Governance Law, security and intelligence

Governance Law, security and intelligence

Being able to conduct political analysis and generate professional law reform proposals will prepare you for diverse careers in government, industry, community advocacy and international relations.

At Macquarie you’ll examine legal and policy issues that affect contemporary society as well as the role of government and other actors in shaping the world we live in.

Local

Undergraduate Courses

Postgraduate Courses

International

Undergraduate Courses

Postgraduate Courses

Careers in governance

  • corporate governance officer
  • foreign affairs adviser
  • government and public sector consultant
  • lawyer
  • media and communication specialist
  • policy developer
  • researcher
  • advocate and social responsibility manager
  • international development consultant

Accreditation

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Juris Doctor 

The Macquarie LLB and Juris Doctor are accredited with professional bodies regulating the admission of law graduates to legal practice. The Bachelor of Laws and Juris Doctor provides the appropriate qualification for admission to practise as a lawyer throughout Australia.

In addition to completing a law program at an accredited institution such as Macquarie Law School, the profession (via the LPAB - Legal Practitioner's Admission Board) requires all law graduates to complete a period of Practical Legal Training (PLT) including further study (Coursework Component), Continuing Professional Development Units (CPD Component) and supervised experience in a legal practice (Work Experience Component), before being admitted to practice as a barrister or solicitor. This typically takes six months to one year to complete, and usually involves options to study full-time, part-time and online through various institutions.

To be qualified as an Australian Legal Practitioner in New South Wales, a solicitor or barrister also requires a Practising Certificate issued by the Councils of the Law Society of New South Wales or the New South Wales Bar Association respectively. Similar bodies and systems of accreditation exist in the other States.

Professional experience

At Macquarie, learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. Through Macquarie's unique PACE program you can gain real-world experience and get ahead in the career queue.

Students interested in governance will have the opportunity to undertake a range of PACE activities within the government, not-for-profit and private sector. The PACE unit options include local, regional and international activities.

No matter what you decide to study at Macquarie, PACE has an opportunity available for you. Learn more about the opportunities available through PACE.

Student experience

Mr Stuart Clark

Mr Stuart Clark AM 

Bachelor of Laws

"As a Macquarie graduate, I continue to think about how the law operates, the impact it has on our society and why - not just about what the law is."

Mr Stuart Clark is a Partner at Clayton Utz and was elected as the Law Council of Australia's President for 2015, and as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law. He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2015 Queen's Birthday honours. Mr Clark is among the first graduating cohort of law students from Macquarie, and has been an Adjunct Professor at Macquarie Law School since 2010.

Hon Rob Stokes MP

Hon Rob Stokes MP 

Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, Doctor of Philosophy

"Macquarie Law School has earned a reputation as one of the leading university law schools in Australia. Over the past 30 years, Macquarie Law has developed a unique brand of legal education that examines law in its wider context. I loved my time at Macquarie and strongly recommend that you consider Macquarie Law as your first choice in legal education."

The Hon Rob Stokes MP is the New South Wales Minister for Planning. He is also elected to the NSW Parliament as the Member of Pittwater in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 and 2015.

Macquarie University Law Society (MULS) 

The Macquarie University Law Society (MULS) is a representative body for all law students at Macquarie University. The Society operates to enhance the Macquarie Law degree by assisting students in personal and professional development and providing opportunities for students to participate in competitions, publications, socials and sporting events. All law students at Macquarie are members of MULS.

Our expertise in governance

Professor Rafiqul Islam

Professor Muhammad Rafiqul Islam

Professor of Law

Professor Islam has 40 years of legal teaching and research experience at universities in common law jurisdictions. He has been an active legal academic and researcher at Macquarie since 1991, particularly in international law. In addition to his teaching, Professor Islam is actively involved in supervising higher degree research candidates, and received a Best Higher Degree Research Supervisor Award in 2013.

Prior to his role at Macquarie, Professor Islam also served as an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Law at The University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Head of the Department of Law at the University of Papua New Guinea.

Professor Brian Opeskin

Professor Brian Opeskin 

Professor of Law

Professor Opeskin researches and teaches in public law, and has written extensively in the areas of constitutional law, international law and conflicts of laws. He is a Professor of Legal Governance at Macquarie and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, and a member of the Australian Research Council’s College of Experts. He is also the former Deputy President of the Australian Law Reform Commission. His research examines issues of governance and legal policy relating to international migration, judges and court systems. He has a particular interest in the Pacific legal systems and also interdisciplinary research that examines the intersections between principles of public law and demographic processes.

Macquarie Law School offers more than just a law degree

Macquarie Law School prepares you to think beyond textbooks to open the way to a world of careers. Our industry focused programs and supportive learning environment will give you the valuable skills and knowledge to achieve your career goals.

4 reasons to choose law, security and intelligence at Macquarie

  • Law at Macquarie has been ranked in the top eight in Australia, and our interdisciplinary approach provides you with a critical understanding of the law, its development and its future direction.
  • Our law degree can be taken on its own or combined with several disciplines including finance, media, IT, commerce or psychology, to give you more varied career choices.
  • You'll learn from international security experts with years of practical experience.
  • Our staff have strong links with industry and are across developments in areas critical to industry and government.

The Juris Doctor program will develop your understanding of the Australian legal system, including:

Interdisciplinary approach to law

Macquarie Law School has a different approach to teaching law, according to Juris Doctor Program Director Shayne Davenport.

"We see ourselves as different, not only in what we teach but how we teach as well. We are an interdisciplinary law school. We don't just look at the law from inside the law itself. We look at the law from many different aspects."

Students of Juris Doctor will explore the law, discover its origins, assess its effectiveness and consider the need for reform.

Real-world experience is incorporated into the learning as part of this degree through placements with community legal centres or joint research projects with the Law Reform Commission.

Flexible study options

Students have the option to study Juris Doctor either full time or part time, on-campus or by distance. Macquarie Law School offers the only distance education option in New South Wales.

Davenport says, "Macquarie Law School has expertise in teaching law by distance education. We've had distance education courses going for many years and this is one of the strengths of Macquarie Law School. We truly understand the needs and pressures of distance students."

Substantial content will be available online and will be complemented by weekly face-to-face seminars of intensive on-campus sessions. There is also the opportunity to accelerate the rate of completion of this degree through summer session offerings.

Careers

The Juris Doctor is accredited with professional bodies regulating the admission of law graduates to legal practice and provides appropriate qualification for admission to practice as a lawyer in NSW*.

Graduates of Juris Doctor can pursue careers as either barristers or solicitors. However, a broad range of rewarding careers are open to Macquarie Law School graduates.

Employment can be found in a wide variety of organisations, including community legal centres, diplomatic service, financial institutions, multinationals, NGO advocacy bodies and public service.

*All Australian graduates are required to complete a period of practical legal training before being admitted as barristers or solicitors.

More information 

Learn more about Juris Doctor from our recent webinar hosted by Shayne Davenport, Juris Doctor program director.

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