Bachelor of Laws
Swinburne Online - online delivery only
All our bachelor degrees include a guaranteed Work Integrated Learning opportunity, which could be a placement, internship or industry-linked project. In this degree, you'll complete a law-related professional experience placement at an organisation in Australia or overseas. You'll also be introduced to the practical aspects of legal practice through moot court scenarios and advocacy exercises.
Graduates will be equipped with the skills to work in commercial and general legal practice and in a range of industries, including media and entertainment, design, branding and advertising.
Every international student application is considered for a scholarship
Whether you’re living in Australia or overseas, you’re automatically considered for a scholarship of up to 20% off your course fees. Please check our updated entry requirements.
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Duration
4 Year/s
Intakes
Online (March, July, November) - View application and start dates
CRICOS code
085629D
Fees
A$37000 (annual for 2023)*
The indicative course fees shown in Course Search apply to international students for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.
Course information in detail
- Course detail, course structure and units of study.
Course description
As part of this course, students are required to undertake law-related professional experience placements and participate in a practical legal skills program. Professional experience placements may be found in law firms, law-related organisations or legal departments of companies or organisations within Australia or overseas, among a range of possibilities. The skills program introduces students to the practical aspects of legal practice through participating in tasks that mimic legal practice, including moots and advocacy exercises.
International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.
Course structure
To qualify for the Bachelor of Laws, students must complete 400 credit points comprising:
- 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
- 1 online core unit of study (Swinburne Online) (12.5 credit points)
- 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
- 7-8 units of Secondary Studies, comprising a co-major, minors and/ or electives (87.5 - 100 credit points)
- 3 Professional Experiences in Law (0 credit points)
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 475 credit points comprising:
- 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
- 1 online core unit of study (Swinburne Online) (12.5 credit points)
- 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
- 5-6 units of Secondary Studies, comprising a minor and/or electives (62.5 – 75 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 437.5 credit points comprising:
- 20 Core Law Units (250 credit points)
- 1 online core unit of study (Swinburne Online) (12.5 credit points)
- 4 Law Electives (50 credit points)
- 6-7 units of Secondary Studies, comprising a minor and/or electives (75-87.5 credit points)
- 2 units of study from the Professional Placement Minor (50 credit points);
If students select the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived
Maximum Academic Credit
Units of study
Careers and graduate outcomes
- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives and professional recognition.
Career opportunities
Aims and objectives
- describe and demonstrate the application of the fundamental areas of Australian law and the Australian legal system and of the principles and doctrines that underpin them
- describe and demonstrate the application of ethical and professional responsibility in the practice of the law and a commitment to the pursuit of justice
- analyse and evaluate the interdisciplinary contexts in which legal issues arise and the disciplines and policy considerations that influence the content and operation of the law
- describe and compare the international legal order and the law and legal systems of Australia’s major trading partners
- 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
- demonstrate effective and persuasive communication capabilities with legal and non-legal audiences
- communicate proficiently in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a diverse team and critically reflect on individual performance and professional development.

Professional recognition
- Students must be informed before enrolment and on their application forms that their admission is subject to final VLAB approval.
- We will have to defer their start dates if approval has not yet come through by the first teaching period.
- They will have to be withdrawn if approval is refused. We cannot teach an unaccredited law degree.
Pathways and scholarships
- Scholarships.
Course fees and requirements
- Fees, entry requirements and English language requirements.
Course fees
Entry requirements
A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) can now be done on campus in Hawthorn at Room 132, Building TD. Book now or call +61 3 9214 3584 for more information.
English language requirements
Satisfactory completion of one of the following:
- IELTS overall band of 6.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 6.0
- Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced level) with overall 70%, all skills 65%
- Or equivalent measures available at English language requirements.
How to apply
Find out more
Tel: +61 3 9214 8444 (outside Australia)
Free call: 1800 897 973 (within Australia)
Email: international@swinburne.edu.au