Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts
Course code/s: LWLAT Melbourne
Note – subject to university approval, some changes to this program are pending, particularly in relation to the major requirements for arts
Course Description
The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts is a five-year combined degree providing an accredited professional qualification in law as well as a degree in arts. The program offers an innovative, high quality legal education with a strong global and social justice perspective and a real emphasis on hands-on experiences. It 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, many with a practical skills component, such as clinical legal education, communication and advocacy skills, and negotiation. Students can select a major from amongst a wide range of disciplines offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences including languages and the performing arts (e.g., Theatre and Drama). If they wish, students can also complete law electives which complement their arts specialisation. For example, a student who majors in politics might complete law electives such as Public International Law, Human Rights Law or Public Interest Law Practice. For further information about core subjects and electives, please refer to the entry for the Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry) in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law section of this handbook. The course is available at both Melbourne and Bendigo campuses, but students commencing their studies at Bendigo normally transfer to Melbourne after two full-time years of study where they complete the remainder of their course.
Admission requirements
Admission requirements are VCE units 3 and 4, and a study score of at least 35 in English (ESL) or 30 in any other English.
Degree requirements
Students must:
- complete a total of at least five years of full-time study or its equivalent
- complete in sequence the compulsory law subjects
- complete a total of 600 credit points (360 credit points in law and a minimum of 240 credit points in arts)
- satisfy the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts including one Arts major consisting of 135 credit points (30 credit points at first year level (including a first-year core subject within their chosen discipline area), 45 credit points at second-year level (including a second-year core subject within their chosen discipline area) and 60 credit points at third-year level (including a third-year core subject within their chosen discipline area))
- complete 90 credit points at third-year level overall
- complete no more than 180 credit points in any one arts discipline overall (maximum of 3 subjects at 1st year, 4 subjects at 2nd year and 5 subjects at 3rd year)
Course structure
First year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Dispute Resolution | LAW1DR |
| TE-SEM-1 | Legal Institutions and Methods | LAW1LIM |
| TE-SEM-1 | First year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | First year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Criminal Law | LAW1CRL |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Public Law | LAW1PPL |
|
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 |
First year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | First year Elective from FHSS |
Second year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Contract Law A | LAW2CTA |
| TE-SEM-1 | Principles of Tort Law | LAW2TOT |
| TE-SEM-1 | First year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Second year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Contract Law B | LAW2CTB |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Constitutional Law | LAW2CSL |
| TE-SEM-2 | First year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Second year Elective (Major) from FHSS |
Third year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Statutory Interpretation | LAW2STA |
| TE-SEM-1 | Foundations of Property Law | LAW2FPL |
| TE-SEM-1 | Second year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Second year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Civil Procedure | LAW2CIV |
| TE-SEM-2 | Real Property Law | LAW2RPT |
| TE-SEM-2 | One Law Elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Third year Elective (Major) from FHSS |
Fourth year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Evidence and Criminal Procedure | LAW2ECP |
| TE-SEM-1 | Two Law electives | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Third year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Administrative Law | LAW3ADN |
| TE-SEM-2 | One Law elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Third year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Third year Elective (Major) from FHSS |
Fifth year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Company Law | LAW3CMP |
| TE-SEM-1 | Principles of Equity and Trusts | LAW3ETR |
| TE-SEM-1 | Third year Elective (Major) from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One Law elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Remedies | LAW3REM |
| TE-SEM-2 | Legal Practice and Conduct | LAW3LPC |
| TE-SEM-2 | Third year Elective from FHSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One 3rd year Law elective |
Compulsory and Elective Law Subjects
For lists of compulsory and elective law subjects, refer to lists under Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry) (LVLGE).