Applications now open
Our Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science gives you the choice, flexibility and support to shape your career goals.
- Gain a powerful combination of legal skills and scientific knowledge.
- Tailor your double degree with a wide range of science majors to choose from, including chemistry, genetics, microbiology, physics and more.
- Graduate with two degrees in only five years to gain a competitive career edge.
- expand your career options as you graduate with an enhanced legal qualification.
Entry requirements and pathways
International students
Admission requirements
International entry requirements
International entry requirements* for this course at Campus Name**
Please select your type of qualification in the dropdown above.
* The entry requirements provided above are only provided as a guide and based on the course’s current standard minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), the primary measure for entry into most undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia.
** Entry requirements may vary by location. To view entry requirements for this course at another location, please select the location in the drop down at the top of this page.
Note: there may also be other entry requirements for this course. If you are unsure, make an enquiry.
Subject prerequisites
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in any Mathematics.
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL.
English language requirement
6.5 IELTS (Academic) with no individual band less than 6.0.
Please refer to our English Language Requirements page for details of other accepted English Proficiency tests and additional recognised English Language Proficiency Measures, such as English as the language of instruction.
Credit for previous study (advanced standing)
Credit for previous study (advanced standing) is the recognition of prior study or learning that can be counted towards a qualification. This can reduce the number of subjects required to complete your course. The amount of credit received depends on the level and relevance of your previous study and the number of subjects completed.
The University will designate courses where there is only admission into Year 1 of the course. In these cases, there is limited credit. See list of limited entry courses.
To check if this course is available for credit, please visit the Advanced standing webpage.
Questions about the course?
Check when course applications close and find out how to apply directly.
Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
Ask a question
Submit a question online. We'll get back to you within the next business day.
What you'll study
Sample course structure
Please note, the following course structure is indicative and subject to change depending on your course location, offer year or how you tailor your course with specialisations, majors, minors and electives. Structures for the following year are not normally finalised until October, so the sample provided is based on the most recently approved structure. For more information, please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook.
To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science, students must complete a total of 600 credit points across 5 years.
Year 1 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
- 90 credit points from chosen Core
- 30 credit points from chosen Major
Year 2 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
- 90 credit points from chosen Core
- 30 credit points from chosen Major
Year 3 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
- 60 credit points from chosen Core
- 30 credit points from chosen Major
- 15 credit points from chosen Electives
- 15 credit points from chosen Electives or minor
Year 4 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
- 30 credit points from chosen Core
- 30 credit points from chosen Major
- 15 credit points from chosen Electives
- 45 credit points from chosen Electives or minor
Year 5 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
- 30 credit points from chosen Core
- 30 credit points from chosen Core choice
- 15 credit points from chosen Core choice
- 45 credit points from chosen Electives
Study options
Design your own degree: open access majors and minors available
La Trobe's open access majors and minors mean you could customise your degree with cross-disciplinary studies, work-integrated learning and study overseas.
Whatever you're studying, if there's enough spare credit points in your course structure and room in your timetable, you could choose an open access major or minor from your course’s discipline or a completely different discipline – mix business with science or arts with IT or combine a range of disciplines to design a degree to match your interests and truly find your niche.
Core subjects are required subjects in your course. You need to complete these subjects to attain your degree.
| Subject name | Subject code | Year | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACADEMIC INTEGRITY MODULE | LTU0AIM | 1 | 0 |
| WOMINJEKA LA TROBE: INDIGENOUS CULTURAL LITERACY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION | ABS0WOM | 1 | 0 |
| BIG IDEAS IN SCIENCE: LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING | SCI1LUE | 1 | 15 |
| DISPUTE RESOLUTION | LAW1DR | 1 | 15 |
| LEGAL INSTITUTIONS AND METHODS | LAW1LIM | 1 | 15 |
| MAKING SENSE OF DATA | STM1001 | 1 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW | LAW1CRL | 1 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LAW | LAW1PPL | 1 | 15 |
| CAREER OPTIONS AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY | SHE2001 | 2 | 15 |
| CONTRACT LAW A | LAW2CTA | 2 | 15 |
| CONTRACT LAW B | LAW2CTB | 2 | 15 |
| IDEAS TO INNOVATION | EMS2ITI | 2 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW | LAW2CSL | 2 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF TORT LAW | LAW2TOT | 2 | 15 |
| CIVIL PROCEDURE | LAW3004 | 3 | 15 |
| FOUNDATIONS OF PROPERTY LAW | LAW3002 | 3 | 15 |
| REAL PROPERTY LAW | LAW3005 | 3 | 15 |
| STATUTORY INTERPRETATION | LAW3003 | 3 | 15 |
| EVIDENCE AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE | LAW3001 | 4 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW | LAW4004 | 4 | 15 |
| COMPANY LAW | LAW4002 | 5 | 15 |
| PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY AND TRUSTS | LAW4003 | 5 | 15 |
Course majors
A major is a sequence of related subjects studied in your course. To attain a major, this sequence must add up to 120 credit points. In some courses, you need to complete at least one major from your course's discipline to attain your degree.
