Enrolment guidelines for postgraduate unit LAW5185 - Graduate research paper

Enrolling for LAW5185 - Graduate research paper (6 credit points) consists of two stages. Candidates should read through and understand the stages below before embarking on the application process.

Stage 1: Eligibility and proposal

Note: Enrolment into this unit is only available to the students who started their program prior to 2015. Students who started their program in 2015 and after, please see:

Check your eligibility

Approval to do a graduate research paper will not be given unless the candidate has already completed at least two coursework units in the LLM postgraduate programme (non-JD core units) and received marks of 65+.

Proposal preparation

The candidate should approach an academic member of the faculty to discuss a proposal (or alternative proposals) to research a topic for the purpose of undertaking a Graduate Research Paper.

The completed proposal and proposal form is to be prepared by the candidate in consultation with the faculty member. The proposal form must contain information such as:

  • the nature, definition and outline of the topic
  • the resources required to research it
  • suggestions as to who might act as Supervisor (Note: The academic faculty member can also be your supervisor)and;
  • other such details as the faculty member or Graduate Studies Committee may require.

The completed proposal form, signed by both the student and the faculty member, must be submitted to the Postgraduate Board of Examiners via Postgraduate Student Services office.

Stage 2: Approval and submission

Approval of proposal

The completed proposal form will be submitted to the Postgraduate Board of Examiners for approval. You will be contacted with the outcome of the proposal via your Monash email account.

If the proposal has been approved, you will be provided with an approval letter and an enrolment amendment form.

  • The approval letter will outline the approved topic, supervisor and submission date.
  • The submission date will not exceed a period of 3 months from the approval date.
  • You must enrol for the unit not more than 2 weeks from the approval date.
  • Enrolment in this unit will be subjected to the approval and appointment of a Supervisor.

If the proposal has not been approved, you will be provided a letter.

Submission of the research paper

Submit the completed research paper directly to your supervisor on or before the approved submission date. Your supervisor will mark the paper and provide Postgraduate Student Services office with the mark sheet and report.

The final marks and report will be submitted to the Postgraduate Board of Examiners for approval. The Program Coordinator will contact you via your Monash email account upon approval.

Other matters

Availability and appointment of supervisor

If you do not have a supervisor and require one, the Postgraduate Board of Examiners will recommend the appointment of a suitable member of the faculty as Supervisor of the Research Paper. The Supervisor will normally, but not necessarily, be the faculty member consulted by the student.

In deciding whether to approve the proposal, the Postgraduate Board of Examiners should have regard to the availability of a person or persons to provide adequate supervision.

Extension request for submission

The time of submission of the paper should not exceed a period of 3 months. An extension maybe applied for via the Special Consideration process.

Form, style and standard of the research paper

The research paper should normally not exceed 7,500 words in length, excluding appendices, bibliography and footnotes that are purely citations.

The standard required of a research paper is that is should demonstrate independent research and advanced competence in legal analysis and writing.