Bachelor of Laws | Courses | Swinburne University

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Swinburne’s Bachelor of Laws has technology at the forefront. It will provide you with the skills you’ll need to navigate the new normal of legal practice. This law degree focuses on commercial law with an emphasis on intellectual property (IP) law and the laws that govern those who innovate and create.

As the first degree in Victoria with an IP specialisation, you’ll learn about trade marks, patents, designs and copyright, the prohibition of misleading or deceptive conduct and competition law.

You’ll also develop a valuable understanding of legal technology (legal tech, or lawtech) and practical skills in the technologies transforming legal practice today such as smart legal contracts, document automation, predicative AI and advanced chatbots.

All Swinburne bachelor degrees include a guaranteed Work Integrated Learning opportunity, which could be a placement, internship or industry-linked project. In the Bachelor of Laws, 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 including legal drafting exercises, solving complex problems for industry 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 the courts, media and entertainment, accounting and finance, the public service and the not-for profit sector.

Law double degree options

You can also study Laws in a double degree with Arts, Business, Business Analytics and Analysis, Computer Science, Criminal Justice and Criminology, Engineering, Media and Communication, or Science.

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

4 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Full-time, Part-time

VTAC codes

3400210391 (CSP)
3400210393 (IFP)

Swinburne started my career. The compulsory internships got me out in the world and helped me gain experience and meet people in my future profession. In the end, it was because of these internships that I got a job.

Katrina

Studied Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business, current Law Clerk at the Coroners Court of Victoria

Course details

- Description, course structure, work integrated learning, career opportunities and professional recognition.

Students who undertake a professional placement in law do so in lieu of the Professional Experience in Law units. This option may change the course duration and the number of elective units required to complete the degree.

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 requires students to complete units of study to the value of 400 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.
View course rules and special requirements

Core studies

20 units (250 credit points)

Units	Unit codes	Credit points
Introduction to Australian Law & 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
Legal Writing	LAW10026	12.5
Torts 2 - # Priestley unit	LAW10025	12.5
Evidence - # Priestley unit	LAW20009	12.5
Administrative Law - # Priestley unit	LAW20010	12.5
Trade Marks & Related Rights *	LAW20011	12.5
Federal & 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 & Trusts * - # Priestley unit	LAW30012	12.5
Company Law * - # Priestley unit	LAW30013	12.5
Legal Practice & 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

Placement

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

12 units (150 credit points)

Choose from a combination of the following course components to complete 150 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
Financial Information Systems	ACC10008	12.5
Introduction to Innovation	ENT10001	12.5
Financial Statistics	FIN10002	12.5
Human Resource Management	HRM10003	12.5
Problem Solving with ICT	ICT10001	12.5
Foundations of International Business	INB10002	12.5
Database, Analysis and Design	INF10002	12.5
Law and Social Science	LAW10022	12.5
Critical Thinking in Management	MGT10002	12.5
International Politics	POL10002	12.5
Sociological Foundations	SOC10004	12.5
Company Accounting	ACC20013	12.5
Managerial Economics and Strategy	ECO20003	12.5
Macroeconomic Policy	ECO20004	12.5
Banking Operations and Governance	FIN20013	12.5
Financial Management	FIN20014	12.5
Big History: From the Big Bang to Global Civilisation	FST20001	12.5
Dynamics of Diversity in Organisations	HRM20016	12.5
Managing Workplace Relations	HRM20017	12.5
IT for Social Impact Project	ICT20005	12.5
Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management	INB20008	12.5
Requirements Analysis and Modelling	INF20003	12.5
Mobile Business and Social Media	INF20011	12.5
Big Data Management	INF20016	12.5
International Commercial Law ^#	LAW20007	12.5
Law and the Media ^#	LAW20024	12.5
Crime and Punishment in the International Context	LAW20031	12.5
Technological Advances in Dealing with Crime	LAW20032	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
International Sustainability Project	MFP20001	12.5
Business and Society	ORG20002	12.5
Organisational Behaviour	ORG20003	12.5
Forensic Accounting	ACC30003	12.5
Taxation	ACC30005	12.5
Analysis for Competitive Advantage	ACC30009	12.5
Auditing	ACC30010	12.5
Principles of Professional Practice	BUS20006	12.5
Data Analysis and Econometrics	ECO30003	12.5
Financial Risk Management	FIN30014	12.5
Management of Investment Portfolios	FIN30016	12.5
Italian Neorealism in Practice	FTV30010	12.5
Business Intelligence and Data Visualisation	INF30004	12.5
Information Systems Risk and Security	INF30020	12.5
Business Analytics	INF30030	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
Strategic Planning in Dynamic Environments	MGT30005	12.5
Marketing and Communication Information and Decision Making	MKT30015	12.5
Events Management	PUB30001	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 description

# Priestley unit: This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) - completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia

Course learning outcomes

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:

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.

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.

Fees

- Fees for 2022.

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

2022 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)	$58,520	$14,630	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 2022 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.
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 the 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

Find out more about how to apply.

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