| Course majors | Major code |
|---|---|
| Applied cybersecurity Open access | MJR-CYB01 |
| Artificial intelligence | MJR-CSE003 |
| Biochemistry | MAJOR-BCH-1 |
| Botany Open access | MAJOR-BOT-1 |
| Chemistry | MAJOR-CHEM |
| Crop science | MJR-AGR01 |
| Data science Open access | MAJOR-DATA |
| Ecology Open access | MAJOR-ECO-1 |
| Genetics Open access | MAJOR-GEN-1 |
| Human physiological sciences StudyFlexOpen access | MJR-HPS01 |
| Mathematics Open access | MAJOR-MAT-H |
| Microbiology Open access | MAJOR-MIC-1 |
| Physics | MAJOR-PHY |
| Psychological science StudyFlexOpen access | MJR-PSY01 |
| Statistics Open access | MJR-STATS-1 |
| Zoology Open access | MAJOR-ZOO-1 |
Open access majors
If there is room in your degree for more than one major, you may wish to complete an open access major from another discipline area.
La Trobe open access majors and minors offer an opportunity to customise your degree with cross-discipline studies and work integrated learning.
View our open access majors
Course minors
A minor is an optional sequence of related subjects studied in your course. To attain a minor, this sequence must add up to 60 credit points. A minor can be undertaken in a similar or different interest area in your course or major's discipline and, in some cases, taken from a different discipline. Up to two minors can be chosen in place of an optional second major or standalone elective subjects.
Open access minors
| Course minors | Minor code |
|---|---|
| Applied cybersecurity Open access | MNR-CSE01 |
| Applied statistics Open access | MINOR-STATS |
| Artificial intelligence | MNR-CSE02 |
| Biochemistry | MNR-BCH-01 |
| Botany | MNR-BOT-20 |
| Chemistry | MNR-CHE01 |
| Cognitive and developmental psychology StudyFlexOpen access | MNR-PSY01 |
| Crop science | MNR-AGR01 |
| Data science Open access | MNR-MAT01 |
| Discrete mathematics | MINOR-DISMAT |
| Ecological genetics and evolution | MINOR-EGE |
| Ecology studies | MNR-ECO-20 |
| Genetics | MNR-GEN-20 |
| Human physiological sciences StudyFlexOpen access | MNR-HPH-20 |
| Mathematics Open access | MINOR-MATHS |
| Microbiology | MNR-MIC-20 |
| Molecular genetics | MNR-GEN01 |
| Neuroscience Open access | MINOR-NEURO |
| Physics | MNR-PHY01 |
| Psychological science StudyFlexOpen access | MNR-PSY02 |
| Statistics Open access | MNR-STA01 |
| Zoology | MNR-ZOO-20 |
A range of standalone elective subjects is available in this course. Some electives are recommended for your course, but you may also be able to choose from a range of University-wide electives or electives from other interest areas or disciplines. Note these electives may have their own prerequisites and other requirements. Please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook for the subjects available.
Core choice subjects are one or more subject groups you need to select in your course. Core choice subjects may be specific to your course, major, minor, specialisation or other learning requirements.
| Subject name | Subject code | Year | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAW INTERNSHIP B | LAW4INB | 5 | 15 |
| LEGAL PRACTICE AND CONDUCT | LAW4001 | 5 | 15 |
| LEGAL RESEARCH PROJECT | LAW4005 | 5 | 15 |
| LEGAL PRACTICE AND CONDUCT CLINICAL PLACEMENT | LAW4LPP | 5 | 30 |
Work-Based Learning
Elective placement opportunities (Work Based Learning)
During this course, you will have the opportunity to participate in a Work Based Learning (WBL) placement experience, designed to allow you to extend your formal academic learning beyond the classroom. The WBL experience will provide the opportunity to bring your learning from the university into a work environment and test out your knowledge in a professional real-world environment. Some courses include compulsory WBL subjects, however, we also offer a range of elective WBL subjects, both cross-discipline and subject-specific. La Trobe University will source placements for some subjects, while others will require you to source your own placement. If you are required to source your own placement, dedicated staff will guide and support you through the process. Elective WBL subjects generally involve an application process and Subject Coordinator approval. The location and number of hours undertaken can vary considerably depending on the activity and the discipline area. Please refer to the individual subject entries for more information. Regional students are eligible to access additional support under the Regional Reward program
See La Trobe University Handbook for more details
The Handbook contains detailed course information designed for enrolled students, including course structures, electives and options. The delivery of this course can vary between campuses.
View course information for Melbourne (Bundoora)
Questions about the course?
Check when course applications close and find out how to apply directly.
Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
Ask a question
Submit a question online. We'll get back to you within the next business day.
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science course and career outcomes
However you choose to structure your study, La Trobe recognises your hard work. Here are the pathways you could follow as you move through your course.
Course intended learning outcomes
- Demonstrate appropriate understanding and competence in the prescribed areas of knowledge required for admission into legal practice in Victoria, Australia, as determined by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board.
- Apply broad knowledge of science across a range of fields, with an in-depth understanding of at least one scientific discipline, to analyse and evaluate investigations into real-world problems.
- Critically evaluate information from different sources to effectively communicate scientific reasoning and results to diverse audiences.
- Employ academic and professional integrity and scientific rigour in the conduct, evaluation and reporting of scientific research and practice.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of Australian legal systems, institutions and procedures, including fundamental legal principles and concepts in substantive areas of law.
- Apply analytical and professional judgement in identifying legal issues, critically evaluating legal doctrine and providing innovative solutions to complex legal problems.
- Coherently communicate legal knowledge, research, and analysis using a variety of modes to both legal and non-legal actors.
- Demonstrate an advanced capacity to learn and work independently, self-manage workload, foster personal and professional development, and collaborate effectively in a team environment.
- Critically analyse, synthesise relevant legal sources and conduct research independently using technologies where appropriate.
- Demonstrate awareness of and critically reflect on lawyers' professional and ethical responsibilities and the importance of integrity and service in legal analysis and practice.
- Demonstrate awareness of and critically reflect on the historical, social, economic and cultural contexts and implications of laws and the role of lawyers in promoting justice and equity.
- Explain the nature and methods of contemporary scientific practice, and the interrelationship between science and society.
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science career opportunities
La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours) satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practise law in Victoria. After graduation from this double degree, you could pursue a range of roles across law and science.
With the blend of legal and scientific expertise you'll build in this degree, your potential roles include:
- Research and development manager
- Plan, organise and coordinate an organisation's research and development activities, then monitor their success to find improvements for the future.
- Intellectual property lawyer
- Work for companies at the cutting edge of scientific development to protect their intellectual property rights, negotiate and prepare licence agreements, and represent them in claims.
- Compliance manager
- Ensure companies comply with laws and regulations, such as the Therapeutic Goods Act and Australian Consumer Law. Develop and implement compliance policies, oversee compliance-related activities, deliver employee training and provide reports to senior management and external regulatory bodies.
- Barrister or solicitor
- Advocate for justice as you prepare cases, represent clients in court, assist in creating and reviewing contracts, and provide advice on legal issues.
- In-house counsel
- Combine your legal expertise with other interests as you work as a dedicated legal practitioner in a business or other organisation.
Professional recognition
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science course includes the subjects required by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board to meet the academic requirements for admission to the legal profession in Victoria as an Australian lawyer.
Admission to the legal profession by the Supreme Court of Victoria also requires the completion of practical legal training via either a 12-month period of supervised legal training or completion of an approved practical legal training course (for example, at the Leo Cussen Institute or The College of Law). Candidates for admission to practice must also satisfy the Admissions Board that they are a fit and proper person to be admitted to practice.
International students are advised to obtain assurance of recognition of the course by the relevant professional bodies in their preferred country of practice.
International graduates require a relevant visa to complete a practical legal traineeship and a supervised workplace traineeship in Australia. Please contact the Australian Department of Home Affairs for details.
The Chemistry major in the Bachelor of Science is seeking re-accreditation by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). The Physics major in the Bachelor of Science is accredited by the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP). The Statistics major, with an additional subject (STA2ASM), in the Bachelor of Science is accredited by the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA).
Professional registration may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. For further details, including admission to the legal profession, please contact the professional body for details.
Questions about the course?
Check when course applications close and find out how to apply directly.
Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
Ask a question
Submit a question online. We'll get back to you within the next business day.
Fees and scholarships
Estimated course fees for international students
Estimated fees per year (2025):
Indicative based on 2024 fees
A$40 600 per 120 credit points.
Note: 120 credit points represents full-time study for one year.
Scholarships:
The International estimated fees are indicative only. The tuition fees you pay will depend on the subjects you choose to study, with each subject having its own cost. In some cases, your course fees may be higher than the indicated fees because of the subjects you choose.
Please note that additional costs are incurred from Essential requirements and additional costs.
International scholarships
Destination Australia – an Australian Government initiative
The Destination Australia scheme supports new international students to study in regional Australia and offers students a high-quality learning experience. For eligible applicants, these scholarships are worth up to A$15 000 per annum for up to four years.
Find out more about Destination Australia scholarships.
If you're a La Trobe graduate, you may be eligible for a 10 per cent fee reduction when you apply for a full-fee postgraduate coursework program. See our Alumni Advantage page for further details.
International students applying for an undergraduate or postgraduate course to study at La Trobe University can be rewarded a bonus grant for completing their admission process early. Recipients will automatically be eligible to receive an Early Bird Acceptance Grant of 5% of the first-year tuition fees.
If you’re a high-achieving international student from either Vietnam, Cambodia or the Philippines and are considering full-time undergraduate or postgraduate study, you can apply to receive a 50 - 100 per cent tuition fees scholarship for the duration of your studies from 2024.
Do you have an excellent academic record? La Trobe High Achiever Scholarships are awarded to high-achieving international students and provide up to a 25 per cent reduction in course fees for selected courses.
Note: You must first have an offer to study at La Trobe before you are eligible to apply for a La Trobe scholarship.
Questions about fees and scholarships?
Check when course applications close and find out how to apply directly.
Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
Ask a question
Submit a question online. We'll get back to you within the next business day.
How to apply
CRICOS code: 107092B
Ready to apply?
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Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
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Overview
Key facts
| Award | Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science |
|---|---|
| CRICOS code | 107092B |
| Start dates |
Indicative based on 2024 start dates Semester 1 (March 2025), Semester 2 (July 2025) |
| Duration | 5 years full-time |
| Available locations | Melbourne (Bundoora) |
| Scholarships | View fees and scholarships |
| Majors | |
| Annual tuition fee |
Indicative based on 2024 fees A$40 600 per 120 credit points.Note: 120 credit points represents full-time study for one year. |
About the Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
In La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws(Honours)/Bachelor of Science, you can pursue multiple interests and gain a powerful combination of legal skills and cutting-edge scientific knowledge.
From stem cell research to how personal information is collected, stored and shared, advances in science and technology have real human impacts. This double degree uniquely prepares you to address contemporary challenges from a scientific, legal and ethical perspective.
Benefit from our progressive approach to legal education with a law degree you can shape to your own career goals. You'll get a solid grounding in the basics of law and hone your expertise in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution – skills valued by employers across industries.
Your science degree offers you huge flexibility, with an extensive range of majors to choose from. Follow your interests in emerging areas like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data science or traditional fields including chemistry, botany and genetics. Bring knowledge to life in world-class facilities, including the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), and learn from academics who are leaders in their fields.
Take your skills into the real world while you study. You'll have the opportunity to do placements in a range of legal settings, including community legal centres, law firms, government agencies, and judges and magistrates (subject to availability). On the science side, you could complete a placement with one of our industry partners – previous students have worked with CSIRO, Bayer Crop Science, and various government departments.
You will graduate ready to start your career as an expert legal practitioner, with an advanced understanding of scientific concepts or a science professional with a solid understanding of regulatory environments and how they impact scientific work.
You'll learn:
- Dispute resolution
- Build key skills in negotiation and mediation to support your future practice. Learn about the processes of arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and negotiation in commercial disputes.
- Private and public law
- Learn to apply the legal principles underpinning contract law, develop the skills to specialise as a corporate legal expert, and discover how government power is distributed, exercised and controlled.
- Discipline-specific legal expertise
- Align your legal education to your area of scientific specialisation by choosing law electives from fields including environmental law, international law, intellectual property law, cyber law, and policy.
- Professional scientific thinking
- Learn how science contributes new knowledge and finds solutions to problems in our society.
- Lab and fieldwork skills
- Learn how to collect data and use specialist technical skills to develop new findings in the laboratory and in the field. Learn to find solutions to complex scientific problems.
The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 8 – Bachelor Degree Honours.
Have questions?
Check when course applications close and find out how to apply directly.
Call (+61 3) 6145 0033
Ask a question
Submit a question online. We'll get back to you within the next business day.
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