Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

VU course code: LHLW | CRICOS: 087895C | Level of study: Undergraduate

ATAR

Not required

Duration

4 years full time or longer for part time

Delivery mode

In person

Fees

Commonwealth supported place

Location

City Campus

Applications closed

Overview

Complete a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in the standard law-degree timeframe, and improve your job prospects in a competitive market.

Our program prepares you for a rewarding career in the public or private sectors.

Aim to work as a lawyer in a top-tier law firm, or an adviser in a community organisation. We give you the broad knowledge and professional qualifications to choose your own path.

You’ll study the compulsory academic requirements to practise law, as well as areas of the law which interest you. We make sure you’re work-ready through authentic experiences with public-sector authorities such as the Magistrates’ Courts, and private law firms.

You’ll also benefit from the guidance of professionals appointed as adjuncts to the law college. These are honorary staff who hold positions in the legal community. VU’s adjunct professors include:

the Hon. Justice Chris Maxwell QC
Professor Robert Richter QC
criminal law specialist, Robert Stary
Victorian Chief Magistrate, Ian Gray
retired High Court Judge, the Hon. Michael Kirby.

Studying honours in law indicates a strong academic ability. Graduates of the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) meet the academic requirements to be admitted to legal practice in Australia.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Integrate conceptual understandings of the Australian legal system, fundamental areas of legal knowledge and relevant advanced specialist bodies of knowledge within the discipline of law.
Critically review, analyse, adapt and apply broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge of law and underlying principles and concepts in diverse contemporary international and comparative contexts.
Formulate and justify reasoned responses to legal and criminological issues through critical analysis, legal reasoning and problem solving to advance justice in authentic professional, community and global contexts.
Exhibit professional accountabilities and ethical judgement, by adapting knowledge, skills legal reasoning and research to make appropriate responses to legal issues that reflect the social, political and contextual factors.
Construct and present clear, coherent and well substantiated legal arguments and analyses for both legal and non-legal audiences, in oral and written forms.
Reflect on personal learning and skills in relation to career goals and implement effective, creative strategies to promote lifelong learning and pathways to further learning including a commitment to ongoing professional development.
Exhibit interpersonal and organisational capacities to collaborate effectively within complex, cross-cultural Australian and global legal and non-legal environments, demonstrating ethical awareness and adaptive professional conduct.
Critically reflect on and substantiate personal accountability and ethical integrity while collaborating in dynamic, team-based professional settings, ensuring socially responsible and contextually appropriate engagement.
Plan and execute a research project, professional project or piece of scholarship which demonstrates intellectual independence and contributes to the evidence base within the legal discipline.
: Our partnerships with Magistrates’ Courts and community legal services let you apply your knowledge while you study. More importantly, you’ll develop the skills needed to make a difference to the lives of real people.
You’ll gain practical legal experiences within the justice system and related organisations, including:
State Trustees Program
Victoria Police (Prosecutions Division)
Victoria Legal Aid:
Magistrate’s Courts program
Family Law Clinic
Infringements Clinic
WEstjustice:
Sunshine Youth Clinic
Family Law Clinic
Refugee Clinic.
We provide you with the grounding needed for a rewarding career in law.
: VU offers fantastic opportunities to network and learn through industry partnerships and international collaborations with exchange partners.
Some of our major clients, partners and industry associations are:
Department of Justice, Victoria
Migration Agents Registration Authority
Migration Institute of Australia
Department of Labour (New Zealand)
FCG Legal
Department of Education and Employment (Commonwealth; Learn Experience Access Professions Program)
Stary Norton Halphen Lawyers
Law Institute of Victoria
Council of Legal Education
Magistrates’ Courts of Victoria (Melbourne, Sunshine)
Society of Notaries of Victoria
Victoria Police.
: At VU, we make sure you graduate with plenty of practical experience under your belt. That’s why we encourage students to take advantage of our renowned moot program.
A moot court is a mock court which simulates the proceedings of a live court room. By participating, you’ll develop your legal skills and be work-ready to practise law in the real world.
: Study law with a second degree – and open the door to a career that combines your passion with practical skills, and helps you achieve your ambitions.
We offer the following double degrees:
Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Psychology (Honours).
: Our Queen Street law hub on our City Campus is in the heart of Melbourne's legal district.
Our dedicated law building features:
specialised law library
legal research centres including the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre
mooting court
computer labs, student lounges, study spaces and a prayer room.
You’ll gain real insight into legal practice and start building networks for your future career.

Entry requirements

When assessing your application, we consider your educational achievements and work experience, as well as your skills and personal attributes (where relevant).

