Bachelor of Laws

Overview

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practice as a lawyer in the Victorian and Australian Federal legal systems as set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board.

Please be advised that non-academic requirements must also be satisfied for admission to practice and that no law degree allows graduates to practise straight away.

All laws graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) prior to applying for admission to practice as a lawyer. Swinburne offers the opportunity to complete this PLT at the same time as completing your Bachelor of Laws via the Leo Cussen Centre for Law Swinburne Program.

Aims and objectives

The Bachelor of Laws provides an accredited qualification in law and educates students to meet the challenges of a profession and society that are increasingly diverse, complex and technologically sophisticated. It provides a rigorous and intellectually challenging legal education that develops and enhances legal knowledge and a broad range of skills necessary for legal practice; promoting respect for the Rule of Law and adherence to ethical conduct and professional responsibility.  

Upon successfully completing the Bachelor of Laws, students will be able to: 

• apply the principles and doctrines that underpin the fundamental areas of Australian law and the Australian legal system
• build on and continuously develop ethical and professional responsibility in the practice of law and a commitment to the pursuit of justice
• analyse and evaluate the interdisciplinary contexts in which legal issues arise, including the role of innovation, technology, digital developments, and the policy considerations that influence the content and operation of the law
• interpret issues affecting the legal status and experiences of Indigenous peoples in Australia and apply legal doctrine and other approaches to solve problems in preparation for professional practice acknowledging the culture, traditions and beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other communities.
• critically evaluate events or factual situations, identify the legal issues to which they give rise and develop and articulate appropriate and creative responses
• undertake and critically evaluate research from a variety of sources to make judgements to solve complex legal problems with intellectual independence
• effectively communicate persuasive legal arguments to legal and non-legal audiences
• function as an effective member or leader of a team and critically reflect on individual performance and professional development

Career opportunities

Graduates will have the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings such as law firms and barristers’ chambers, not-for-profit organisations, government, small businesses and corporate organisations. In particular, the specialisation in intellectual property law equips graduates for careers in the new knowledge economy, giving them the skills to work in media and entertainment, design, branding and advertising, and in internet companies and firms advising information-dependent industries.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practice as a lawyer in the Victorian and Australian Federal legal systems as set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board. 

Please be advised that non-academic requirements must also be satisfied for admission to practice and that no law degree allows graduates to practise straight away. 

All laws graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) prior to applying for admission to practice as a lawyer. Swinburne offers the opportunity to complete this PLT at the same time as completing your Bachelor of Laws via the Leo Cussen Centre for Law Swinburne Program.

Course Rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Laws, students must complete 300 credit points comprising:

• 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
• 3 Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points)* (450 Professional Experience hours)

*Note: If a student selects the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived.

Where there is mandatory placement students also have the opportunity to participate in a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Professional Placement.

Professional Placements

Professional Placements are subject to a competitive selection process. International students may be eligible for a Professional Placement where a relevant Professional degree exists. International students who successfully gain a placement through the selection process will be required to change courses to the relevant Professional degree, in order to complete a placement and should consider any visa and extended study duration implications prior to applying.

Students who undertake a 12-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 400 credit points comprising:

• 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
• 4 units of study from the Professional Placement Co-Major (100 credit points);

Students who elect to undertake a 6-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 350 credit points comprising:

• 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
• 2 units of study from the Professional Placement Minor (50 credit points);

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Laws is 200 credit points (normally 16 units).