Bachelor (Honours)
Today's workplaces are rapidly evolving. Governments, businesses and law firms need passionate professionals who not only have advanced legal expertise, but also the ability to think critically, analytically and creatively.*
La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Arts lets you enrich your legal education by pursuing your interests and passions. Open doors to a diverse range of rewarding careers, while exploring how to make a difference in your community.
Learn the fundamentals of criminal, constitutional, property and company law. Explore the legal system and understand how it can be used as a powerful and positive force in society. Develop key skills in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution.
You'll also choose from our list of arts majors and explore your area of interest. Broaden your knowledge and experience by studying areas like politics, languages, sociology, history, philosophy and media studies. Learn how to communicate effectively and think critically, analytically and creatively.
You can also choose to complete law electives that complement your arts specialisation. For example, a politics major can be matched with related subjects like public international law and human rights law. While a language or philosophy major could be augmented by subjects in areas like Indigenous Australians and the law, intellectual property law or family, society and law.
Enhance your classroom learning by taking advantage of optional internships, work experience, and our study abroad program*. Gain hands-on experience working with community legal centres, law firms and government agencies. Find out what it takes to interview clients, prepare legal advice and work with senior lawyers to develop legal solutions.
Graduate ready to make a positive difference. With combined expertise in law and arts, you can build a career as a solicitor or barrister, in-house counsel or corporate consultant, working in commercial law firms or community legal centres. You could also work in the public service as a government lawyer or support social justice initiatives in the not-for-profit sector.
You'll learn:
*Please note: overseas programs may be impacted by travel restrictions.
The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 8 - Bachelor Degree Honours.
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 Arts, students must complete a total of 600 credit points across 5 years.
Year 1 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
Year 2 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
Year 3 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
Year 4 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
Year 5 requires the completion of 120 credit points including:
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 DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW1DR 1 15 LEGAL INSTITUTIONS AND METHODS LAW1LIM 1 15 PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW LAW1CRL 1 15 PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LAW LAW1PPL 1 15 CONTRACT LAW A LAW2CTA 2 15 CONTRACT LAW B LAW2CTB 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 PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY AND TRUSTS LAW4003 5 15
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. 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.
Course majors Major code Aboriginal studies StudyFlex major
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.
Course minors Minor code Aboriginal studies StudyFlex minor
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 RESEARCH PROJECT LAW4005 5 15
Capstone subjects are required subjects in your course or major that help you integrate and apply the knowledge and skills you gain to solve real world problems. Capstone subjects are often taken towards the end of your course.
Subject name Subject code Year Credit points COMPANY LAW LAW4002 5 15The Handbook contains detailed course information designed for enrolled students, including course structures, electives and options. The delivery of this course can vary between campuses.
To view other campus handbook course details, please select relevant campus in the drop down.
Studying law in combination with arts can lead to a range of careers in the public or private sector.
Your career options include:
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Arts 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 Immigration for details.
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.