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Bachelor of Laws (BLAW) - LLB
QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Toowoomba campus: 904901; Distance education: 904905; Springfield campus: 924901
CRICOS code (International applicants): 060144J
| | On-campus | Distance education |
| Semester intake: | Semester 1 (March)
Semester 2 (July) | Semester 1 (March)
Semester 2 (July)
Semester 3 (November) |
| Campus: | Springfield, Toowoomba | - |
| Fees: | Commonwealth supported place
International full fee paying place
| Commonwealth supported place
International full fee paying place
|
| Standard duration: | 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time or external |
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Program focus
The Bachelor of Laws provides students with the opportunity
for a comprehensive study of law, not only to prepare for practice
as a solicitor or barrister in Queensland but also to examine the
legal process and its social, political and economic context. The
program aims to equip students with an academic qualification for
professional practice. While students undertake the traditional studies
in the litigation process, they also learn about the increasingly
important alternative methods of resolving disputes. They learn about
conflict and communication, negotiating, mediating – from a
theoretical as well as practical perspective.
Career opportunities
Private practice solicitor or barrister, government law officer,
in-house corporate legal counsel, corporate sector, legal studies
teacher (with further study), Federal or State government employee,
community and other legal organisations, non-government agencies and
many careers outside law.
Professional accreditation
The Bachelor of Laws has been accredited by the Legal Practitioners
Admissions Board, Queensland, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Queensland as an approved academic qualification under the Supreme Court (Legal Practitioner Admission) Rules 2004 (Qld).
This will partially satisfy the requirements to practise as a solicitor
or barrister in Queensland, or as a legal practitioner elsewhere in
Australia. (Intending solicitors and barristers must also complete
an approved practical legal training course in order to become admitted
to practice. USQ law graduates have the option of completing their
practical legal training through a one-year traineeship in a law practice,
or through a practical legal program offered by USQ’s preferred
provider or another institution that offers a practical legal training
qualification).
Program aims
The Bachelor of Laws provides students with the opportunity
for a comprehensive study of law, not only to prepare for practice
as a solicitor or barrister in Queensland but also to examine the
legal process and its social, political and economic context.
The program aims to equip students with an academic qualification
for professional practice. While students undertake the traditional
studies in the litigation process, they also learn about the increasingly
important alternative methods of resolving disputes. They learn about
conflict and communication, negotiating, mediating – from a
theoretical as well as practical perspective.
Not all law graduates aspire to a career in legal practice and
so the program also builds the special capabilities that a legal education
can offer. It provides opportunities to develop analytical, complex
problem-solving and research skills. It seeks to build critical thinkers
with an appreciation for a range of theories explaining legal regulation
as well as for the social, political and economic context of the legal
process. To inform students on global issues, an international dimension,
for example on the regulation of business and on the protection of
human rights, is also available.
Program objectives
On successful completion of this program students will be able
to:
-
demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical framework of
subject areas of study
-
apply theoretical knowledge, concepts and principles to areas
of practical significance
-
research legal issues at a proficient level
-
critically appraise law reform trends and recent developments
and assess their impact upon legal practice and public policy
-
demonstrate advanced communication, problem-solving and analytical
skill
-
satisfy academic admission requirements for legal practice in
Queensland (subject to accreditation).
Admission requirements
Candidates for admission into this program must satisfy the
normal USQ entry requirements for undergraduate programs. Please refer
to Academic Regulation 5.4.2 of the University Calendar, Section
1 (for Australian students) and Section 3 (for international students).
International candidates must meet the University's English language
proficiency requirements for undergraduate students.
International applicants must have met the University's
English language requirements or have completed the University's
ELICOS/UNIPREP program.
How to apply
Domestic students
Application for undergraduate programs may be made through
the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). The same procedure
applies whether you plan to study on-campus or by distance education.
If you completed Year 12 at a Queensland secondary school you
will be assessed for entry on the basis of your Overall Position (OP)
or equivalent score. Year 12 students from other states or territories
are considered for entry on the basis of their UAI, ENTER or TER and
the subject prerequisites indicated. Other applicants will be based
on their overall Rank. You should ensure you submit your application
by the closing dates.
International students
This program is offered to international students. An international
student is a person who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen
and not an Australian permanent resident. Please refer to USQ International for information about entry requirements, visa arrangements and
how to apply.
Program fees
Commonwealth supported place
A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government
makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and
you as a student pay a student contribution
amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You
are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.
Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their
fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.
International full fee paying place
International students pay full
fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken
and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online.
You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.
Program structure
The undergraduate program is 32 units in total. It has three
prime components: a core (22 units), law electives (at least 3 and
no more than 6 units), and non-law electives (4 but no more than 7
units).
Required time limits
Students have a maximum of 10 years to complete this program.
Core courses
Compulsory core courses:
All students are required to complete a core of twenty-two single-unit
courses. The purpose of the core courses is to expose law students
to fundamental legal concepts and methods in legal research and reasoning.
