Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Overview

Learn the rules that shape our society and how to apply them to an industry driven by innovation. A Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) give you an accredited qualification in law that you can apply to the discipline of engineering. Learn rules that govern Australian trade laws and sharpen your technical expertise and management skills. Prepare for a career in biomedical, civil, construction, manufacturing, mechanical, network and telecommunications environments.

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Laws will be able to:

• apply the principles and doctrines that underpin the fundamental areas of Australian law and the Australian legal system
• build on and continuously develop ethical and professional responsibility in the practice of 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
• interpret issues affecting the legal status and experiences of Indigenous peoples in Australia and apply legal doctrine and other approaches to solve problems in preparation for professional practice acknowledging the culture, traditions and beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other communities
• 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
• effectively communicate persuasive legal arguments to legal and non-legal audiences
• function as an effective member or leader of a team and critically reflect on individual performance and professional development

Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) will be able to:

• apply coherent and advanced knowledge of the chosen major in engineering in diverse contexts and applications using critical thinking and judgement
• apply knowledge of research principles and methods to plan and execute a piece of research with some independence, as preparation for research higher degrees
• apply problem solving, design and decision-making methodologies to identify and provide innovative solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence
• apply abstraction, mathematics and engineering fundamentals to the analysis, design and operation of a model, using appropriate engineering methods and tools
• communicate proficiently in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a diverse team, and use the basic tools and practices of project management within project work
• exemplify professionalism, integrity, ethical conduct, professional accountability, and an awareness of professional engineering practice in a global, sustainable, and Indigenous context
• reflect on and take responsibility for their own learning and self-management processes, and manage their own time and processes effectively by regularly reviewing of personal performance as a means of managing continuing professional development and lifelong learning.

Career opportunities

Graduates will have the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings – using both law and engineering skills in workplaces 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 additionally work in media and entertainment, design, branding and advertising, and in internet companies and firms advising information-dependent industries.

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. 

All laws graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) prior to applying for admission to practice as a lawyer. Swinburne offers the opportunity to complete this PLT at the same time as completing your Bachelor of Laws via the Leo Cussen Centre for Law Swinburne Program. 

This degree program is designed to produce graduates who have the technological skills and knowledge expected of professional engineers. Graduates are eligible to apply for graduate membership of Engineers Australia.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) students must complete 650 credit points comprising of:

• Twenty (20) Core Law units (250 credit points)
• Four (4) Law Electives units (50 credit points)
• Three (3) Professional Experience units in Law (450 Professional Experience hours)
• Ten to Eleven (10-11) Core Engineering units (125-137.5 credit points)**
• Seventeen (17) units of study (212.5 credit points) from an Engineering discipline Major
• 1 Elective unit of study (12.5 credit points)**
• One (1) Professional Experience unit in Engineering (0 credit points) *(480 Professional Experience hours)

Students complete no more than 200cp (normally 16 units) at Introductory Level (i.e. Stage 1). 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.

Honours merit calculation

Honours merit calculation will be based on the averaged results of 12 units in the final two years of the course with the following descriptive outcomes:

• Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) with High Distinction; for students who achieve 80 and above
• Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) with Distinction; for students who achieve 70 – 79
• Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) with Credit; for students who achieve 60 – 69
• Bachelor of Engineering (Hons); for students who achieve less than 60

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.


Students complete no more than 200 credit points (normally 16 units) at Introductory Level (i.e. Stage 1). 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.

** Students who meet the course prerequisites for VCE Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics are not required to complete MTH00007 Preliminary Maths and will instead receive an additional 12.5 credit points to use towards their other studies as an elective.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) is 375 credit points (normally 30 units), 150 credit points maximum from Law discipline and 225 credit points from Engineering.

Volume of Learning

The Bachelor of Laws /Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) consists of 650 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points (cps). A standard annual full-time load comprises eight (8) units (100cp), and a standard annual part-time load comprises four (4) units (50cp)

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) is typically 6.5 years

This course requires students to complete 450 hours Law Professional Experience and 480 hours Engineering Professional Experience.

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. 

Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the mathematics prerequisites for this course will be required to successfully complete Swinburne's MathsLink: Methods bridging program. Mathematics prerequisites older than five years are not considered to have met course requirements.

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 

Applicants who do not meet the mathematics prerequisites for this course will be required to successfully complete Swinburne's MathsLink: Methods bridging program. Mathematics prerequisites older than five years are not considered to have met course requirements.

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 

Applicants who do not meet the mathematics prerequisites for this course will be required to successfully complete Swinburne's MathsLink: Methods bridging program. Mathematics prerequisites older than five years are not considered to have met course requirements.