Master of Law and Development : Entry requirements

Graduate Coursework

Course code: 635AA

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Domestic students

International students

Duration

1 year full time / 3.5 years part time

Mode (Location)

On campus (Parkville)

Intake

March, June, July, August, December
Key dates

Fees

AUD $49,984 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available
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How to apply

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Entry requirements

Domestic student Change

You're considered a domestic student if you're an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or have a permanent humanitarian visa. This applies even if you're studying abroad or have dual Australian citizenship.

Admission criteria

To be considered for entry into this course, you must:

Have completed a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) (AQF7) or a Juris Doctor (JD) (AQF9) leading to admission to legal practice with a weighted average mark (WAM) of 65%, or equivalent.

Have completed a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) (AQF7) or a Juris Doctor (JD) (AQF9) or equivalent, leading to admission to legal practice.

And
Have two years of documented relevant experience.

Have completed a bachelor degree (AQF7) or equivalent in a cognate (relevant) discipline.

And
Have two years of documented relevant experience.

Have completed a bachelor degree (AQF7) or equivalent in a cognate (relevant) discipline.

And
Have successfully completed four graduate level subjects in a cognate graduate diploma.

And
Have one year of documented relevant experience.

Cognate (relevant) disciplines include: Development studies.

Relevant experience for this course may include legal roles such as a lawyer, solicitor, advocate, attorney, counsel, barrister, magistrate, or judge's associate or roles in international development from a government, non-government , or not-for-profit background.

The University of Melbourne is committed to maintaining a transparent admissions policy by clearly communicating all entry scores to prospective students. Entry requirements to the University of Melbourne are regularly reviewed to ensure they align with the University's Selection and Admissions Policy. The entry requirements published for this course will apply from the mid-year 2026 intake onwards.

Relevant experience is measured in full-time years but may be completed within a part-time equivalent timeframe.

Where degree levels are referenced, levels align with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Applications are assessed against these standards.

Where our admission criteria includes a minimum Weighted Average Mark (WAM) and/or specific subject criteria, these are based on University of Melbourne grades and subjects. If you've studied elsewhere, we'll assess your relevant prior studies and equivalent grades. Your final WAM may be adjusted depending on your previous institution's accreditation, subject grading, and pass marks.

You can use our graduate coursework grade conversion eligibility calculator to get an indication of whether you are eligible for this course based on your previous studies and Weighted Average Mark (WAM).

Calculate your eligibility

English language requirements

All applicants to the University of Melbourne must satisfy the English language requirements. This may be achieved in a number of ways, including recognised previous study taught and assessed entirely in English or an approved English language test. If you are from a non-English speaking background, the required standard of English for this degree is one of the following English proficiency test scores:

English language test score requirements
If you need to undertake an English language test, you must meet one of the scores* below:
IELTS
7.0
with writing 6.5; speaking 6.5; reading 6.5; listening 6.5
TOEFL
91
with writing 23; speaking 22; reading 19; listening 19
PEARSON
72
with writing 65; speaking 66; reading 64; listening 64
CAMBRIDGE
178
with writing 180; speaking 187; reading 168; listening 168
LANGUAGECERT ACADEMIC
73
with writing 71; speaking 76; reading 65; listening 62
MET
62
with writing 64; speaking 53; reading 59; listening 59
*Accepted tests: IELTS (Academic English only); TOEFL Internet-based test; Pearson Test of English Academic; Cambridge English: Advanced/Certificate of Advanced English (CAE); LanguageCert Academic; Michigan English Test. If a test displays N/A, it is not accepted for this course.

About selection

As part of your application, you must also:

Provide a curriculum vitae (CV) detailing relevant education, work experience, skills and achievements, if relevant

Missing information or documents may result in your application being deemed ineligible.

When assessing (and where relevant, ranking) applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

Prior academic performance
Relevance of previous study
Relevant prior (research and/or professional) experience, if relevant

The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Selection and Admission Policy.

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for this course does not guarantee selection.

Additional information

Advanced Standing

Prior studies may be credited towards your degree and potentially reduce the duration of your course. This is known as Advanced Standing (also known as credit or recognition of prior learning).

You can find out if you’re eligible for advanced standing (credit) here. You should apply if you wish to be considered for advanced standing and this will be considered if you are offered a place in the course.

For additional, in-depth details on entry requirements and admissions for this course, refer to the University Handbook.

Need more information on the University’s general entry requirements?

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