From UTS Law students who have been there, done that.
Master of Laws (Research)
The Master of Laws (Research) provides an opportunity for graduates to develop their research skills, deepen their knowledge in some area of the law and undertake original research. The degree is awarded to candidates who demonstrate competence in research, an understanding of research methods and an ability to make an original contribution to knowledge.
This course is suitable for students who have completed a coursework degree and wish to deepen their knowledge in a particular legal area by means of research. Students develop critical and analytical skills and advanced research skills to enable in-depth exploration of their chosen area. This degree is valuable for those wishing to pursue a career in research.
Research at UTS Law - Our Academics
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David Carter:My research focuses on criminal law and health care.
Anais Tobalagba:The accountability and due diligence obligations for mining companies that are involved in violence against women.
Sacha Molitorisz: Ethics is my focus, but also the law and media.
Thalia Anthony:Criminal justice, particularly the impacts on indigenous people.
Laurie Berg:Justice claims of temporary migrant workers in Australia.
Honni van Rijswijk:Having the opportunity to write at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary research requires a faculty that is more adventurous in its outlook than the normal law faculty.
Thalia Anthony:UTS is really strong in terms of the stand it takes on social justice.
Anais Tobalagba:The reason I decided to come to UTS, and in particular the Faculty of Law, is the focus of UTS in innovation. My research is quite innovative, in a way, because it’s a very new branch of international law.
David Carter:The impact of my research is really about trying to lessen the negative impacts of health care on the lives of Australians and other elsewhere, and so the impact that I’m looking for is to make sure that we reduce the number of health care-related harm, reduce the number of deaths and that we increase the support for doctors, patients and others in tackling this really huge problem.
Sacha Molitorisz:In the Faculty of Law here, one of the specific goals there is you might have impact on law and policy, and you might impact governments, people in positions where they can change government policies.
Course fees
For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:
Local student
Research Training Program
The majority of domestic students who are offered entry to a graduate research degree will have the cost of their tuition fees covered by theAustralian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset Scholarship. If you are granted an RTP Fee Offset Scholarship you are not required to pay tuition fees for up to the maximum period of time allowable to complete your study.
Recipients of an RTP Fee Offset Scholarship should however still expect to pay the ongoing costs of being part of an academic environment and conducting research. In addition to ongoing costs, you may also be required to pay aStudent Services and Amenities Fee(SSAF).
Scholarships
In addition,research scholarshipsup to the value of $40,000 are available to support living expenses for domestic students to study master's by research and doctoral programs at UTS.
Tuition fee calculations
Tuition fees and RTP Fee Offset Scholarship amounts are incurred pro-rata based on the number of days a student is enrolled in each research degree session and whether the student is enrolled after theresearch census date.
UTS Alumni save 10%:alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage
International student
Tuition fees for international students vary between courses and range from A$19,840 to A$34,080 per year. Tuition fees for postgraduate research degrees are charged pro-rata based on the number of days a student is enrolled in each research degree session and whether the student is enrolled after the research census date.
Tuition fees for international postgraduate research students can be found usingfees search.
Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.
For this course, the cost per session for 2024 is $19330. The expected number of sessions are 4.
All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:
- Protocol on refund of fees for international students- contains the refund of fees information for international students.
- Tuition Protection Service- designed to ensure that students receive the tuition they have paid for
In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay aStudent Services and Amenities Fee(SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.
UTS Alumni save 10%:alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage
For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit theinternational students' tuition fees information page.
Careers
Career options include positions in universities, undertaking research, contributions to public policy, or other academic work, including teaching, interest groups and legal publishing.
Course structure
Course structure explained
Students are required to submit a thesis of approximately 40,000–60,000 words. As part of this course, students must also complete the subject77697Higher Degree Research Seminar.
The candidate is required to undertake all assessments as part of the faculty's Doctoral Framework two-stage program. In the first stage candidates must complete a formal candidature assessment and in the second candidates must complete a progress confirmation, to ensure their progress is consistent with completion of the research program in the prescribed time and that they demonstrate potential to complete the work to standard.
Information regarding UTS: Law's key research areas and strengths, and the research interests of staff members, is available atpostgraduate research degrees.
Course completion requirements
| Requirement | Credit Points |
|---|---|
| 77698Thesis (Law) | 0 |
| 77697Higher Degree Research Seminar | 8 |
| Total | 0 |
Additional information
Course duration
The maximum course duration is two years of full-time or four years of part-time study. Students can complete the course in less than the maximum time.
