Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

Name: Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Author: Queensland University of Technology

Highlights

Learn to apply psychological principles to legal issues and concerns.
Benefit from meaningful connections with high profile industry employers and classes with leading and internationally renowned experts.
Graduate to work in the development of mental health and legal policies, in legal-psychological research, or as a lawyer in corporate, social or clinical environments.
Take the first step towards a career as a registered psychologist.

Highlights

Learn to apply psychological principles to legal issues and concerns.
Benefit from meaningful connections with high profile industry employers and classes with leading and internationally renowned experts.
Graduate to work in the development of mental health and legal policies, in legal-psychological research, or as a lawyer in corporate, social or clinical environments.
Take the first step towards a career as a registered psychologist.

Make a
MID-YEAR RESOLUTION MID-YEAR RESOLUTION

Apply by 30 May
Start study in July

Gain practical skills and professional connections to thrive in your chosen career.

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Apply now
Start study in July

Boost or change your career with a postgraduate degree.

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Why choose this course?

The course will give you insight into the worlds of psychology and law, with particular relevance to health law. It will allow you to take a psychological perspective on legal and mental health issues, and be able to advise on and analyse legal situations. The psychology component provides an understanding of human behaviour (including social, clinical and cognitive studies), with application to forensic and legal settings. You will develop skills in communication, research, problem solving and critical analysis that can be applied in a range of settings in both the public and private sectors.

QUT’s Bachelor of Laws (Honours) is a higher-level qualification than a bachelor degree, as it has honours-level content integrated throughout the course. The advanced knowledge and skills in this course will benefit your professional career, or future research and study.

As a student, you will benefit immediately and into the future from:

a course that has been designed in consultation with industry to have a strong foundation in contemporary law knowledge, understanding and experience
meaningful connections with high profile industry employers
practical and effective hands-on learning experiences during your studies
classes with leading and expert teachers
international study and placement opportunities
our high quality law library, expert librarians and Law Moot Court facilities

Real-world learning

You will study a combination of psychology and law units in the first four years, with law units and electives only in the final three semesters.

In your first year, you will be introduced to foundation psychology along with the law of torts (negligence, damages and no fault compensation schemes), legal interviewing, legal problem solving and dispute resolution.

In your second year, you can choose an introductory law elective unit and will learn social and organisational psychology, research design and data analysis, criminal law, legal research, developmental psychology, counselling and the variety of contexts in which Australian law operates.

Your third year of study will further develop your psychology skills with your choice of a psychology unit and you will also further develop your knowledge and skills in the law by studying constitutional law, commercial and personal property law, contract law, and equity and trusts.

In fourth year, you can choose two to three electives to study alongside physiological psychology, real property law, psychopathology, administrative law and evidence.

In your final semesters you will study law units only and the course allows you to choose general and advanced law elective units that interest you. You will also study corporate law, commercial remedies, civil procedure and ethics, before undertaking a legal research capstone project.

Explore this course

What to expect Career outcomes Details and units Requirements Fees Scholarships

What to expect

Assessment items or practicum

Designed in consultation with industry to ensure you acquire a strong foundation of knowledge and experience, our law programmes support and develop students to successfully transition from university to their legal career.

Students benefit from innovative, scholarly teaching and learning through:

progressive assessments and open book exams
an emphasis on independent learning and research skills
small groups in core subjects
practical skills and industry connections from work placements, industry projects, mock trials and mooting competitions and analysis of real cases and legislation.

Career outcomes

A double degree in psychology and law offers you greater flexibility in your career. You will enter the workforce with a solid scientific and practical base making you suitable for positions in the development of mental health and legal policies, in research in the legal-psychological domain, and to work as either a lawyer or psychologist within legal, corporate, government, social and clinical arenas. Developing health law or advising clients on health law issues is another option to combine both sets of skills. The skills and knowledge you have acquired will be transferable to a wide range of areas such as business or to communication and policy advice roles.

The double degree will also allow you to work in legal environments as a solicitor, in-house lawyer, Crown Law officer or mediator. Outside the specialist psychology and legal environments, the skills and knowledge you have acquired will be transferable to a wide range of areas such as business, communication and policy and public service.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). To pursue a career in a professional area of psychology, you will need to undertake further study to gain registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

For further information on psychology, please refer to the Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) online course information.

The law degree is approved by the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board. If you want to become a lawyer at the end of your degree, you will need to complete further practical legal training (PLT) before you can apply for admission to practice. We offer PLT in the form of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

Research pathways

Completing a degree with an honours component provides a pathway into research careers. You may be interested in the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, based at our Gardens Point campus.

Possible careers

Barrister
In-House Lawyer
Policy Officer
Psychologist
Solicitor

Requirements

OP 6

Rank 89

These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2019.

Don't have an OP or rank?

Find out other ways you can apply

Starting uni in 2021?

There are some changes to subjects and the qualifications we’ll consider for entry to QUT from 2021 and beyond. Make sure you’re prepared to apply.

Find out how these changes might affect you

Course code: IX82

QTAC code: 409572

CRICOS code: 083021G

Campus

Gardens Point
Kelvin Grove

Campus

Gardens Point
Kelvin Grove

Duration: 5.5 years full-time

Duration: 5.5 years full-time

Entry: February and July

Entry: February and July

OP Guarantee: Yes

Deferment: You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

Assumed knowledge

Before you start this course we assume you have sound knowledge in these areas:

English

We assume that you have knowledge equivalent to four semesters at high school level (Years 11 and 12) with sound achievement (4, SA). Recommended Study: Maths A, B or C.

