C10137v4 Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Public Communication) Bachelor of Laws

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Public Communication) Bachelor of Laws is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. This course provides students with interdisciplinary knowledge of public communication processes and industries, and their social, economic and political contexts with specialised expertise in public relations and/or advertising, together with studies in law. It allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Public Communication) and Bachelor of Laws.

The program provides full-time study for students wishing to obtain a professional legal qualification that satisfies the requirements for admission as a lawyer in NSW together with practical skills and knowledge for contemporary public communication practice. Assessments and a professional industry placement ensure industry relevance and that students are work-ready.

Career options

Career options include advertising account manager, corporate communications adviser, lawyer in the public communication industry, media liaison officer, political media adviser, public or community relations manager or special events coordinator.

Additional assumed knowledge

HSC English and computer literacy.

Course duration and attendance

The course is offered on a five-year, full-time basis. 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. 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:

• 36 credit points of compulsory first-year (100-level) subjects (six subjects)
• 56 credit points of subjects from Disciplinary and/or Professional Strands where specified (seven subjects), and
• 8 credit points of Elective Studies (one subject).

Industrial training/professional practice

To practise as a lawyer in NSW students must successfully complete an accredited legal qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT), such as the UTS Practical Legal Training program.

Course completion requirements

Course diagram

Course program

The standard programs shown are for a full-time student who has elected to undertake PLT within the Bachelor of Laws. The first is for a student taking the Public Relations stream and the second the Advertising stream. Students have the choice of completing PLT within the Bachelor of Laws in their final semesters of study or attempting an additional 24 credit points of law options.

Levels of award

Professional recognition

Public Relations Institute of Australia; International Advertising Association; Supreme Court of NSW

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the requirements of the Supreme Court of NSW for admission as a lawyer, provided students undertake the optional PLT in the final semesters.

Other information

Further information is available from: