Master of Laws
Duration
One year full-time. Up to five years part-time.
Entry requirements
To study a Master of Laws at ANU, you’ll need one of the following qualifications: Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Juris Doctor, Graduate Certificate of Law, or a Bachelor Degree in a cognate discipline with a minimum GPA of 5.0. Alternatively, you can apply with any of the qualifications listed above, and a minimum GPA of 4.0, plus three years’ relevant professional experience.
Applicants who have completed an Australian undergraduate law degree or Juris Doctor or common law countries/regions listed below are exempted from Law and Legal Institutions (LAWS8586) and are required to complete an additional 6 units from the course list.
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
- Ireland
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- India
- Canada
How to apply
Visit the following web pages for more information:
Program description
Advance your career with a Master of Laws (LLM) from one of the world’s leading law schools.
This postgraduate program is open to both law and non-law graduates. It’s ideal for those looking to deepen their knowledge in a specific area of law and for those who are planning to enter a new area of practice. The program can also be taken by anyone who feels that having legal knowledge would be beneficial to their career, including public policy professionals, regulators and managers.
ANU LLM students can select courses from a range of contemporary topics in law, including information technology, aviation and space, environment and climate, cyber warfare, international security, and human rights.
Specialisations
One of the many reasons that students choose to study a Master of Laws at ANU is the flexibility of the program. You’ll have the opportunity to specialise in one of the following areas of law:
Alternatively, the flexible curriculum allows you to build your own degree by selecting courses that fit your particular interests and career goals.
To see the full range of courses available, please visit our Programs and courses webpage.
Student experience
As an ANU Master of Law student, you'll learn from leading academics, world-renowned guest lecturers and industry experts from Australia and around the world. You'll also benefit from real-world learning opportunities that are unique to studying law in the nation’s capital—the city where federal laws and policies are made.
As well as being known for its academic expertise, ANU offers a unique cultural experience that you won’t find in other Australian universities. Canberra itself has been ranked in the top 25 student cities four years in a row.
Our proximity to the High Court of Australia, Commonwealth courts and federal agencies means you’ll have unparalleled access to legal practitioners, members of the judiciary and government policymakers, many of whom are ANU Law alumni.
Mode of delivery
Courses are delivered in a range of modes, including full-time, part-time, on-campus, online, evening or intensive. At ANU, you’ll be able to fit your studies around your professional and personal commitments.
Whichever option you choose, you’ll be able to take advantage of a teaching approach that combines academic rigour with practical expertise.
Careers
ANU has the highest level of graduate employability of any Australian university. Our LLM alumni have achieved excellence not just in the area of law, but in international business, diplomacy, politics, public policy, humanitarian aid, banking and finance.
When you graduate with a Master of Laws from ANU, you’ll join a prestigious alumni network of over 21,000 professionals in Australia and around the globe.
Graduates of this program make meaningful contributions in Australia and around the world working as:
- Associates
- Barristers
- Solicitor in private practices
- Government lawyers
- In-house counsels
- Public policy professionals
- Management consultants
- Judges
Lyma Nguyen (LLM '11)
Criminal law and human rights barrister
Born to a Vietnamese refugee family in Indonesia, Lyma Nguyen (LLM '11) grew up in Brisbane with a commitment to make her services available to those most in need. It was through the legal profession that she found one avenue to carry out this commitment. Since 2007, she has practised law both domestically and internationally, with a focus on criminal and human rights law. From her criminal practice in Darwin to representing victims of the Cambodian genocide at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, Lyma has pursued varied and rewarding career experiences since completing her Master of Laws at ANU.
Paul Dziatkowiec (MIntLaw ’05)
Project manager, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
For 20 years, Paul Dziatkowiec has worked in international diplomacy and peace mediation. After graduating, he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) where he acquired a priceless grounding in the ‘official’ practice of diplomacy over the course of a decade. His career has taken him to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, as a peace monitor, followed by a diplomatic posting in Israel. While in the Middle East, he also regularly acted as Australia’s representative to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. Later, he assumed the role of deputy ambassador in Kenya (as well as Somalia, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi, among other nations), where he also served as Australia’s deputy representative to the UN, and acted as Australia’s ambassador cumulatively for about a year.
Kirsten Storey (LLM '15)
Legal officer, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Growing up in Toowoomba, Queensland, Kirsten moved to Canberra to undertake her Master of Laws at ANU. Today, she works in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) international law team, which allows her to keep a foot in both of her dream career fields: diplomacy and law. Between 2018 and 2019, Kirsten served as a Judicial Fellow to Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, who since 2012 has been one of three women judges at the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, Netherlands.
Academic experts
ANU is ranked in the top 25 universities in the world for studying law (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2022).
Our academics have particular expertise in constitutional and administrative law, international law, environmental law, governance and national security. Some provide national research leadership on the most important legal, regulatory and governance challenges facing Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and the world.
Through our Master of Laws program, you’ll benefit from small group teaching and have many opportunities to interact and engage with academic experts, visiting guest speakers and other students.
Tuition fees are calculated based on residency and the program of study. Check the Master of Laws Programs and courses webpage to find out more about fees for this degree.
Advanced standing (credit)
Students who have completed the ANU Juris Doctor within the last seven years are eligible to receive credit for four elective subjects within the ANU Master of Laws. You can read more about our credit guidelines here and submit your application for advanced standing on this webpage.
Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to assist with the cost of your studies, including:
- ANU College of Law International Excellence Scholarship
- ANU College of Law International Merit Scholarship
Visit the ANU Scholarships webpage to search the full range of opportunities.
Visit the following pages to apply for the ANU Master of Laws:
For information on admission requirements, fees, courses, electives, suggested study patterns and more see Programs and Courses »
