Law Program General Information
About the Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws program provides students with an innovative, high quality legal education with a strong global and social justice perspective and a real emphasis on hands-on experiences. The law course is available in a three-year graduate entry version or a four-year undergraduate version; and it can also be combined with a number of other degrees at La Trobe which take five years (see list below). Three degrees are also offered at our Bendigo campus (Law/Arts, Law/Business and Law/Science) but students transfer to Melbourne (Bundoora) after two years where they complete the remainder of the course.
Entry into the Bachelor of Laws is possible either from secondary school or following previous tertiary studies. The main intake is at the start of each academic year (March) but there is also a mid-year intake into most programs for both current and commencing law students. Students can study full-time or part-time and can fast-track their studies by taking subjects in block release mode in summer and winter school. With a dedicated Director of Teaching and Learning, the School has a strong commitmemt to high quality teaching and learning, including small group teaching. Most subjects have a combination of lectures and seminars or tutorials.
Many staff members have extensive legal experience, with a number still practising at the Victorian Bar or in legal clinics, sitting on tribunals and boards and consulting to governments both nationally and internationally. Students therefore have access to a wide range of experiential learning opportunities such as compulsory mooting, simulated role plays and work placements within a legal environment. The School offers four different clinical legal education subjects, a communication and advocacy skills subject and a unique judicial mentoring program. Recognising the importance of collaborative problem solving skills and strong communication skills, we are the only Law School in Australia to offer Dispute Resolution as a compulsory first year subject.
The School has a strong research culture and has expertise in each of the core areas of the curriculum required for admission to practice. Our wide range of law electives allows students to pursue areas of interest including access to justice and public interest law, global business law, criminal justice and comparative and international law. We also offer extensive international exchange opportunities as well as shorter overseas study options such as winter school in Shanghai and participation in the Duke University summer school programs in Hong Kong and Geneva.
The School’s dedicated Careers and Placement officer helps locate internship and volunteer opportunities and provides individual support to students when preparing their CV and applying for seasonal clerkships and supervised workplace traineeships.
Honours
High calibre students may apply to undertake Honours in the law program in the final year of their law studies. Normally a grade of B average over two full-time years of law study is required. Students must complete a 10,000-word thesis (which takes the place of two law electives) on a topic to be approved by the Director of Honours Research and Graduate Studies. Honours comprises a research component and a compulsory research seminar. The compulsory research seminar is conducted throughout the year. Students must attend at least six of the sessions and are required to present a paper on their individual research project.
Those students undertaking a double degree will also need to refer to the other School’s entry in the Handbook for information on Honours.
Profession recognition
All La Trobe University Law courses include the subjects required by the Victorian Council of Legal Education to qualify for admission to legal practice. Admission to practice as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria usually requires the completion of a traineeship (formerly referred to as articles of clerkship) or an approved practical legal training course (for example, the Leo Cussen Institute or the College of Law Victoria).
Those students undertaking a double degree will also need to refer to the other School’s entry in the Handbook for information on accreditation.
Further information
For information on law courses, electives, part-time study, advanced standing and honours, please consult the entry for the Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry) or contact the Faculty of Law and Management on (03) 9479 2284.