Bachelor of Laws

Curtin University

Give legal advice, perform legal work and appear in court as a legal practitioner. An undergraduate degree in law is the first qualification you need to practise as a lawyer in Australia.

Curtin’s Bachelor of Laws 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 choose from optional units that focus on topics such as forensic advocacy, employment law, family law, human rights law and native title law and policy, and law and technology. The range of optional units enables you to tailor your degree to suit your interests.

The first year of this course is delivered in semesters at Curtin Perth, with the second and third years delivered in trimesters at Curtin Law School in Perth city. This accelerated format, which is equivalent to a four-year (full-time) undergraduate degree, means you can graduate after just three years of full-time study.

See the Curtin handbook for more course information.

Double degrees

These are the combinations available if you'd like to gain a double degree:

Law and Arts

Law and Commerce

Law and Innovation

Law and Psychology

Law and Science

What jobs can the Law lead to?

Careers

Barrister

Criminal lawyer

Employment lawyer

Family lawyer

Human rights lawyer

In-house counsel

Mining lawyer

Solicitor

Industries

Banking and finance

Courts and tribunals

Government

Law

Private legal practice

Resources

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

Critically and creatively analyse legal problems to articulate the issues involved and apply legal reasoning to make a considered choice between competing solutions

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

Communicate the outcomes of legal research and analysis effectively, appropriately and persuasively to colleagues, to clients and to other professionals and the broader community

Use appropriate electronic legal databases for research purposes and be able to communicate effectively in electronic forms

Maintain intellectual curiosity as to justice and its practical application in the legal system, be able to identify areas where their legal knowledge and skills require further development, and to critically reflect on their own performance as legal professionals, making use of feedback as appropriate

Articulate the similarities and differences between local and other jurisdictions, including interstate and overseas ones, and be aware of the principles of public and private international law

Articulate distinct concepts of law, justice and human rights, with an awareness of different legal traditions and cultures, particularly indigenous cultures; identify how and where indigenous persons and other identifiable social groups are differentially impacted by the legal system.

Professional recognition

Legal Practice Board of Western Australia