Doctor of Laws

The purpose of the qualification is to recognise researchers who, over a number of years, have made a distinguished original contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the legal field.

The qualification enhances the career of the graduate by conferring on him/her the highest academic degree of the University in the field of study.

Further, the purpose of the qualification is to recognise a graduate who contributes to the country by the production of a substantial body of knowledge in the field to an international standard.

Ability to conceive, plan, execute, and write up for publication (and acceptance for publication) original research in the field of law.

FORMALLY ACCREDITED LEARNING

The typical applicant has a substantial body of significant and original published work and has higher education-level study equivalent to at least the Bachelor of Laws of the University or equivalent qualification, followed by appropriate experience acceptable to the University of at least three years duration.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that they have a qualification, experiential or work based learning which has taken the learner to an equivalent level of a qualification specified above (under Formally Accredited Learning), may be considered for admission and/or for the recognition of prior accredited and/or prior experiential learning.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. The qualifying learner demonstrates, through the cumulative impact of original work of publishable standard, a distinguished contribution to knowledge.
2. The qualifying learner demonstrates an understanding, with a high degree of sophistication, of the construction of knowledge within the field and applies that understanding to knowledge creation and/or application.

CRITICAL CROSS-FIELD OUTCOMES

a) "identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.

b) "working with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.

c) "organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively." See exit level outcomes 1.

d) "collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.

e) "communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion." See exit level outcomes 1.

f) "using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others." See exit level outcomes 2.

g) "demonstrating and understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.

h) "contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of society at large, by making it the underlying intention of any programme of learning to make an individual aware of the importance of:

i. "reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively;" see exit level outcomes 1.

ii. "participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities;" see exit level outcomes 1 and 2; note also that learners are expected to act in accordance with the code of conduct of the University and, where relevant, that of the professional discipline being studied.

iii. "being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts;" see exit level outcomes 2.

iv. "exploring education and career opportunities." See exit level outcome 1 and 2.

v. "Developing entrepreneurial opportunities." See exit level outcomes 1.

The qualifying learner has produced a substantial and co-ordinated body of distinguished, original work of publishable standard for assessment.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT CRITERION

This takes place both through the refereeing procedures which precede the acceptance for publication of the candidate's published works, and through the subsequent citing of these works in other publications. The acceptance of the works for publication indicates that they are of acceptable level and standard, and the subsequent citing of these works demonstrates that a distinguished contribution has been made to the advancement of knowledge in the area chosen.