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USYD or UNSW law better? (1 Viewer)

calypso_310

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Oct 5, 2003
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Hey everyone, was just wondering, is USYD or UNSW better for commerce/law double degree?

cheers
 

SoFTuaRiaL

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they say that arts/law is better at usyd and comm/law is better at nsw .... there's a whole htread on that floating around
 

SoFTuaRiaL

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Originally posted by chronoplus
what about sci/law? better at usyd or unsw?
if its science which involves lab work and stuff (eg, chem n bio), usyd would be better as they're known to have better research and lab facilities ... but for maths and comp sci, unsw is definitely better. so it depends on what major u'd be interested in ...
 

jelly

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hey there. I'm 2nd yr Com/Law at UNSW. Last year I was at UTS doing Bus/Law. I transferred to Com/Law this year...I talked to alot of people, employers, partners at law firms etc when making my mind...AGAIN about where to transfer. UNSW is definitely better for Com/Law. Commerce at UNSW kicks USYD fully. UNSW is also best for Law, and after that comes UTS, then USYD and after that MAQ and UWS. Employers find that the quality of grads at UNSW LAW are heaps better. They also structure their teaching style on Harvard law. Come to UNSW. No pressure here... =)
 

jelly

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damn rite!

I can give you a whole run down of law at USYD, UTS and UNSW right here and now - I've sat in lectures/tutes/classes at all three so I've seen how they're like.

UNSW's teaching style is like Harvard - classes of at most 40 students, you actually read judgments of cases for classes, and in the class, the lecturer will go over the case, talk about the principles of the case, how each individual judge got to their decision, and then there'll be discussion about it. That's basically the structure of each class. At UNSW, there isn't the standard 2hr lecture and 1hr tutorial that you have at USYD or UTS - all the classes are those small 40-student classes, 2hrs each, twice a week.

There's advantages to this style of teaching (which makes UNSW better). It actually equips you with the skill of reading a case, and extracting the principle law from that case - something that is crucial when you're doing law in the workplace. At UNSW, we're used to reading cases day in day out, week in, week out, whereas at other unis, they get spoonfed the facts of cases and the law from those cases at each lecture. I know as a fact that some of them don't even buy a casebook to read the actual judgments from cases cos there isn't even a need to read the case for themselves. Ultimately, it's alot bludgier, but in the long run, you're totally stuffed when you start working cos you don't have the skills to read a case and critique it, apply it to your client's situation etc.

Also, at UNSW, some core subjects are split so that we spend twice the time that other unis spend on it. eg. for Criminal law, other unis go through it in one semester, whereas at UNSW, it's split into Crim Law 1, and Crim Law 2 spanning 2 semesters. This way, we go into alot more depth, and in the extra time that we have, we develop skills to question cases, critique, analyse the repercussions of a decision, impact on policy etc.

UTS is alot bludgier by far, and USYD as well cos they don't need to read alot of cases, and they get pretty much spoonfed everything that they need to know. If you like being spoonfed, then it makes it alot easier if you go to UTS or USYD, but my personal opinion is that UNSW gives you a very very solid education for law - it really equips you with all the skills you need for when you're a solicitor/barrister. Employers prefer UNSW graduates for this exact reason - for the fact that the quality of UNSW grads surpasses that of USYD and UTS. It's harder work at UNSW, but in the end, it'll get you a job, and the skills you need for legal practice.

yehhh.....so thats basically it. UTS isn't bad - it's very practical though spoonfeedish. USYD is just the name and prestige. Commerce at UNSW is also very very good as well - it kicks USYD. hope this helps!
 

timmii

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Nov 9, 2002
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uhhhh not quite.

usyd law ---> small group teaching of approx 40 students as well.
as for 'spoonfeeding', for torts we haven't been given a torts text book, we've been given a book of cases and are required to elicit the principles of the law from them ourselves.

Meh, choose for urself. Look at external factors as well. Because you may have the "best" course (remember...highly subjective assessment), but if you're not happy socially etc its not worth it. There's more to uni than just work - Rather go where you would get most involved with uni life because employers consider a well rounded student as important, or more so, in determining who to employ coz unsw/usyd are so similarly highly regarded :)
 

timmii

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Yes a book of cases - different from a text book. You have a book that explains the principles etc in it. we dont. Our book has only got cases in it :rolleyes:
 

timmii

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Hehehe, everyone's avatars are gone, i think its to save server space during the franticness of hsc. Sweet that u noticed tho :p Lol, now everyone will be thinking I'm a guy again :rolleyes:

Yeah i like our book, but at the same time some nice spoonfed principles wouldn't go too far astray...:p *sigh* not thinking about it yet - i've done most of the readings and have got myself a syndicate, so hopefully law won't be too onerous :rolleyes: :)
 

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