Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Courses | Swinburne University

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BB-LAWCRJ Double degree Hawthorn Send me a link to this course

The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology is the only double degree of its kind in Victoria. Offering the unique combination of an accredited law degree with a specialised education in the causes of crime (Criminology) and the fallout of crime (Criminal Justice), this course arms you with the advanced skills to solve complex legal problems in an increasingly complex society.

You'll explore all aspects of law, including commercial and intellectual property law, and learn how to communicate with both legal and non-legal audiences. Delve into the differences and similarities between local and global criminality, and discover traditional approaches to crime along with emerging trends.

Work Integrated Learning is a guaranteed part of all our bachelor degrees. In this double degree, you'll complete law-related professional experience placements at organisations in Australia or overseas. You'll also be introduced to the practical aspects of legal practice through moot court scenarios and advocacy exercises. And in Crime, Society and Culture (LAW30025), you’ll team up with other students to work on a problems-based project briefed to you by an industry partner.

On completion, you’ll be able to evaluate the main causes of crime, assess the consequences of crime on victims and the community, critically evaluate situations and their legal ramifications, and demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to practice law.

This degree is ideal for those who want to specialise in criminal prosecution, criminal defence or government policy development.

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ATAR 85 2023 Guaranteed Entry ATAR

Start dates

Hawthorn campus

Semester 1 - 27 February 2023
Semester 2 - 31 July 2023

View application and start dates

Duration

5 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Full-time, Part-time

VTAC codes

3400211601 (CSP)
3400211603 (IFP)

The best thing about my course is the small, intimate tutorials. All are highly interactive and engaging, allowing you to pose questions to academics as well as real-life working professionals.

Ben

Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Course details

- Course structure.

As a Swinburne law student you can choose to take part in a dual award program with Leo Cussen Centre for Law. This makes it possible to study your LLB at Swinburne while also completing Practical Legal Training (the Swinburne program) at Leo Cussen. Please note that this dual award is not available to those on international student visas.

Course structure

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology requires students to complete units of study to the value of 500 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.
View course rules and special requirements

Core studies for Bachelor of Laws

20 units (250 credit points)

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Introduction to Australian Law and Statutory Interpretation	LAW10010	12.5
Contract Law - # Priestley unit	LAW10011	12.5
Commercial Law	LAW10013	12.5
Torts 1 - # Priestley unit	LAW10014	12.5
Criminal Law & Procedure - # Priestley unit	LAW10015	12.5
Torts 2 - # Priestley unit	LAW10025	12.5
Legal Writing	LAW10026	12.5
Evidence - # Priestley unit	LAW20009	12.5
Administrative Law - # Priestley unit	LAW20010	12.5
Trade Marks and Related Rights *	LAW20011	12.5
Federal and State Constitutional Law - # Priestley unit	LAW20012	12.5
Property Law - # Priestley unit	LAW20013	12.5
Land Law - # Priestley unit	LAW20014	12.5
Legal Technology and Innovation	LAW20040	12.5
Copyright *	LAW20043	12.5
Patents & Designs *	LAW30011	12.5
Equity and Trusts * - # Priestley unit	LAW30012	12.5
Company Law * - # Priestley unit	LAW30013	12.5
Legal Practice and Professional Conduct * - # Priestley unit	LAW30015	12.5
Civil Procedure and Alternative Dispute Resolution - # Priestley unit	LAW30029	12.5

*Outcome unit – completion demonstrates the attainment of course learning outcomes

Core studies for Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

14 units (175 credit points)

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Fundamentals of Criminology	CRI10002	12.5
Introduction to Forensic Psychology	FOR10001	12.5
Law & Social Science	LAW10022	12.5
Brain and Behaviour	PSY10007	12.5
Policing: Systems and Practice	CRI20001	12.5
Global Crime	CRI20002	12.5
Sentencing	LAW20030	12.5
Crime and Punishment in the International Context	LAW20031	12.5
Technological Advances in Dealing with Crime	LAW20032	12.5
Deviance Difference and Conformity	SOC20020	12.5
Corrections: Systems and Practice	CRI30002	12.5
Juvenile Justice and Crime	CRI30010	12.5
Advanced Topics in Forensic Psychology	FOR30001	12.5
Crime, Society and Culture (Capstone)	LAW30025	12.5

Placement for Bachelor of Laws

3 units (0 credit points)

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Professional Experience in Law 1	LAW10016	0
Professional Experience in Law 2	LAW20018	0
Professional Experience in Law 3	LAW30016	0

Other studies

6 units (75 credit points)

Choose from a combination of the following course components to complete 75 credit points of other study. Students may also select elective units (12.5 credit points each).

– Work Integrated Learning + Elective units + Signature Series

Work Integrated Learning

Swinburne's Work Integrated Learning program provides additional opportunities for you to gain valuable skills and real industry experience in the form of placements, internships or study tours - all while earning credit towards your degree.

Choose a Work Integrated Learning option:

You'll get paid to work in an area related to your field of study for 12 months, where you'll combine hands-on learning with academic submissions, workplace reflection and feedback from your host organisation. Most students undertake their placements in the third year of their degree, so you’ll want to map out your electives as soon as you can and register for a placement at least 6 months before your preferred start date.

The Professional Placement co-major has four 25 credit point units.

Professional Placement in Law

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Integrated Professional Placement A – Law	LAW20021	25
Integrated Professional Placement B – Law	LAW20022	25
Work Experience in Industry A	WEI20001	25
Work Experience in Industry B	WEI20002	25

You'll get paid to work in an area related to your field of study for 6 months, where you'll combine hands-on learning with academic submissions, workplace reflection and feedback from your host organisation. Most students undertake their placements in the third year of their degree, so you’ll want to map out your electives as soon as you can and register for a placement at least 6 months before your preferred start date.

