If it is your dream to work in the legal and justice field, you will find countless courses in Australia to prepare you.
Paralegal studies will prepare you for positions in which you help to administer justice, such as a police officer or a para-professional who assists lawyers.
There are three types of courses at university: those that prepare you for a job in the field; those that will ‘upgrade’ your skills if you already work in the industry; and those that take a theoretical approach. These courses include those in the fields of forensics and criminology—specialisations that are extremely popular! You may also find specialisations in general degrees, like arts or science.
Practical training for a ‘hands-on’ career
Australian vocational education and training (VET) institutes offer great vocationally-oriented training in the field. Certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses will train you not only for the justice and security fields but also in office administration for legal support roles.
Although entry to paralegal courses has generally traditionally been easier than law, it is getting much tougher to secure a place. However, VET courses are still very accessible.
Study options for graduates
Postgraduate studies in this field are more common at universities than at VET. Most students are enrolled in coursework programs. For graduate certificate and diploma courses, entry requirements are usually not difficult to meet, but you will need to have more experience to enter higher degrees (both coursework and research) in legal science, justice, criminology, security and terrorism.
If you are interested in this field, you should also look at courses in law (if you can meet entry requirements) and social work. Depending on your interests and career needs, look through the ‘business and management’, ‘education and training’ and ‘humanities and social sciences’ profiles.
Use our Search function to find a list of Australian institutions offering qualifications in this field.