7.
Transfer to Master of Laws
degree program
7.1
A candidate for the degree
may make a request for approval
by the prescribed authority
for transfer to candidature
for the Master of Laws degree
with status for all relevant
work completed if the Committee
has not determined that the
candidate has failed the program
7.2
In this rule, a candidate
will be regarded as having
failed a program if the Committee
has resolved that the candidate
not be recommended for the
award of the degree.
APPENDIX
1
Fundamental
Courses
LAWS8235
Fundamentals of Administrative
Law
LAWS8260
Fundamentals of Business Law
LAWS8245
Fundamentals of Constitutional
Law
LAWS8201
Fundamentals of Environmental
Law
LAWS8568
Fundamentals of Government
and Commercial Law
LAWS8256
Fundamentals of International
Law
Revised
5 December 2001