More about assumed knowledge

Guaranteed entry

If you receive an adjusted OP 1-5 (or equivalent selection rank), you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

Advanced standing

If you have prior studies or work experience, you may be eligible for advanced standing (credit). You can apply for advanced standing once you've been accepted to QUT. If you're in your first semester of study, you must apply for advanced standing within 10 days of receiving your offer.

More about advanced standing

Deferment

You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

More about deferring your offer

Adjustments to your selection rank

Any adjustments you receive to your selection rank (or OP equivalent) will be applied to this course.

Find out if you’re eligible for an adjustment to your selection rank

Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2018

The scores listed in the tables below reflect the offers that were made to recent school leavers. If you are not a school leaver, take a look at the entry thresholds box at the top of this page to see the lowest adjusted scores required overall to receive an offer.

	Excluding adjustments		Including adjustments
	OP	Selection rank	OP	Selection rank
Highest OP/selection rank to receive an offer	OP 2	Selection rank 97	OP 1	Selection rank 99
Median OP/selection rank to receive an offer	OP 4	Selection rank 93	OP 3	Selection rank 95
Lowest OP/selection rank to receive an offer	OP 7	Selection rank 86	OP 6	Selection rank 89

You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.

Other admission options

If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).

Minimum academic requirements

I completed my studies outside of Australia

Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide to the grades you need to apply for this course.

If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.

I completed secondary school in Australia

Guide to entry thresholds

These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2019.

OP: 6

Rank: 89

Did you get an OP 1-5?

If you completed secondary school in Australia and received an OP 1-5 or equivalent, and you meet the course prerequisites, you are guaranteed an offer for this course in the January offer round

Minimum English language requirements

Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide on meeting QUT’s English language requirements.

Your scores and prior qualifications in English-speaking countries are considered. Approved English-speaking countries are Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, United States of America and Wales.

If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.

We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests.

English Test	Overall	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
Cambridge Advanced English Score Test must be taken within 2 years of commencement at QUT. You must provide your Cambridge English Candidate ID and Candidate Secret Number, these are printed on your Cambridge English Confirmation of Entry.	176	169	169	169	169
IELTS Academic Test must be taken within 2 years of commencement at QUT.	6.5	6	6	6	6
Pearson PTE (Academic) Test must be taken within 2 years of commencement at QUT. Please assign your test to QUT in your Pearson profile.	58	50	50	50	50
TOEFL iBT Test must be taken within 2 years of commencement at QUT.	79	16	16	21	18

Don't have the English language score you need? We can help!

We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.

When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.

Haven't completed an English language test? We can help!

If you have not completed an English language test, you can sit the IELTS test at our IELTS test centre

Course requirements

There are requirements that you will need to meet as a student in this course. You will need to identify these requirements and ensure you allow sufficient time to meet them. Some of these requirements have associated costs.

Blue card: You must undergo a criminal history check for working with children and be issued with a suitability card (blue card) before commencing clinical placement/practicum in an organisation where they may work with children or young people.

The processing of your application may take several months so you must submit your blue card application to HiQ as early as possible to ensure you have your card before you begin any unit that requires contact with children. There is no charge for student blue cards. Students who already have a blue card must register it with QUT.

Information is available from the Additional course requirements and costs website.

Applying for this course

Applicants with recent secondary education

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Applicants with higher education study

Applicants with work and life experience

Find out more if you are an international applicant

Applying for this course

Applicants with recent secondary education

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Applicants with higher education study

Applicants with work and life experience

Find out more if you are an international applicant

Fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.

2020 fees

2020 CSP $9,400 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2020 fees

2020: $30,700 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2019 fees

2019: CSP $9,300 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2019 fees

2019: $29,400 per year full-time (96 credit points)

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Find out more about undergraduate course fees

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

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

Find out more about government loans

Scholarships

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

Browse all scholarships

QUT Faculty of Law Founders' Scholarship

A scholarship for undergraduate law students studying in the Faculty of Law.

Scholarship eligibility: Struggling financially

Applications

Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship (Academic)

A scholarship for future undergraduate students who want to study in any faculty.

Scholarship eligibility: Academic performance

Applications

Equity scholarships scheme

A scholarship for low-income students studying in any faculty.

Scholarship eligibility: Struggling financially

Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship (Elite Athlete)

A scholarship for future undergraduate students who want to study in any faculty.

Scholarship eligibility: Sporting excellence

Applications

You may also be eligible for

Centerlink payments

Real student

'One of my psychology lecturers works in domestic violence counselling and often speaks to us about how real people are affected by it. It’s these kind of case studies that interest me because I know I’m going to encounter difficult situations like this when I’m a barrister.'

Daniel Argyris

Watch video

Learn from the best

Science (Psychology) program and QUT researcher, Dr Melanie White, received a highly regarded Churchill Fellowship in 2013 to pursue her research into the genes linked to substance abuse in adults. The results of her research will help clinicians make customised treatment plans based on someone’s specific genetic profile.

Accreditation

Full accreditation with the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council means that this course is accredited by a national and international accreditation authority, giving you a highly recognised qualification. This course is part of a sequence that can lead to eligibility for registration as a psychologist. APAC is the only Australian entity with the authority to accredit courses that will be recognised by the Psychology Board of Australia.