COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Environmental Law requires students to complete a total of 100 credit points and offers flexible study options designed to accommodate working professionals. The course structure varies depending on a student’s previous legal background. Those without a law degree from a common law jurisdiction must undertake Fundamentals of the Common Law in addition to 87.5 credit points of subjects from the prescribed list. Students who already hold a law degree from a common law system are required to complete 87.5 credit points from the prescribed list and have the option to take an additional 12.5 credit points from the Master of Laws offerings, excluding Fundamentals of the Common Law and the Minor Thesis. Subjects are scheduled from February to December and are commonly delivered intensively over five consecutive days, although some are taught weekly for two hours throughout the semester. A combination of online and on-campus learning is available, with online components incorporating prerecorded materials, live sessions and interactive discussion boards, while on-campus classes are seminar-based and held in the Melbourne Law School building. Full-time students typically complete 50 credit points each semester and can finish the degree within one year, whereas part-time domestic students may study 25 credit points per semester with an expected duration of two years, or reduce their load further to 12.5 credit points over four years. The program includes a wide range of specialist subjects such as Climate Change Law, Environmental Law, Toxics, Waste and Environmental Justice, Clean Energy Projects Law and Regulation, Water Law and Natural Resources Management, Human Rights and Climate Change, Indigenous Rights in Global Context, and International Sustainable Finance, among many others, enabling students to tailor their studies to their areas of interest within the environmental law field. This course is supported by expert academics such as Professor Margaret Young and offers opportunities for professional development through practical subjects including internships and project-based study.