Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Criminology

VU course code: LBLC | CRICOS: 102416E | Level of study: Undergraduate

Duration

4.5 years

Delivery mode

In person, Online Self-Paced

Fees

Tuition fee per semester : AU$15,500

Location

City Campus, Online Self-Paced

Next start date

29 July 2024

View all start dates

Overview

Launch a career investigating and prosecuting crime, or defending the criminally accused, with a law and criminology degree from VU.

Our Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Criminology will give you broad knowledge of the causes and consequences of crime. You'll gain expertise in criminal investigation, sentencing, and security, at national and international levels.

You will also develop practical skills in investigating and providing strategic advice in relation to crime and crime management.

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the academic requirements to become an Australian Lawyer, as required by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB). In order to become an Australian Lawyer, you'll also need to complete Practical Legal Training or an equivalent.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Integrate conceptual and practical understandings of criminology, the Australian legal system, and 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 criminology and underlying principles and concepts in diverse contemporary local and international and comparative contexts;

Identify, articulate and respond to legal and criminological issues by critically analysing and applying information with initiative and judgement in order to both anticipate and creatively solve problems and promote justice in authentic/contemporary professional, community and global settings;

Exhibit professional accountabilities and ethical judgement, by evaluating, synthesising and adapting knowledge, skills, criminological and legal reasoning and research to make appropriate responses to legal issues that reflect the social, political and contextual factors

Communicate a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and skills appropriate for legal and non-legal audiences, in both oral and written form;

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. 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;

Critically review, analyse, adapt and apply broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge of law and underlying principles and concepts in diverse contemporary local and international and comparative contexts;

Contribute effectively, with personal accountability for outcomes in a dynamic 21st century work team, working in an ethical and socially responsible manner.
: Learn to apply your law and criminology study in simulated workplace environments and tasks, including:

advising clients

resolving disputes

mediation

using principled persuasion.
You may also take part in our renowned moot program, and gain invaluable experience through our Supreme Court and County Court internship programs. We offer placement opportunities at Victoria Police and Legal Aid, among many others.
: If you’d like a dynamic and fulfilling job in law, learn from the best at VU.

Our lecturers and adjunct professors include some of Australia’s most reputable legal professionals, sharing their many years of experience and knowledge. They 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.
: 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

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’.

If you've completed a qualification where English was the primary language of instruction, you may be eligible for an exemption of English-language requirements.

In some cases, there may be additional entry requirements.

Learn more about entry requirements for international students.

Entry criteria

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 awards of Bachelor of Law / Bachelor of Criminology students will be required to complete in total 432 credit points consisting of:

96 credit points of First Year Core studies
156 credit points of Professional Core Law study
120 credit points of Professional Core Criminology studies
60 credit points of Elective studies

To attain the award of Bachelor of Law (Honours) students will be required to transfer in Year 5 to LHLW Bachelor of Laws (Honours) based on eligibility and must complete:

24 credit points of Honours units in the final year of study

To be awarded a Bachelor of Laws with Honours:

Students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws prior to 31 Dec 2014 may apply to undertake the unit Advanced Legal Research Dissertation in their later years in this degree based on a GPA of 7 or above as calculated by the Victoria Law School. Students will be awarded a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (Class H1, H2A, H2B or H3) dependant on their GAP score and overall mark in Advanced Legal Research Dissertation.

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. Students with only 8 or less units to complete, will be assessed on top 12 Law units completed. Where average score is 70% or above for the top 12 Law units completed, students are eligible to make an application for transfer into Honours degree, and will be further assessed on an outline of proposed thesis topic and availability of a collage based or college affiliated supervisor. Where approved, students must have at least 2 spaces of law electives available and once transferred must enrol in both Advanced Legal Research Methods and Advanced Legal Research Dissertation. In order to graduate with honours, students must successfully pass both these units.

Units

Fees & Scholarships

As an international student at Victoria University, you will be required to pay your tuition fees up front each semester.

There may be additional materials fees throughout your studies, depending on your chosen course, as well as an administrative fee as part of your course.

Victoria University is proud to support our international scholarship recipients and sponsored students.

Fees

Scholarships

CAREERS

When you graduate from a Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Criminology at Victoria University, you’ll be in high demand because we’ll make sure you’re job-ready.

You could work as a lawyer or in legal practice in areas including criminal law, family law, commercial law and business. Many of our graduates choose to work in community legal centres providing legal access to disadvantaged groups, and in not-for-profit organisations.

Roles in the legal field include:

solicitor
lawyer
policy adviser
legal adviser
human-rights advocate.

Your qualification will be widely recognised in areas including:

forensic work
police work
community legal settings
legal aid
security and intelligence organisations
paralegal work
youth justice
correctional services
community services.

Salaries

Visit Jobs and Skills Australia to find average salaries in Australia for various law/legal professions:

VU Stories

Grabbing opportunities with both hands

Bachelor of Laws

"The endless opportunities provided by VU, along with my hard work, led me to successfully obtaining a seasonal clerkship and then a graduate lawyer position."

Ante's story