The work may be carried out either on university premises or at a site external to the university, or some combination of both. Candidates are required to make contact with their supervisor(s) at least once a month to discuss the progress of the research being undertaken.
Full time, Part time
Admission requirements
Admission requirements
Applicants must have completed a UTS recognised bachelor's degree, or an equivalent or higher qualification, or submitted other evidence of general and professional qualifications that demonstrates potential to pursue graduate research studies.
Previous qualifications must be in a relevant discipline, usually with honours or a distinction average.
The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with a writing score of 7.0; or TOEFL iBT: 94-101 overall with a writing score of 27; or PTE: 65-72 overall with a writing score of 65; or C1A/C2P: 185-190 overall with a writing score of 185.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International studentsVisa requirement:To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course. For more information about inherent requirements and where prospective and current students can get assistance and advice regarding these, see theUTS Inherent requirements page.
Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course.
UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.
For course specific information see theFaculty of Law Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
Scholarships and prizes
Scholarships
For Law students
- ARC Linkage Project in digital-twin driven prognostics for the mining industry
- Computational Mechanics and Optimisation for Energy Absorption of Materials
- Crescent Leadership Scholarship
- Ericsson Technology Scholarship
- International Research Training Program Scholarship (IRTP)
- Mentoring of Women in Engineering and IT Scholarship
- RACE for 2030 CRC Industry PhD Scholarship
- Rosemary Johnston HDR Scholarship
- Scape Accommodation Scholarship
- Telstra Enterprise Certitude Scholarship
- Thrive: Next Generation Graduates - PhD – Social Science and Policy
- UTS Diploma to Degree Pathway Scholarship
- UTS Housing Resident Networker Scholarship
- UTS Scholarship for European Undergraduate Students
- UTS Undergraduate Tuition Fee Scholarship
- UTS-Vietnam Government Project 89 PhD Scholarship
- Wikipedia and Australian history and events
Only for international students
- CSC UTS PhD scholarship
- International Research Scholarship
- UTS Academic Excellence International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship – South Asia
- UTS President's Scholarship
- UTS Study Abroad Excellence Scholarship
- UTS VIED scholarship
For all domestic students
Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students
Prizes and awards
For Law students
- AJ Park Prize
- Allens Prize
- Ashurst Litigation Prize
- Banking Law Prize
- Blackstone Waterhouse Prize
- Blanchfield Nicholls Prize
- City of Sydney Law Society Practical Legal Training Award
- Clyde & Co Prize
- CommBank & Telstra UTS Best Venture Prize
- Competition Law Prize
- Dame Mary Gilmore Memorial Prize in Journalism
- David Toolan Memorial Prize
- Ernst & Young Prize
- Fragar Prize in Environmental Planning and Development Law
- Gareth Ivory Memorial Prize in Journalism
- Guy Morrison Prize for Excellence
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Employment Law
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Labour Law
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Industrial Relations Society of NSW Prize for Excellence in Industrial Relations Undergraduate Study
- Law Partners Personal Injury Lawyers Prize
- Law Society of New South Wales Prize
- Maurice Blackburn Prize
- MinterEllison Prize
- New South Wales Bar Association Prize
- Norton Rose Fulbright Prize
- Peter Egri Memorial Prize
- Sir Owen Dixon Chambers Prize
- Teachers Mutual Bank Rural Student Placement Prize
- The Carla Zampatti Foundation Design Award
- The Hon Michael Kirby – Voiceless Prize for Animal Law
- The Hon. Helen Sham-Ho Law Undergraduate Prize
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Advanced Commercial Law
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Media Law
- Trevor Buchner Design Prize
- UTS Anthology Writing Prize
- Veronica Pike Prize
- Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation Regional Journalism Prize
Download a course guide
Transfer between UTS courses
Candidates in the Master of Laws (Research) who wish to transfer to the PhD but do not meet the PhD admission requirements can apply to transfer. Transfer applicants must have completed a minimum of one year's study and have reached a standard equivalent to that of a bachelor's degree with first or second class honours (division 1). Candidates applying to transfer must also demonstrate, with the support of their supervisor(s), that their topic has doctoral scope.
UTS: Handbook
See the
Master of Laws (Research)in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.
Information for international students
Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help youget the most out of your study at UTS.
Part ofThe Faculty of Law