The following courses are required of all students in the Bachelor
of Laws:
| Course |
Semester/mode of offer Toowoomba campus |
Semester/mode of offer Springfield campus |
| LAW1201 Legal Process and Research |
S1 (ONC, EXT), S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC), S2 (ONC) |
| LAW1202 Law in Context |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW2201 Contract A |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW2202 Contract B |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW2203 Torts A |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW2204 Torts B |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW2205 Criminal Law A |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW3423 Criminal Law B |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW2206 |
|
|
| LAW2207 Company Law |
|
|
| LAW3201 |
|
|
| LAW3202 |
|
|
| LAW3461 |
|
|
| LAW3203 Property Law A |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW3204 Property Law B |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW3205 Equity |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW3206 Trusts |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
| LAW3208 Evidence |
|
|
| LAW3209 Procedure |
|
|
| LAW3210 |
|
|
| LAW3211 Legal Professional Practice
and Ethics |
|
|
| LAW4401 Capstone Research Project |
|
|
Elective courses
The following law electives have been approved for the Bachelor
of Laws:
| Course |
Semester/mode of offer Toowoomba campus |
Semester/mode of offer Springfield campus |
Semester/mode of offer Fraser Coast campus |
| LAW3130 Revenue Law and Practice |
S1 (ONC, EXT), S2 (ONC, EXT), S3 (EXT) |
S1 (ONC) |
S1 (ONC) |
| LAW3131 Revenue Law and Practice II |
S2 (EXT) |
|
|
| LAW3110 Insolvency and Restructuring Law |
S2 (EXT) |
|
|
| LAW3404 Banking, Finance and Insurance Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3405 Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3406 Intellectual Property Law |
|
|
|
| LAW2301 e-Law |
S1 (ONC, EXT) |
|
|
| LAW3421 |
|
|
|
| LAW3422 Succession Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3424 Land Contracts |
|
|
|
| LAW2107 Environmental Law |
S2 (ONC, EXT) |
S2 (ONC) |
|
| LAW3441 Natural Resources Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3442 Labour Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3443 Public International Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3444 Competition and Consumer
Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3462 International Human Rights Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3463 Private International Law |
|
|
|
| LAW3464 International Business
Law |
|
|
|
Non-law elective courses
All students must select elective courses from courses offered
at undergraduate level by any of the faculties at the University of
Southern Queensland (excluding Business Law courses). Enrolment requirements
must be satisfied for any course selected.
Students considering legal practice are encouraged to choose
as one of their non-law electives ACC1101 Accounting for Decision-Making in order to understand the accounting
environment and the common financial accounting (external) reports
and management accounting (internal) tools used for decision-making
purposes. This is useful for many areas of legal practice, not only
commercial fields such as taxation but also family and succession
law, as well as for a lawyer’s own practice management.
Students with an interest in examining the political and economic
context for the legal process are encouraged to choose POL2000 Political and Economic Ideas as one of their
non-law electives. This is a course for students interested in political
and economic debates who wish to develop a capacity for critical analysis.
Honours
The Bachelor of Laws may be awarded with Honours. The class
of honours to be awarded to a student is dependant upon:
-
the Grade Point Average calculated from the grades achieved
in the courses studied in, or transferred to, the program
-
the grade achieved by the student in the single unit course LAW4401 Capstone Research Project.
The minimum levels of achievement normally required for each
class of honours are shown in the following table. To be assured of
achieving a particular class of honours students must have achieved
the specified grade in the research project courses and the minimum
GPA requirements for all of the courses studied or for the last 16
courses studied, or for the last eight courses studied.
| Class of Honours |
GPA calculated from the grades achieved
in: |
Minimum grade achieved in Capstone
Research Project course |
| All courses studied in the program |
The last 16 courses studied |
The last eight courses studied |
| First Class Honours |
6.0 |
6.2 |
6.5 |
A |
| Second Class Honours — Division A |
5.5 |
5.7 |
5.9 |
B |
| Second Class Honours — Division B |
5.0 |
5.1 |
5.3 |
C |
| Minimum number of courses required |
20 |
16 |
8 |
|
Other program requirements
Students must maintain good standing in this program. Please
refer to Academic Regulation 5.9 of the University Calendar.
Exemptions
Exemptions may be permitted for a limited number of courses,
equivalent in content and level successfully completed recently with
a recognised institution, in accordance with Academic Regulation 5.5.3 of the University Calendar.
In this section:
Recommended enrolment patterns
The flexibility of this program, particularly for the distance
learning students means that there will be a range of enrolment patterns
and many distance learning students will have a unique enrolment pattern.
Students requiring assistance should contact a program administrator.
Recommended enrolment pattern - Toowoomba and Springfield on-campus
and Toowoomba external (standard semester 1 intake)
Recommended enrolment pattern - Toowoomba and Springfield on-campus
and Toowoomba external (standard semester 2 intake)
Recommended enrolment pattern - Toowoomba external (3 courses
per semester)
