University of Technology SydneyHandbook 2007

C10238v1 Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Information and Media) Bachelor of Laws

Award(s): Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (BA)

CRICOS code: 060175B
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 244
Course EFTSL: 5.083
Faculty/institute responsible: Law
Collaborating faculty/institute: Humanities and Social Sciences
Location: City campus

Note(s)

This new course will be available for enrolment in 2008.


Overview
Career options
Additional assumed knowledge
Additional recognition of prior learning
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Industrial training/professional practice
Course completion requirements
Course program
Professional recognition
Other information

Overview

Available for the first time in 2008, the Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Information and Media) Bachelor of Laws is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. This new interdisciplinary course aims to develop knowledge and skills in law and the dynamic area of information and media. Through a 'learning through making' approach, this course is collaborative and critical in its study of creative information practices and how the law interrelates.

The course develops a broad range of capabilities for professional practice in information and law. This is particularly relevant to the creation, organisation, retrieval, access and flow of information, particularly within electronic environments such as blogs and podcasts where students develop skills in web design and architecture, media research, and writing information and media content for diverse audiences. Students learn to solve problems encountered in areas where the law intersects with information and communication technologies within society, and engage with pertinent ethical questions.

Career options

Career options include work as legal practitioners, web designers, information architects, media researchers, information managers, content developers or content managers, librarians, database designers, collection developers, project managers, and in many other roles particularly in legal and business contexts.

Additional assumed knowledge

HSC English and computer literacy.

Additional recognition of prior learning

Arrangements for recognition of prior learning for study undertaken at other institutions will be negotiated during 2007.

Course duration and attendance

The course is offered on a five-year, full-time basis, during which the Arts degree studies are integrated with studies in Law. Students are required to attend approximately 17 hours of seminars and lectures per week, and may be required to attend evening classes.

Course structure

The course comprises 244 credit points. It allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Information and Media) and Bachelor of Laws. The study components for course completion are as follows:

The Law component of 144 credit points is made up of:

  • 102 credit points of compulsory core law subjects (14 subjects)
  • 18 credit points of law options (three subjects), and
  • either 24 credit points of practical legal training subjects (five subjects) or an additional 24 credit points of law options (four subjects).

The Arts component of 100 credit points is made up of:

  • 24 credit points of compulsory first-year subjects (four subjects)
  • 44 credit points of Professional subjects (six subjects)
  • 24 credit points of Disciplinary subjects (three subjects), and
  • 8 credit points of HSS Elective Studies (one subject).

Industrial training/professional practice

Admission to the Supreme Court of NSW to practice as a legal practitioner in NSW is based upon the successful completion of an accredited legal qualification (e.g. the UTS Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training. The UTS Practical Legal Training (PLT) program is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board of the Supreme Court of NSW. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws or combined Bachelor of Laws degrees have the option of completing the PLT program within their undergraduate law degree. Students who take this option must be in their final semester of study in their law degree and students in combined degrees must have completed a minimum of 48 credit points of their studies in the non-Law degree prior to enrolling in the PLT program. Students who wish to practice as legal practitioners in NSW but choose not to attempt practical legal training within their undergraduate law degree are required to complete a course in practical legal training following completion of their law degree, such as the UTS Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (C07075).

Further details about the PLT program can be found online at:

Course completion requirements

STM90691 Law stream 144cp
STM90501 Humanities stream 100cp
Total 244cp

Course program

The standard program shown is for a full-time student who has elected to undertake practical legal training within the LLB. Students have the choice of completing practical legal training within the LLB in the final semesters of study or attempting an additional 24 credit points of Law options.

 
Year 1
Autumn semester
50105 Communication and Information Environments 6cp
50107 Rethinking Culture 6cp
50109 Power and Change in Australia 6cp
50007 Creative Information Design 6cp
Spring semester
70115 Perspectives on Law 8cp
70120 Legal Method and Research 6cp
50106 Media, Information and Society 6cp
50010 Information Discovery and Analysis 6cp
Year 2
Autumn semester
70311 Law of Torts 8cp
70218 Criminal Law 8cp
50009 Information Cultures 8cp
Spring semester
70211 Law of Contract 8cp
70616 Federal Constitutional Law 8cp
50482 Social Informatics 8cp
Year 3
Autumn semester
70327 Commercial Law 6cp
70317 Real Property 8cp
50524 Word, Image, Sound 8cp
Spring semester
70517 Equity and Trusts 8cp
70417 Corporate Law 8cp
50008 Designing for the Web 8cp
Year 4
Autumn semester
70617 Administrative Law 8cp
70717 Evidence and Criminal Procedure 6cp
50012 Storing Objects and Artifacts 8cp
Select 6 credit points of options 6cp
Spring semester
50011 Information Politics and Policies 8cp
CBK90318 Electives (Information Management) 8cp
Select 6 credit points of options 6cp
Year 5
Autumn semester
75421 Civil Litigation 6cp
75420 Ethics and Professional Conduct 6cp
50190 Professional Information Project 8cp
Select 6 credit points of options 6cp
Spring semester
75412 Legal Skills and Professional Awareness 6cp
75413 Advocacy 6cp
75403 Commercial and Estate Practice 6cp
75402 Property Transactions 6cp
75411 Practical Experience 0cp

Levels of award

The Bachelor of Laws with Honours rules are currently under review. Information will be available in 2008.

Professional recognition

Supreme Court of NSW

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is seeking professional recognition of the course by the Australian Library and Information Association.

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

Further information is available from the Law Information Office on: