Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business

Overview

Think like an entrepreneur. Move like a lawyer. Our Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business is the only double degree in Victoria that specialises in commercial law and intellectual property law. 

Learn about trademarks, patents and designs, copyright, misleading or deceptive conduct, and competition law. Plus, gain essential skills in next-gen business management and operations.

Learning outcomes

The Bachelor of Laws provides an accredited qualification in law and educates students to meet the challenges of a profession and society that are increasingly diverse, complex and technologically sophisticated. It provides a rigorous and intellectually challenging legal education that develops and enhances legal knowledge and a broad range of skills necessary for legal practice; promoting respect for the Rule of Law and adherence to ethical conduct and professional responsibility.

When combined with the Bachelor of Business, graduates will have developed the core knowledge and skills essential to business management and operations in the 21st Century. Graduates are entrepreneurial thinkers with the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings such as not-for-profits, government, small businesses and corporate organisations.

The amalgamation of these two comprehensive degrees produces graduates that are highly capable candidates for a broad range of career opportunities, expanding beyond law and business.

Upon successfully completing the Bachelor of Laws, students will be able to:

• describe and demonstrate the application of the fundamental areas of Australian law and the Australian legal system and of the principles and doctrines that underpin them
• describe and demonstrate the application of ethical and professional responsibility in the practice of the law and a commitment to the pursuit of justice
• analyse and evaluate the interdisciplinary contexts in which legal issues arise and the disciplines and policy considerations that influence the content and operation of the law
• describe and compare the international legal order and the law and legal systems of Australia’s major trading partners
• critically evaluate events or factual situations, identify the legal issues to which they give rise and develop and articulate appropriate and creative responses
• undertake and critically evaluate research from a variety of sources to make judgements to solve complex legal problems with intellectual independence
• demonstrate effective and persuasive communication capabilities with legal and non-legal audiences
• communicate proficiently in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a diverse team and critically reflect on individual performance and professional development.
   

Upon successfully completing the Bachelor of Business students, will be able to:

• define and integrate theoretical principles applicable to a business discipline and apply those principles in a range of practices
• systematically review and critically evaluate research from a variety of sources in order to make informed judgements on options for innovatively solving a range of problems that arise in business contexts
• formulate creative solutions that are fit for purpose and demonstrate cognisance of the impact of business decisions on the environment, economy and society
• coherently articulate a line of reasoning demonstrating cultural sensitivity and apply a framework to analyse and offer solutions to ethical dilemmas
• communicate a range of business arguments by evaluating and implementing alternative communication strategies as appropriate to the audience
• build on and continuously develop the intellectual independence to be critical and reflective learners, cognisant of new technologies
• work collaboratively in diverse groups.

Career opportunities

Graduates will be entrepreneurial thinkers with the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings such as law firms and barristers’ chambers, not-for-profit organisations, government, small businesses and corporate organisations. In particular, the specialisation in intellectual property law equips graduates for careers in the new knowledge economy, giving them the skills to work in media and entertainment, design, branding and advertising, and in internet companies and firms advising information-dependent industries.

Furthermore, graduates may wish to seek employment in a wide range of fields such as accounting, business analysis, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, international business, management, marketing, public relations or tourism.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practice as a lawyer in the Victorian and Australian Federal legal systems as set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board. Please be advised that non-academic requirements must also be satisfied for admission to practice and that no law degree allows graduates to practise straight away.

Graduates with an Accounting Major may be eligible to apply for membership of CPA Australia (CPAA), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) or the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).

The Finance major, in the Bachelor of Business and related double degrees, is recognised under the CFA Institute Affiliated University. The course covers at least 70% of Level 1 of the CFA program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) placing emphasis on the CFA Institute Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice. This recognition signals to students, employers and the marketplace that that Swinburne’s curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and is well suited to preparing you for employment in the finance and investment industry, and for sitting the CFA examination. Students of the Finance major may be eligible for CFA Program Student Scholarships.

Course rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business, students must complete 500 credit points comprising:

• twenty [20] core Law Units (250 credit points)
• four [4] Law electives (50 credit points)
• three [3] Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) *
• sixteen [16] Business units (200 credit points) 
  • eight [8] core units (100 credit points)
  • eight [8] units of study from one Business major (100 credit points)
     

Students complete no more than 200 credit points (16 units) at Introductory Level (i.e. Stage 1 - eg: LAW1XXXX). A unit of study can only be counted once. Where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternative unit. 

Domestic students also have an opportunity to undertake a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Professional Placement. Please note that due to government regulation international students holding a student visa are not able to undertake Professional Placements in this course.

Professional placements

Professional placements are subject to a competitive selection process.

Students who undertake a 12-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 575 credit points comprising:

• twenty [20] core Law units (250 credit points)
• two [2] Law electives (25 credit points)
• three [3] Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) * (see note below)
• sixteen [16] Business units (200 credit points)
  • eight [8] core units (100 credit points)
  • eight [8] units of study from one Business major (100 credit points)
• four [4] units of study from the Professional Placement Co-Major (100 credit points)
   

Students who elect to undertake a 6-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 537.5 credit points comprising:

• twenty [20] core Law units (250 credit points)
  
• two [2] Law electives (25 credit points)
• three [3] Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) * (see note below)
• sixteen [16] Business Units (200 credit points)
  • eight [8] core units (100 credit points)
  • eight [8] units of study from one Business major (100 credit points)
• two [2] units of study from the Professional Placement co-major (50 credit points)
   

* Please note if a student selects the Business Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are required to be completed. If student selects the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business is 250 credit points (normally 20 units), 150 credit points maximum from Law discipline and 100 credit points from Business discipline.

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.