Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Indicative student workload
• Professional recognition
• Career opportunities
• Participation requirements
• Mandatory student checks
• Alternate exits
• Fees and charges
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Course structure

Course overview

Combine a leading law degree with the commercial skills that organisations are looking for in Deakin's Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws. Your broad knowledge of both business and legal concepts, as well as robust training, practical experience and industry placements, will give you a competitive edge in all areas of corporate law.

Graduate with two sought-after degrees in just five years – two fewer than if you completed each degree separately – and open up a world of exciting career opportunities with your dual expertise in commerce and law. In the law stream, you'll be trained in all major areas of law before applying your skills on real cases at Deakin Law Clinic. And in the commerce stream, you'll study a broad range of disciplines before choosing one of nine majors, allowing you to tailor your degree to your career goals.

Want workplace-ready business and legal skills with a commercial focus?

We know that lawyers are increasingly expected to provide commercial and practical insight beyond pure legal advice. Our combined course in commerce and law gives graduates practical, commercially focused skills, as well as professional legal insight.

Your teachers are active researchers and field workers, so you’ll always be learning the latest industry concepts, legal practice and approaches. Plus, you’ll benefit from their existing connections and insights, giving you a competitive edge that’s ready for the workplace.

In your commerce component, you’ll choose from a major in the area that interests you most, including:
* accounting
* economics
* finance
* finance planning
* food and agribusiness
* human resource management
* management
* management information systems
* marketing.

Deakin Law School provides a strong foundation in all major areas of law, including:

* contracts law
* legal practice and ethics
* criminal law and procedure
* torts
* property law
* constitutional law
* administrative law.

You’ll expand on this valuable mix of education at Deakin Law Clinic, where you’ll conduct research on legal issues and offer advice under supervision from qualified solicitors. Sit in on real courtroom proceedings and undertake an internship placement for credit towards your degree.

Our Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws graduates have the combined business capabilities and legal expertise that organisations are looking for.

Indicative student workload

As a student in the Faculty of Business and Law, you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time. The minimum expected workload for a Law unit will normally be around 150 hours, which includes attendance at class, reading, completion of any assessment, and preparation for the exam.

Professional recognition

Graduates of Deakin’s Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws may be eligible for a variety of professional recognition, depending on the major they choose.

The Bachelor of Laws component is designed to satisfy the university component of the requirements to become an Australian Lawyer set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB).

Deakin Business School is in the top 1% of business schools globally by holding both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide.

Students who complete the accounting major are eligible to apply for:

* the CA Program of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
* Associate membership for the CPA Program
* IPA Program of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
* Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Students who complete the marketing major are eligible for a one-year credit reduction from the five years needed to become a Certified Practicing Marketer by the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI).

Students who complete the financial planning major will satisfy the education standards prescribed by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) to be able to provide financial advice in Australia and be eligible for entry into the certification programs of the professional financial planning associations – the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification Program offered by the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) and the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner designation offered by the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA).

Commerce graduates may also be eligible to apply for membership to these key professional bodies (depending on units taken):
* Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)
* Institute of Managers and Leaders (IML)
* Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)

Students should consult with a course adviser to identify any additional requirements for membership for each professional body, and also consult with the professional body.

Career opportunities

Graduates from this course can look forward to a diverse and challenging career as one of the following:
* conveyancer
* corporate lawyer
* law reform officer
* federal police officer
* judge
* jury consultant
* law professor
* legal adviser
* mediator
* police development manager
* policy adviser
* private investigator
* liquidator
* legal secretary
* international trade law consultant
* accountant
* auditor
* human resources manager
* stockbroker
* organisational consultant
* small business owner
* immigration agent
* sport law adviser.

Participation requirements

Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.

Mandatory student checks

Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.

Alternate exits

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Course Learning Outcomes

Please refer to the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) of each of the single degrees.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws, students must attain a total of 40 credit points consisting of 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce and 24 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws plus the compulsory 0-credit point module, MAI010 Academic Integrity Module.  Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester, and usually undertake 2 trimesters each year.

Course structure

Units

Compulsory 0-credit point unit (to be completed in first trimester of study):-

• MAI010 Academic Integrity Module

The 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce include:-

• 7 credit points of core units (MAA103, MAE101, MAF101, MIS171, MMK101, MMM132 and MWL101)
• an 8 credit point major sequence
• a one credit point elective unit
• Level 3 - at least 4 credit points (which must be course grouped to a Faculty of Business and Law undergraduate degree)

The 24 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws include:-

• 18 credit points of core units
• 6 credit points of law elective units, including 1 credit point of WIL/practical unit

Please note: Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws course must not undertake MLC101 Law for Commerce (a core unit in the Bachelor of Commerce) as this unit is incompatible with MLL111 Contract (a core unit in the Bachelor of Laws).

Other course information

Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

• Contact Student Central