Bachelor of Laws

Overview

• Be in demand – the majority of our Law graduates are in full time work or further study within 4 months of graduation.
• Meets academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia.
• Flexible learning options such as downloadable lectures, 24 hour computer labs, electronic moot court.
• External education available for Australian students outside Brisbane.
• Recognised for solicitor’s admission in East Malaysia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea (also in India and West Malaysia after completion of qualifying exams).

Details

Why choose this course?

QUT’s four-year law degree will provide you with a balance of theory and practice. Through your study you will acquire an understanding of the key areas of law and will develop a broad range of knowledge, skills and values in areas such as legal research, problem solving and oral and written communication. Our course will also assist you to understand and promote the ethical standards of the legal profession and to appreciate international and Indigenous perspectives.

Alignment with career interests

As you progress through your degree you will complete the 18 compulsory units required for admission as a legal practitioner. You will also choose elective units that align with your career interests. The law course provides many opportunities for study in elective areas. Although many of our graduates become practising lawyers, we recognise that a law degree may also provide the foundation for a career in government, a community organisation or business.

We offer elective study relevant to the following career paths:

• general legal practice – work as a lawyer across a wide range of different legal areas
• specialist legal practice – work as a lawyer specialising in a particular area of the law, such as property, family or media law
• advocacy and dispute resolution – act for clients in court or resolve disputes through negotiation and mediation processes
• public sector – work in policy, research or administration in a government department
• private enterprise – work in management or administration in a business.

QUT law graduates have an excellent track record of securing exciting positions. Over the past five years more than 90 per cent of graduates have been in full-time work or further full-time study within four months of their graduation.

Up-to-date study areas

We constantly review and update our range of elective offerings to ensure that they are in step with the real world. We currently offer elective study in the following areas:

• technology and intellectual property
• human rights
• property and environment
• commercial and consumer
• international
• legal skills
• research and theory
• work placements.

Admission to practice

At the end of your law degree you will have completed the necessary units for admission to legal practice in Australia. If you want to become a practising lawyer you will need to complete further practical legal training(PLT) and then apply for admission.

QUT’s PLT, the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, provides the knowledge, skills, understanding and values required to become a competent entry-level legal practitioner. The course is available in full-time, internal mode and part-time, online mode. The course complies with the Law Admissions Consultative Council’s Competency Standards for entry-level lawyers and is approved by the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.

The Bachelor of Laws is also recognised for solicitor’s admission in East Malaysia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and in India and West Malaysia after completion of these countries’ qualifying examinations.

Units

Your course

You will complete 18 compulsory law units that cover the areas of knowledge required for admission as a legal practitioner. You will also choose 14 elective units that align with your desired career path and areas of interest.

Year 1

You will initially undertake a two-week intensive program followed by a suite of units introducing you to foundation legal concepts. You will learn about the Australian legal system and legal principles that you will build upon in later years. You will develop important legal knowledge and skills, such as research, problem solving, legal interviewing and negotiation. You also undertake contextual units that will enhance your understanding of how the law operates in practice and provide foundation knowledge in the areas of human rights and international law. You will be introduced to ethical, international and Indigenous legal perspectives.

Year 2

You will study key legal areas such as criminal, property and constitutional law. You will build upon the knowledge gained from your first year of study and extend the range of your legal skills by practising court advocacy and document drafting. You may develop an interest in a particular area of law and will start choosing elective units that align with your areas of interest.

Years 3 and 4

In the final years of your degree you will learn about principles relevant to legal practice, such as court procedure, the rules of evidence and how to act for clients in an ethical and professional manner. You will further develop legal skills, such as negotiation and advocacy, and will have a better understanding of the work of lawyers as professionals and officers of the court. You may also participate in workplace learning where you can apply what you have studied in legal settings, such as in law firms, government departments or community organisations.

Entry requirements

External Studies Additional Entry Requirements

Entry to the distance education (external) mode of the course is restricted to students who reside in Australia outside the Brisbane City Council boundaries.

Students who reside within the Brisbane City Council may be considered under exceptional circumstances. A covering letter outlining your exceptional circumstances claim with supporting documentation must accompany your admission application form.

Course fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. All fees are based on current fixed fee prices. We review fees annually.

HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay your course fees

You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.

Find out if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan

Scholarships and financial support

You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.

View all scholarships

You may also be eligible for Centrelink payments