C10124v4 Bachelor of Laws

Overview

The Bachelor of Laws is concerned with the total range of functions of legal practitioners in the community. The range of knowledge and skills which legal practitioners now require is extensive. Today's legal practitioners are increasingly called upon to act as negotiators to settle matters, and to advise and counsel parties. The function of legal practitioners also includes foreseeing problems and preventing the incident of disputation, as well as resolving disputes when they cannot be avoided.

The primary objective is to provide a basis upon which specialisation can be built. The course provides an overview of the legal system as a whole, as well as an opportunity to practise legal skills in differing contexts. The subjects are introductions, not to the law as a whole, but to the relevant branch of the law. They are designed to provide an understanding of the conceptual framework involved, the development of these concepts and a consideration of areas of current controversy. It is in the last area that students have the opportunity to develop their skills in the handling of legal material and thus reach the stage of independent legal creativity.

Career options

Career options include legal practitioner (solicitor or barrister) within a government or corporate department, private law firm or community law centre, or legal policy advisor; or negotiating treaties or work in legislation drafting with the Attorney-General's Department.

Additional assumed knowledge

Any two units of English.

Additional recognition of prior learning

Course duration and attendance

The course duration is four years of full-time study, or six years of part-time study. Full-time students attend 10 to 14.5 hours of lectures per week, and part-time students attend 7 to 9.5 hours of lectures per week. Timetable constraints may require attendance at both daytime and evening classes.

Course structure

The course comprises a total of 192 credit points. The study components for course completion are made up of:

• 96 credit points of compulsory core law subjects (14 subjects)
• 48 credit points of general law electives that include subjects offered by other faculties of the University (for students who have not received exemption on the basis of a recognised prior degree)
• 24 credit points of law options (four subjects), and
• either 24 credit points of practical legal training subjects (five subjects) or an additional 24 credit points of law options (four subjects).

Industrial training/professional practice

Admission to practise as a legal practitioner in NSW is based upon the successful completion of an undergraduate law degree (such as the Bachelor of Laws) plus an accredited course of practical legal training. Students can elect to attempt part of the practical legal training within the the final semester(s) of the course.

For more information about the practical legal training program, see:

Course completion requirements

Course diagram

Course program

The two programs below show the standard programs of study for a full-time student and a part-time student undertaking practical legal training within the degree.

The 72 credit points of optional subjects are made up of:

Honours

Professional recognition

Supreme Court of NSW

This course satisfies the requirements for admission as a legal practitioner, provided students undertake the optional Practical Legal Training in the final semester.

Other information

For further information, contact the Law Information Office on: