Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2010

Courses and programs offered

Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science (LZLS) – Melbourne (Bundoora)

The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science is a five-year combined degree providing an accredited professional qualification in law, as well as a degree in science. The program includes all the compulsory law subjects required by the Council of Legal Education for admission to practice in Victoria and a wide range of law electives, including subjects relevant to science such as Intellectual Property Law, Law and Medicine, and Psychology and Law. For further information about core law subjects and electives, please refer to the entry for the Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry) in the Faculty of Law and Management section of this handbook. Students may choose science subjects from a wide range of disciplines including chemistry, computer science, electronics, genetics, psychology, and mathematics. The course is available at both Melbourne (Bundoora) and Bendigo campuses, but students commencing their studies at Bendigo transfer to Melbourne (Bundoora) after two full-time years of study where they complete the remainder of their course. Since science majors at Bendigo differ from those at Melbourne (Bundoora) in some instances, Bendigo students are only permitted to undertake subjects leading to major studies in biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, psychological science and statistics.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements are VCE units 3 and 4, and a study score of at least 30 in English (any) and a study score of at least 20 in mathematical methods or specialist mathematics.

Degree requirements

Students must:

  • complete a total of at least five years full-time study or its equivalent
  • complete in sequence the compulsory law subjects
  • satisfy the requirements of the Bachelor of Science
  • complete a total of 630 credit points (375 credit points in law and 255 credit points in science)
  • complete a total of 22 subjects in law (15 compulsory subjects and 7 electives)
  • complete a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 90 credit points at first year level, a minimum of 80 credit points at second year level and a minimum of 90 credit points at third year level in science electives
  • complete no more than 180 credit points at first year level overall.

Students will usually be enrolled in between 120 and 135 credit points each year, but may enrol in up to 145 credit points without special approval.

Course structure

First year
Teaching
period
Subject title Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Dispute Resolution LAW1DR 15
TE-SEM-1 Legal Institutions and Methods LAW1LIM 15
TE-SEM-1 Two first year science electives 30
TE-SEM-2 Criminal Law LAW2CRM 20
TE-SEM-2 Principles of Public Law LAW2PPL 15
TE-SEM-2 Two first year science electives 30
Second year
Teaching
period
Subject title Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Law of Contracts LAW2CNT 20
TE-SEM-1 Law of Torts LAW2TOR 20
TE-SEM-1 First or second year science elective (s)1 15–20
TE-SEM-2 Commercial and Consumer Contracts LAW2CCC 15
TE-SEM-2 Constitutional Law LAW2CNL 20
TE-SEM-2 One law elective 15
TE-SEM-2 First or second year science elective(s)1 (subject to 1st-year maximum of 90 credit points) 15–20
Third year
Teaching
period
Subject title Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Criminal Procedure and Evidence LAW3CPE 20
TE-SEM-1 Two law electives 30
TE-SEM-1 Second year science elective(s)2 20
TE-SEM-2 Civil Procedure LAW3CIV 15
TE-SEM-2 Property Law LAW3PRP 20
TE-SEM-2 One law elective 15
TE-SEM-2 Second year science elective(s) (only necessary if second year science credit points otherwise fewer than 80 by end of course) 20
Fourth year
Teaching
period
Subject title Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Corporations Law LAW4COR 20
TE-SEM-1 Law of Equity and Trusts LAW3EQT 20
TE-SEM-1 Two law electives 30
TE-SEM-2 Administrative Law LAW3ADM 20
TE-SEM-2 Legal Practice and Conduct LAW4LPC 15
TE-SEM-2 One law elective 15
TE-SEM-2 Second year science elective(s) (only necessary if second year science credit points otherwise are fewer than 80 by end of course) 20
Fifth year
Teaching
period
Subject title Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Second or third year science elective(s) 30
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Third year science electives 90

Key: 1 Students who take more than 60 credit points at first year must ensure that they still complete at least 80 credit points at second year by the end of their degree. But with permission it may be possible to take more than 90 credit points at third year to offset a shortfall in second year credit points.

2 Students who transfer from Bendigo and wish to major in biology may need to take additional first year subjects (subject to the overall maximum of 90 credit points at first year) before they can take 2nd year subjects.

Science disciplines

The selection and arrangement of the science subjects within the program is up to the student in consultation with an adviser from the Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering. Subjects may be chosen from any of the following areas:

  • biology (agricultural science, biochemistry, botany, genetics, microbiology, zoology)
  • chemistry
  • computer science and computer engineering
  • electronics
  • environmental science
  • mathematics and statistics
  • physics
  • psychological science (subject to minimum entry requirements)
  • space science

Students who complete the necessary core subjects for a specialisation will be able to have their academic record and testamur annotated accordingly, e.g., Bachelor of Science with a specialisation in Statistics or Space Science.

Refer to Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering section in this Handbook for full subject details and specialisation requirements.

Compulsory and Elective Law Subjects

For lists of compulsory and elective law subjects, refer to lists under Bachelor of Laws Graduate Entry (LBLG).