Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science

Overview

Equip yourself with the skills to succeed in commercial and intellectual property law. Our Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science give you necessary information about trademarks, patents and copyright laws to help you progress in the industry. You’ll emerge ready to work in legal fields specialising in intellectual property, media, and science.

Learning outcomes

The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science provides an accredited qualification in law whilst enabling learning to be contextualised to the discipline of science. This degree provides students with a broad science overview with the ability to specialise in a field of their choice through a range of science majors. The course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and key theoretical insights required to work in a range of professional scientific environments. A distinctive feature of the course is the practical application of knowledge through project-based units of study. The topics covered seek to blend a range of key scientific skills and knowledge required by current and projected industry needs. The degree also provides students with a broad, well-rounded legal education that inculcates an understanding of the role the law plays in our society and of how it can assist Australia as a trading nation. This is achieved by addressing policy and ethical issues and incorporating international perspectives in key units and discrete units dealing with international law, the law of some of Australia’s principal trading partners and professional scientific environments

Upon successfully completing the Bachelor of Laws, the students 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
• fffectively 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

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

• articulate the methods of science, explain why current scientific knowledge is both contestable and testable by further inquiry and explain the role and relevance of science in society
• apply a depth and breadth of scientific knowledge in at least one science disciplinary area, considering both global and Indigenous perspectives
• critically analyse and solve scientific problems by evaluating information from a range of sources, designing and planning an investigation, selecting and applying practical and theoretical techniques for that investigation and collecting, recording, interpreting and drawing conclusions from scientific data
• effectively communicate science by presenting information or arguments, to a range of audiences, for a range of purposes using a variety of modes
• adopt ownership of their own learning and scientific work by being independent and self-directed learners, working effectively and safely in an individual or team context, demonstrating knowledge of the regulatory framework relevant to the disciplinary area and practising ethical conduct.

Career opportunities

Graduates will have the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings such as law firms and barristers’ chambers, professional scientific environments, not-for-profit organisations, government, small businesses, corporate organisations and as patent attorneys.

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.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science with a major in Physics and a maths minor are eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics (MAIP).  

Undergraduate students studying physics are eligible to apply for Student  Associate Membership of the AIP

Course rules

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

• 20 core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 4 Law electives (50 credit points)
• 3 Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) (450 Professional Experience hours)
• 8 core Science units  (100credit points)
• 8 units of study from a Science major (100 credit points)

If a student selects the Science Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are still required. However, if a student selects the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived.

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:

• 20 core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 4 Law electives (50 credit points)
• 3 Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) (450 Professional Experience hours)*
• 8 core Science (100 credit points)
• 8 units of study from a Science major (100 credit points)
• 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:

• 20 core Law Units (250 credit points)
• 3 Law electives (50 credit points)
• 3 Professional Experiences in law (0 credit points) (450 Professional Experience hours)*
• 8 core Science (100 credit points)
• 8 units of study from a Science major (100 credit points)
• 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.

Volume of Learning

The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science consists of 600 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points (cps.). A standard annual full-time load comprises 100 credit points and a part-time load comprises 50 credit points.

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science is typically 5 years.

This course requires students to complete 450 hours Professional Experience. For students who complete a Professional Placement the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science consists of 550 – 600 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points with placement units carrying 25 credit points each. A standard annual full-time student load comprises 100 credit points, and a standard part-time load comprises 50 credit points.

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science with a 6-month placement is typically 5.5 years

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science with a 12 month placement is typically 6 years.

Maximum Academic Credit

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

Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the mathematics prerequisites for this course will be required to successfully complete Swinburne's MathsLink: General 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. 

Bridging courses 

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