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

You may also be eligible for course ‘credits’, where you are granted a unit or units towards your qualification for equivalent previous study or work experience, so you can graduate sooner.

ATAR requirements

No minimum ATAR required

This course does not have a minimum ATAR requirement for entry. Read the entry criteria for this course below.

Why ATAR is not applicable

You do not need an ATAR score to apply for this course. Instead, you need to have successfully completed secondary school and to meet any requirements outlined below. Our courses and support programs are designed to prepare students from diverse cultures for success, regardless of their ATAR, age, education or socioeconomic background.

Entry criteria

Minimum entry criteria include:

English-language requirements
academic requirements.

Your work and life experience will also be considered.

To find specific entry requirements for this course, please select the section below that is most relevant to you.

Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry into this course.

Essential for admission (all applicants)

Students in any Bachelor of Laws may apply to transfer into the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree once they have completed a minimum 192 credit points and have attained an average mark of Distinction or above i.e. 70–100%. Students will be assessed on the highest grades achieved in the top 12 Law units. Students will be further assessed on an outline of a proposed thesis topic and availability of a Victoria Law School (VLS) or First Year College (Law) based supervisor. Successful applicants will enrol in both Advanced Research Legal Methods and Advanced Legal Research Dissertation instead of 24 credit points of law electives.

: This information is relevant if, in the 2 years prior to studying with us, you have completed (or will complete) one of the following:

Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (e.g. VCE)

an Australian or overseas equivalent to VCE

an International Baccalaureate (IB).

Admission criteria

N/A
: This information is relevant if you have completed an accredited award (such as a certificate or diploma) at an Australian Registered Training Organisation (usually a TAFE, polytechnic or other registered VET institute).

Admission criteria

N/A
: This information is relevant if you’ve previously completed all or part of a university or other higher-education course.

Admission criteria

N/A
: This information is relevant if you left secondary school more than two years ago and haven’t studied since.

Admission criteria

N/A
: Take a look at a student profile to get an overview of students who have previously enrolled in this course.

Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students

(A) Past Higher Education Study
(includes a bridging or enabling course) 9 100.0%

(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study 0 0.0%

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
(regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)
NA NA

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
(e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
NA NA

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
(e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
NA NA

(D) Work and Life experience 0 0.0%

International students 0 0.0%

All students 9 100%

"<5" – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.
N/P – Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students.

Applicant background	Number of students	Percentage of all students
(A) Past Higher Education Study (includes a bridging or enabling course)	9	100.0%
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study	0	0.0%
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)	NA	NA
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)	NA	NA
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)	NA	NA
(D) Work and Life experience	0	0.0%
International students	0	0.0%
All students	9	100%

Special entry programs

Special admission programs

If you are from a disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic or cultural background, you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. These programs are designed to help you access education more easily.

Learn more about special admission programs

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

You should carefully consider the inherent requirement statement as a:

guide for your learning during the course
way for you to identify challenges you may have in studying this course.

Learn more about inherent requirements

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) students will be required to complete 384 credit points consisting of:

96 credit points of First Year Core studies
156 credit points of Core Law studies
84 credit points of Law Elective students
48 credit points of Non Law electives

To be awarded a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (For students enrolled post 1 January 2015): Students in any Bachelor of Laws course may apply to transfer into any Bachelor of Laws (Honours) course if the selection criteria is met. Students in any Bachelor of Laws course may apply to transfer into any Bachelor of Laws (Honours) course if the selection criteria is met. Students in any Bachelor of Laws may apply to transfer into the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree once they have completed a minimum 192 credit points and have attained an average mark of Distinction or above i.e. 70–100%. Applicants will be assessed on the top 12 Law units. Students will be further assessed on an outline of a proposed thesis topic and availability of a college based or college affiliated supervisor. Successful applicants will enrol in both Advanced Research Legal Methods and Advanced Legal Research Dissertation instead of 24 credit points of law electives.

Units

After you are accepted into your course, you will need to enrol in your course units.

During enrolment, use your course delivery plan to understand the structure and requirements of your course.

Fees & scholarships

University fees vary, depending on how much the government contributes towards course costs (if anything).

Read below to find out about the fee ‘type’, the estimated yearly tuition costs for this course, and the financial support on offer (including our generous scholarship program).

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is subsidised by the government, reducing it to the amount listed here. Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens will qualify for a CSP place. If your course is not Commonwealth supported, or you don't qualify, you'll pay full fees.

Learn more about Commonwealth Supported Places