Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Psychological Studies

VU course code:LBWPLevel of study:Undergraduate

Domestic only

ATAR

Lowest selection rank: 75*

Duration

5 years full time or longer for part time

Delivery mode

In Person

Fees

Commonwealth supported place

Location

City Campus

Intakes

View all intakes

Overview

Gain expertise in the intersection of psychology and the law, with a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Psychological Studies at Victoria University.

In just five years, this unique double degree allows you to blend a comprehensive legal education with in-depth psychological studies. Gain a global perspective on social justice while delving into the complexities of human behaviour, motivation, relationships, communication and cognitive processes.

Explore how the mind works while building a strong foundation in law. You’ll develop critical analytical skills to better understand yourself, your clients, and the world around you.

This degree opens doors to careers where law, psychology, and mental health intersect. Whether you want to work as a lawyer, psychologist, or in roles that bridge both fields, this program sets you on the path to a rewarding and impactful career.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Integrate conceptual understandings of psychology theories and fundamental areas of legal knowledge and relevant advanced specialist bodies of knowledge within the discipline of law and psychological studies.
Critically review, analyse, adapt and apply broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge of law and psychological studies and underlying principles and concepts in diverse contemporary local and 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 evaluating, synthesising and adapting knowledge, skills legal reasoning and research to make appropriate responses 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 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.
: You will benefit from VU’s many industry connections. These partnerships and programs include:
Victoria Police
Magistrates’, County and Supreme Courts
community legal centres
WEstjustice.
Through the Bachelor of Psychological Studies you’ll have an opportunity to engage in a fieldwork placement.
The Bachelor of Laws enables you to take advantage of law internship programs.
This real work experience in your chosen field may lead directly to future career opportunities.
: This course offers various possibilities to ensure you get the most out of it. There are work integrated learning opportunities, with placement and internship options.
You can enter having studied one of the two disciplines, and you can exit the program early with only one degree. There is also the option to include a sixth Psychology Honours year.
: 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

Minimum ATAR: 75*

ATAR related adjustments

A study score of 35 in English (EAL) equals 5 aggregate points. A study score of 30 in English other than EAL, any History, Legal Studies, Australian Politics, Global Politics or Psychology equals 5 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 20 points.

This course has a minimum ATAR entry requirement. This means you’ll need to achieve a certain ATAR, along with other criteria, to be considered for this course.

The following table shows the ranking results of our current student intake and is an indication of the ATAR you’ll need to successfully apply.

* Minimum ATAR scores are estimated. Use as a guide only

VU course code: LBWP
VTAC course code: 4302410471
Campus: City Campus

ATAR profile of people who received an offer for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Psychological Studies.
	ATAR (Excluding adjustment factors)	Selection Rank (ATAR including adjustment factors)
Highest rank to receive an offer	Not published	Not published
Median rank to receive an offer	Not published	Not published
Lowest rank to receive an offer	Not published	Not published

Learn more about ATAR

What is ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) compares the results of final-year school students, with adjustments made for factors such as hardship. The ranking is expressed as a number between 0 and 99.95. ATAR minimum entry requirements are not usually essential entry criteria for applicants who have completed secondary education more than 2 years ago.

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.

: 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
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English.
PLUS:
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in one of Economics, any History, Legal Studies, Australian Politics, Global Politics or Psychology.
: 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
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
: This information is relevant if you’ve previously completed all or part of a university or other higher-education course.
Admission criteria
Completion of at least one semester of an Australian Higher Education award (or equivalent).
: This information is relevant if you left secondary school more than two years ago and haven’t studied since.
Admission criteria
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate more than two years ago.
PLUS:
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English (or equivalent).
PLUS:
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in one of Economics, any History, Legal Studies, Australian Politics, Global Politics or Psychology.
: 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) <5 <5
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study <5 <5
(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 <5 100%
"<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)	<5	<5
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study	<5	<5
(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	<5	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

Additional information

All applicants are encouraged to complete the law supplementary form which may be used to adjust an applicant’s Selection Rank.

The form will be available at: https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/your-course/forms/supplementary-admission-forms

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 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 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.

In order to be eligible to advance to the Psychology Honours year of the course, students must achieve the stringent academic admission criteria that are required for Honours programs in Psychology. Academic admission standards are based on the average grade across all core second and third year psychology units. Students who have successfully completed the first five years of study but have not met the academic admission requirements for the Honours year will be eligible to apply to graduate with a Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Psychological Studies degree. In the Psychology Honours year of study students must complete an additional six units of study (96 credit points).

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/Bachelor of Psychological Studies will be required to complete 480 credit points in total consisting of: 96 credit points of First Year Core Law and Psychology units 180 credit points of Professional Core Law units 120 credit points of Professional Core Psychological Studies units; 60 credit points of Law electives; 24 credit points of Psychology 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 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 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 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.

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

Careers

With this double degree you'll be able to pursue careers in law, justice and the courts. You could also work in legal community centres, community services or human resource management, or other fields where there is an interaction between the law, psychology and mental health.

Example job titles are:

human resources consultant
mediator
industrial relations adviser
legal practitioner (barrister or solicitor)
talent management executive
in-house legal counsel
psychologist
social researcher.

After graduation, you will meet the academic requirements as required by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board. Admission as an Australian lawyer can be obtained after successful completion of the Practical Legal Training requirements.

This course is part of a pathway towards a profession in psychology, in fields such as clinical psychology, clinical neuropsychology or organisational psychology. With further study, you’ll be eligible to apply for Provisional Registration as a psychologist by the Psychology Board of Australia.

This course includes the Priestley 11 units, as set out by the Council of Legal Education. Completion of these units will satisfy the academic component for students wishing to be admitted as an Australian lawyer in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Salary

Visit Jobs and Skills Australia to find average salaries for various law/psychology professions in Australia.

Intakes

Melbourne

On campus – Melbourne City Campus

Summer block

Course starts 11 January 2027

Applications close03 January 2027

Semester 1 - Block 1

Course starts 15 February 2027

Applications close07 February 2027

Semester 1 - Block 3

Course starts 26 April 2027

Applications close18 April 2027

Apply via VTAC if you are:

in Year 12 or
applying to multiple universities

VTAC course code 4300210471

VTAC late applications are due by 30 October 2026

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information on this page, please note that dates are subject to change. Some courses may close early due to an earlier start date or there being limited places available.

Professional accreditation/Industry recognition

Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)

This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)

Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB)

This course is accredited by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB) as satisfying the Board's academic requirement for admission.

VU stories

What gives VU law students the edge?

CEO, WEstjustice

"We find the practical experience VU offers invaluable when seeking new employees because they’ve already demonstrated their capacity to undertake the work."

Denis' story