Learn about Australia’s system of justice and law making in this course. It offers training in law and social justice issues, legal and human rights, dispute resolution and juvenile justice.

The Bachelor of Arts (Legal Studies) involves study in social science, Australian legal systems and law, including sociology and legal governance.

This course will empower you to work in the recently emerging and growing ‘paralegal’ field, where you will be providing legal assistance to law professionals.

• Location:
  Footscray Park
• College:
  College of Arts
• Duration:
  3 years
• Intake:
  February and July
• Course code:
  ABSL
• CRICOS:
  028785J
• Fees:
  A$8000.00 per semester
• This information is for international students.
  Click here to see information for Australian residents

How to apply

• court officer
• paralegal
• judicial worker
• legal researcher
• law clerk

Learn more about your career options on the Australian government's Career Information and Resources website.

This course aims to:

• Develop knowledge and understanding in socio-legal studies, social sciences, law and social research in order to explore relevant problems in the social distribution of justice;
• Develop skills to problematise work in legal and justice settings;
• Develop effective communication and organising skills in the fields of law and justice;
• Develop broad awareness of theory and practice in relevant para-legal fields;
• Promote a scholarly approach to researching and reporting issues and problems in socio-legal studies.

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Legal Studies) students must have successfully completed a total of 288 credit points. All units of study are worth 12 credit points. Full-time students will normally complete an average of 48 points each semester.

In addition students must satisfy the following requirements:

• successful completion of 24 semester units of study, including 10 in the Faculty of Business and Law and 14 in the Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development.
• students may not enrol in more than 10 units of study overall at first-year level. An Arts specialisation is six units of study in the same subject area - two at first-year level and then another four at second and third-year levels.
• students in the BA (Legal Studies) course are strongly advised to undertake Sociology as their Arts specialisation. Information on other Arts units of study/specialisations offered at Footscray Park campus is available to assist in students' selection of units of study. Information regarding which law units of study are available in each semester for this year is available during the enrolment period.

• Indigenous Australian Knowing

  Unit code

  AEK1201

  Credits

  12

• Legal Research Methods

  Unit code

  BLB1114

  Credits

  12

• Torts

  Unit code

  BLB1115

  Credits

  12

• Australian Administrative Law

  Unit code

  BLB1113

  Credits

  12

• Business Law

  Unit code

  BLO1105

  Credits

  12

• Legal Topics B

  Unit code

  BLO3352

  Credits

  12

• Australian Legal System in Context

  Unit code

  BLB1101

  Credits

  12

• Sociology of Law

  Unit code

  ASS3009

  Credits

  12

• Sociology 2 / 3e: the Eco-Social: Place, Policy and Politics

  Unit code

  ASS3036

  Credits

  12

• Professional and Career Development

  Unit code

  ACX3003

  Credits

  12

• Law and Governance

  Unit code

  ASL3002

  Credits

  12

• Inquiring Into the Social

  Unit code

  ASS3037

  Credits

  12

• Year 12: VCE with minimum study score of 20 in English units 3 and 4 (any).
• International: Completion of a secondary school qualification equivalent to Australia’s year 12 or VCE qualification. IELTS minimum 6.0 (no band less than 6) or equivalent.
• Mature: Applicants with relevant work, education and/or community experience may be considered on the basis of equivalence.

English language requirements

Find out if you meet the entry requirements, including English language and academic requirements.