The degree, has an emphasis on rural and regional law, and has created a stir with the phone and email of CSU’s Professor of Jurisprudence Steve Redhead “running hot”.

He said Western NSW residents want to learn about the degree that can eliminate the expense and difficulty of living and studying in metropolitan cities.

“I’ve had people from Dubbo on the phone and email, even before the accreditation,” Professor Redhead said.

The degree may also assist young and mature-aged students from rural and regional communities realise educational aspirations that have previously been out of their reach.

Professor Redhead established the degree which received accreditation by the Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW last week.

CSU has been one of only two Australian universities not to offer law.

Subjects required to be completed for admission as an Australian legal practitioner are included in the CSU degree including torts, criminal property and contract law.

“All subjects have been designed to be directly relevant to the priorities of rural and regional industry, providing students with knowledge of legal matters pertaining to agricultural and mining industries, environmental and cultural heritage protection laws, family law, dispute resolution, as well as issues of importance,” Professor Redhead said.

“[The] degree is designed to create change-makers, people who will be able to offer tangible skills to their communities while driving advocacy and improving access to legal representation.”

Professor Redhead, who has headed up law schools in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, led a small team in designing the course, with encouragement and positive input from NSW’s regional law societies, law firms and the National Rural Law and Justice Alliance, Australia’s first peak national non-government organisation for rural and remote law and justice.

The degree will include residential schools and be undertaken part-time in six years or full-time in three years.