Bachelor of Laws

VU course code: BLAW | CRICOS: 040190B | Level of study: Undergraduate

Duration

4 years

Delivery mode

In person

Fees

Tuition: per semester AU$16,700

Location

City Campus

Next start date

24 February 2025

Overview

Launch a dynamic and fulfilling career in law with a Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University (VU).

Study in the heart of Melbourne’s legal precinct at our City Campus, learning from expert legal academics and supported by adjunct professors who are some of Australia’s most reputable legal professionals.

Thanks to our partnerships with the courts and community legal services, you’ll also gain practical, real-world experience of the justice system – preparing you to work in the corporate, commercial, community or government legal sectors.

In this four-year law degree, you’ll gain a broad perspective on legal practice and gain specialist academic and professional skills including:

advocacy
ethical judgement
communication
legal research and writing
interviewing and negotiation
legal interpretation.

By studying all of the major areas of law (including contract, torts, property, constitutional, criminal and corporate), you’ll graduate from VU’s Bachelor of Laws having satisfied the academic requirements of the Victorian Legal Admissions Board for admission to legal practice in Victoria.

You may also be able to complete an honours thesis in your final year, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours).

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

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;

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;

Identify, articulate and respond to legal 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 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;

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;

Apply personal and interpersonal competencies including organisational and collaborative skills necessary to operate within broad parameters in the immensely divergent and complex global and Australian cultures;

Contribute effectively, with personal accountability for outcomes in a dynamic 21st century work team, working in an ethical and socially responsible manner.
: During your study, you'll benefit from the wisdom and experience of our adjunct professors who include:
the Hon. Michael Kirby AC, CMG former High Court Judge
the Hon. Justice Chris Maxwell, former President of the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal
Professor Robert Richter KC, Barrister
the Hon Robert Stary, Magistrate at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court
Ian Gray AM, former Victorian Chief Magistrate
David Denton KC, Barrister
Picha Djohan, Barrister and member of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
David S Thomson OAM, FACE, fellow at Sir Zelman Cowen Centre
Melissa Kirby, Legal Director at Sharpe and Able.
: With 150 hours of legal work placement embedded in your Bachelor of Laws, you’ll benefit from VU’s commitment to connecting you with experiences that will get you work-ready before you graduate.
Take advantage of our extensive connections in the legal sector, including internship programs with the Supreme Court and County Court and other legal placement opportunities including:
State Trustees Program
Victoria Police (Prosecutions Division)
Victoria Legal Aid
Magistrate’s Courts program
Family Law Clinic
Infringements Clinic
Sunshine Youth Clinic
Family Law Clinic
Refugee Clinic.
Undertaking a work experience legal placement in the final years of your degree means you’ll work under the supervision of experienced legal professionals on cases that have a real impact on people – preparing you to enter the workforce with confidence.
: As a Victoria Law School student, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in our renowned moot program in our new state-of-the-art moot court facilities in the Victoria Law School Heritage Building. Mooting involves you and your team participating in advocacy skills, simulating the proceedings of a live courtroom.
Give yourself a professional edge by sharpening your legal skills ready for the real world by taking part in mooting competitions both locally and internationally.
: 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

If you don’t meet the entry requirements for this course, there may be an alternative study ‘pathway’ to achieving your goal. In some cases, you may receive credit for your previous study or work experience, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

You’ll find information about any pathways to higher qualifications that may be available to you after completing this course under the ‘careers’ section of this page.

Find out more about pathways at VU.

: If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course.

Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice

72 credit points

Graduate Diploma in Migration Law

60 credit points

International Foundations at VU

Guaranteed entry only
: If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases, you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Diploma of Policing

Victoria Police, Australia | 96 credit points

Graduate Certificate in Police Prosecution

Victoria Police, Australia | 180 credit points
: If you have completed study with another university or institution you may be eligible to receive credit for skills and past study.

Use our credit calculator to find out what credit you may be eligible for based on your previous studies.

Note that if your previous study can’t be found through the credit calculator, you may still be eligible for credit.

Units can be credited if they are part of the course structure for the course you are applying for. Please note that credits relating to prior VU subjects are automatically granted and no further action is required.

calculate your credit

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 students will be required to complete 384 credit points consisting of:

96 credit points of First Year Core studies
132 credit points of Professional Core studies
108 credit points of Law Elective studies
48 credit points of Non Law Electives studies

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 the aggregate of points attributed to the top two thirds of units so listed shall then be calculated and a grade point average determined. Students will be further assessed on an outline of a proposed thesis topic and availability of a college based or college affiliated supervisor. Students will be awarded a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (Class H1, H2A, H2B or H3) based on their aggregate of points 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 if the selection criteria is met.

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

In Melbourne, law graduates are in high demand particularly in banking and finance, corporate/commercial, litigation, private equity, projects, property, tax and workplace relations.

With a Bachelor of Laws from VU, you’ll be in high-demand and equipped to work as a lawyer or in legal practice in areas including criminal law, human rights law, family law, commercial law and business.

Like many of our graduates, you may choose to work in community legal centres providing legal access to disadvantaged groups, and in not-for-profit organisations.

You could take on roles in the legal field such as: