Bachelor of Laws

1. Why study Law at the University of Canberra?

Our undergraduate teaching program draws on Faculty strengths in Corporate and Commercial Law and Justice.

2. Professional Recognition

This program is recognised by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and the State of New South Wales. Through mutual recognition, UC’s degree may serve as the basis for admission in all Australian jurisdictions.
Once you have completed your law degree, you will need to complete a professional practice course to be eligible for admission into legal practice. This is a requirement for graduates from all law schools who wish to become legal practitioners.
Through a program offered in conjunction with the College of Law, students may (in their final year of the Bachelor of Laws at UC) begin their Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice course that qualifies for them for admission. Arrangements exist for students to articulate into programs leading to admission in the UK and the United States.

|Back to Top|

3. Career Opportunities

About half of University of Canberra Law students intend to use their degree to practise as a lawyer. However, the growth and popularity of double degrees in law demonstrate that a legal background is useful in combination with any other professional education. Other career paths include business, contract management, law reform and policy.

|Back to Top|

4. Duration of the Course

This course is 96 credit points worth and can be completed within four years if four units are successfully completed per semester.

|Back to Top|

5. Content of the Course

1. Required Units (45 credit points)

Major in Law Foundation (21 credit points)
Major in Legal Practice (Restricted) (24 credit points)

2. Restricted choice: (27 credit points)
27 credit points of law electives. Eligible Honours students will enrol in the unit 7039 Law Honours as one of their elective law units.

3. Open Electives: (24 credit points)
24 credit points electives from any part of the University as a Major, Minor and/or individual units. Students are encouraged to broaden their study by taking subjects from law or other disciplines. You should note that you can’t do more than 30cp at level one. To get some ideas for your open electives, browse the various majors and minors in the online handbook: http://www.canberra.edu.au/courses-units/home

|Back to Top|

6. Majors

There are 2 required majors that form part of the Bachelor of Laws, and if selected they will appear on your transcript

Major in Law Foundation - 21 credit points
Legal Practice Major (restricted) - 24 credit points

|Back to Top|

7. Electives

The LL.B. students must take 27 credit points worth of law electives. In order to assist you with your choices, the elective units have been listed according to a series of specialisations:

Commercial Law
Justice, Law and Society
Legal Skills

You don't have to choose from one specialisation only, however they should help if you have an idea of an area of law in which you definitely want to specialise. You don't need to enrol in any specialisation. Please be also aware that they won't show on your transcript like majors do.

|Back to Top|

8. A Degree with Honours

To be eligible to undertake studies at honours level, a student must achieve at least a credit average in all law units undertaken at the University of Canberra, this being determined by averaging their scores in all eligible subjects. More information can be found here.

|Back to Top|

9. Winter Term Option

Students can choose to study additional units in the Winter Term or to have this period as time away
from study. The Winter Term provides a valuable opportunity for work-integrated learning, and intensive learning. Students should be able to complete the academic requirements of their courses at a faster rate and enter the workforce sooner than their peers.

|Back to Top|

10. Law Learning Resource Centre

For students who need some individual assistance with their law studies, tutors are available to help with aspects of your studies such as:
• Understanding a legal question, whether it is an essay question or a problem style question
• Preparing for an oral presentation
• Structuring a law essay
• Structuring an answer to a problem style legal question
• Legal referencing
• Finding study skills resources
This is a free service.

|Back to Top|

11. Peer-Mentoring

One of the best ways to succeed in anything is to talk to people who have done it before. All First Year students have the opportunity to participate in the Peer Mentoring Program, where you will be introduced to an experienced law student who can give you advice and support throughout your first semester. You will be able to sign up for the Peer Mentoring Program at the Law Faculty Orientation at the start of each semester.

|Back to Top|

12. First-Year Students

The Faculty of Law has set up a very useful website for all prospective students wishing to find out more about studying law. Please click here for further information.

|Back to Top|