Bachelor of Laws changes
From 2026, we are introducing a new three-year course structure for commencing students and making changes to some law units. In the standard entry Bachelor of Laws (BA-LAW), the eight non-law elective units will be removed from the course structure. If you are a current student, you can continue in the four-year structure or choose to move into the new three-year structure.
These changes respond to feedback from students and industry and still meet the requirements for admission to legal practice.
Students who seek to extend their studies into a second discipline e.g., Business or Criminology will still have access to the double degrees offered with the Bachelor of Laws.
These changes may affect you if you are enrolled in the following courses and want to complete the three-year version of the degree:
- BA-LAW – Bachelor of Laws (standard entry, four-year structure)
Students enrolled into a double degree that includes a Bachelor of Laws are unlikely to be affected, given most double degrees already do not require completion of non-law elective units. However, if you have questions, please speak to our Enrolment Specialists.
These changes will not affect you if you are enrolled in:
- BA-LAW – Bachelor of Laws (standard entry, four-year structure) and want to complete the four-year degree
- BA-LAW1 – Bachelor of Laws (Graduate entry)
What are the changes?
All new students into the Bachelor of Laws starting in 2026 will be admitted into the three-year version of the degree (course code BA-LAW2). The current four-year Bachelor of Laws (course code BA-LAW) will remain available for current students who want to finish in that structure.
The difference between the three-year and four-year degree is that the eight non-law elective units currently in BA-LAW will not be included in the three-year BA-LAW2 structure.
In addition, online law units will move to a live online class model, with a three-hour online class each week.
There are also some changes to specific units.
We are making changes to the following units:
- Following student feedback, Contract Law will be taught in two units (LAW10028 and LAW10029) instead of one (LAW10011).
- LAW10013 Commercial Law will no longer be a core unit of the Bachelor of Laws. Commercial Law will become a law elective unit under the code LAW20047, which will be offered the first time in 2027
- Students who have successfully completed LAW10011, but have not successfully completed LAW10013 at the end of Semester 2, will be assessed on a case by case basis
However, depending on how far through your degree you are, you may have the option to transfer into the three-year degree and finish earlier.
What do I need to do now?
All current Bachelor of Laws students should:
- review your current course plan
- decide if you would be interested in finishing your degree under the three-year version, or if you would like to continue studying the four-year degree version.
If you are unsure, speak to our Enrolment Specialists to make changes to your degree, study plans and enrolment, or contact Dr Peng Guo via pguo@swinburne.edu.au for advice relating to studies, degree outcomes and career paths.
International students
The new three-year Bachelor of Laws (BA-LAW2) is CRICOS-registered and is available to international students.
If you are an international student, changing your course may:
- require a new application and a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
- change the length of your course
- affect the conditions of your student visa.
Before you apply to transfer, you should:
- check your visa conditions
- contact the International Student Support and Advisory team to understand how a change could affect your visa.
Frequently asked questions
The new three-year Bachelor of Laws (BA-LAW2) has been designed to:
- let you complete your law degree in three years of full-time study
- cover all Priestley 11 prescribed areas of legal knowledge
- introduce mooting earlier, so you can build advocacy skills sooner
- give you a clear and focused law-only study plan, without the eight non-law elective units.
If you want to combine law with another field, such as Business or Criminology, you can still do this through an approved double degree that includes the Bachelor of Laws.
Domestic students
Changes to your studies can be made by submitting an application for the new BA-LAW2 course via the application portal within My Swinburne.
International students
Changes to your studies can be made by submitting an application for the new BA-LAW2 course via the application portal within Studylink.
Before you apply
Remember to check how this may affect your student visa.
Support
If you need support with the transition process, you can contact the future students team.
Rule 5(1)(a) of the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 requires that an accredited law course be equivalent to at least three years of full-time study of law (see also the Accreditation Standards for Australian Law Courses, standard 4.2). Over-enrolment may be queried by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB) during the admission process.
This means students can only enrol in a maximum of eight law units per year.
To manage this risk, Swinburne must ensure that students in the three-year Bachelor of Laws only enrol in a maximum of eight law units per year. Students will no longer be able to self-enrol into online law units offered through Swinburne Online, or exceed eight on-campus law units without prior approval from the course director. Approval will be required for enrolment into Swinburne Online units or for over-enrolment for approval to overload, related to completion of the Swinburne Bachelor of Laws/Leo Cussen Centre for Law GDLP Dual Award.
If you have enrolled in online law units during Teaching Periods 2 or 3 in 2025, you may have noticed a change in how they are delivered. We have introduced a weekly three-hour live online class. This approach will be extended to all online law units in the future. We believe that the availability of live, online classes will lead to a better online student experience and enhanced student success.
Need help?
We’re here to support you in making the best decision possible. For questions about:
Your individual study plan, course transfer options, and enrolment limits
Contact our Enrolment Specialist team either at StudentHQ or by booking an appointment.
How course changes may affect your student visa
Contact the International Student Support and Advisory team.
Units, course content, and professional accreditation
Contact Course Director Dr Peng Guo via pguo@swinburne.edu.au