The Professional Placement minor has two 25 credit point units.

Professional Placement in Law

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Work Experience in Industry A	WEI20001	25
Integrated Professional Placement A – Law	LAW20021	25

A Professional Internship is all about gaining valuable real-world skills in your area of study all while earning credit points towards your degree. Plus, it looks great on your CV as it shows you’ve had real industry experience before you’ve even graduated!

You might choose to complete your internship part-time over a semester or in a more intensive block during Summer or Winter terms.

Travel overseas, discover other cultures, enrich your professional experience and enhance your CV all while gaining credit towards your course.

Elective units

Any of the following units may be undertaken.

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Innovative Business Practice	BUS10012	12.5
Economic Principles	ECO10004	12.5
Financial Statistics	FIN10002	12.5
Human Resource Management	HRM10003	12.5
Problem Solving with ICT	ICT10001	12.5
Introduction to Business Information Systems	INF10003	12.5
Introduction to Business Law	LAW10004	12.5
Introduction to Management	MGT10001	12.5
Critical Thinking in Management	MGT10002	12.5
Fundamentals of Marketing	MKT10007	12.5
Dynamics of Diversity in Organisations	HRM20016	12.5
Performance Management and Innovation	HRM20020	12.5
International Commercial Law ^#	LAW20007	12.5
Legal Writing ^#	LAW20023	12.5
Law and the Media ^#	LAW20024	12.5
Taxation Law ^#	LAW20033	12.5
Public and Private International Law ^#	LAW20035	12.5
Competition Law and Policy ^#	LAW20036	12.5
Asian Commercial Law ^#	LAW20037	12.5
Privacy in Law and Society ^#	LAW20038	12.5
Indonesia Law, Governance and Culture Study Tour ^#	LAW20039	12.5
Advanced Criminal Law and Sentencing ^#	LAW20041	12.5
Advanced Intellectual Property Law ^#	LAW20042	12.5
Marketing Research and Analytics	MKT20019	12.5
Business and Society	ORG20002	12.5
Organisational Behaviour	ORG20003	12.5
Human Resource Analytics	HRM30011	12.5
Finance Law ^#	LAW30002	12.5
Law of Employment ^#	LAW30005	12.5
Legal Research Project ^#	LAW30026	12.5
Advanced Legal Research Project 1 ^#	LAW30027	12.5
Advanced Legal Research Project 2 ^#	LAW30028	12.5
Leadership in Context	ORG30002	12.5

^#Students must choose 4 specialised elective units to complete the course.

Signature Series

A Swinburne education prepares you for life. That’s why we’ve developed the Swinburne Signature Series. It’s a suite of study opportunities that embody Swinburne’s ethos – of confidence, clarity and adventure. These opportunities give our students something extra; whether that’s a new perspective on the world through a Study Tour unit, an expanded sense of possibilities through our Innovation Minor, or a deeper understanding and respect for culture through our Indigenous Minor. Like Swinburne University itself, our Signature Series will grow and adapt to reflect the evolving issues of the day.

Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year
Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year
One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)
See the course planner for an example degree structure

Course learning outcomes

The objective of the Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology double degree is to bring together two of Swinburne’s existing degrees, the Bachelor of Laws, with the newly established Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology. The combination creates an impressive course that offers a multidisciplinary education and addresses the gap between demand and availability for double degrees of a high calibre. The pairing of law with existing degrees across different disciplines has the potential to increase the overall merit of the courses and in turn, the reputation of the University.

The introduction of this double degree additionally has the potential to increase the number of enrolments at Swinburne and in turn, further contribute to the current growth and development of the university. This is due to the multidisciplinary nature of the course having the ability to attract a wider range of students as it caters to individuals who hold multiple areas of interest. It also presents a specialisation opportunity for law students who intend to practice in the field of criminal law or the criminal justice system.

The incorporation of these two popular areas of study will contribute towards stronger connections with industry and the community through enhanced commercialisation capability, connections with major law firms, and pro-bono work for non-profit organisations. In conjunction with the strong level of theoretical education, students will undertake a Practical Skills Program throughout this degree, resulting in graduates that are industry ready, adaptable and able to manage change, and consequently, highly attractive to potential employers.

Fees

- Fees for 2023.

Students who participate in a six- or 12-month professional placement will be subject to an increase in total course fees.

2023 rate*	Estimated total cost of the course	Estimated cost of the course per year if studying full-time*	Amenities fee per year if studying full-time*
Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)	$75,710	$15,142	See how your SSAF is calculated

Fees are estimates only: The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2023 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester. Students who participate in a six or 12-month professional placement will be subject to an increase in total course fees.

How do I pay my fees?

HECS-HELP is a loan and discount scheme available to eligible students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. A HECS-HELP loan can cover all or part of the student contribution amount.

Find out more about fees.

How to enter this course

- Entry requirements, credit transfer and recognition of prior learning.

Entry requirements

2023 Guaranteed Entry ATAR: 85

Successful completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification OR
Completion or partial completion of a degree.

Course Prerequisites

VCE Units 3 and 4: a minimum study score of 25 in any English (except EAL) or 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee offer of a place. See Admissions at Swinburne, for general information about admission process.

Pathways

Pathways allow students to progress from one qualification to another where the first course is recognised as an entry requirement and/or provides advanced standing to the second.

Learn more about pathways.

Credit transfer

Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about credit.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about RPL.

How to apply

Applications for Semester 1 for courses listed on the VTAC Guide are generally made through VTAC. Under certain circumstances, some students (e.g. Non-Year 12) may apply directly to Swinburne. Find out more about how to apply.

Applications for all other intakes should be made directly to Swinburne.

View the Course Admission Information, which includes the ATAR and Student profiles for this course. Swinburne’s general admissions information is also available here.