Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science (Psychology)

Curtin University

Curtin’s Bachelor of Laws degree provides the first qualification you need to practise as a lawyer in Australia. Combining this with our psychology degree is ideal if you want to develop a deeper understanding of human behaviour, or pursue a career in psychology in areas such as the criminal and justice systems.

Our law degree offers a rich and professionally relevant foundation in legal knowledge. You’ll learn core skills essential to effective legal practice and build a strong commercial awareness. From early on in your studies, you’ll start to recognise the importance of respecting the rule of law, along with the responsibilities and ethics of legal practice.

You’ll also have the opportunity to select optional units in areas such as forensic advocacy, family law, human rights law, native title law and policy, and law and technology. These optional units enable you to tailor your degree to suit your interests.

In the Bachelor of Science (Psychology), you will gain a strong understanding of emotion, behaviour, cognition, interpersonal relationships, perception and personality. You’ll learn how to examine, explain and predict what people do as individuals and in groups.

The first four years are delivered in semesters at Curtin Perth, while the fifth year, plus one trimester, is delivered at Curtin Law School in Perth city. If you choose to study full time, you can graduate with two degrees in five-and-a-half years.

While studying in Perth city, you can gain practical experience by undertaking simulated proceedings in our high-tech moot court and working on real cases at the John Curtin Law Clinic. You’ll also greatly benefit from the relationships you form with academics, practising solicitors and barristers based at Curtin Law School, as well as the proximity of the Supreme Court, the District Court and the Federal Court.

What jobs can the Law and Psychology lead to?

Lawyer (further study required)

Policy Adviser

Social Researcher

Psychologist (further study required)

Support Worker

Youth Worker

Program Officer

Mental Health Advocate.

What you'll learn

Apply knowledge of the Australian legal system, statutory rules and case law principles in both the fundamental areas of legal knowledge and a range of elective fields to the resolution of legal problems; apply psychological theory to evidence based practice and extend the boundaries of knowledge through research; discriminate between valid discipline knowledge and questionable esoteric theory and practice

Critically and creatively analyse legal problems to articulate the issues involved and apply legal reasoning to make a considered choice between competing solutions; apply logical and rational processes to critically analyse problems and generate innovative solutions to psychological questions

Identify, access, assess and synthesise relevant information from primary legal sources such as cases and legislation and secondary sources such as journal articles and commentaries (including electronic versions of these sources) and gather relevant oral and documentary evidence; access, evaluate and synthesise relevant information and evidence from a range of sources applicable to psychology

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree is recognised by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as meeting the first three years of study in psychology. A further year in psychology is necessary to apply for associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) or to apply for postgraduate training (pathway to registration) in psychology.