Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws

2024 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Commerce / Bachelor of Laws
Deakin course code	D322
Faculty	Faculty of Business and Law
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
Online	Yes
Duration	5 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2024 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2024 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2024 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	002452M Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Combine a leading law degree with the commercial expertise that organisations are seeking by undertaking Deakin's Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws. Your broad knowledge of both commercial and legal concepts, as well as robust training, practical experience and industry placements, will give you a competitive edge in all areas of commercial 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 will be trained in all major areas of law by world-class academics before choosing from a range of real-world learning opportunities. One option is to apply your skills on real cases with real clients at the Deakin Law Clinic. In the commerce stream, you will study a broad range of foundation units before choosing one of eight 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 will always be learning the latest industry concepts, legal practice and approaches. Plus, you will benefit from their existing connections and insights, giving you a competitive edge that's ready for the workplace.

In your commerce component, you will choose a major in the area that interests you most. These majors prepare you to enter a ‘vertical’ profession where you obtain qualifications and skills that enable you to work in corporations and governments.
Options include:

accounting
economics
finance
financial planning
human resource management
management
management information systems
marketing.

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

contract law
criminal law and procedure
tort law
property law
constitutional law
administrative law.

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

Deakin's Bachelor of Laws is designed to satisfy the academic qualifications necessary for admission to the legal profession. In Victoria these have been set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB). In addition to satisfying the academic qualifications, a person seeking admission to the legal profession in Victoria is required to have satisfactorily completed certain practical legal training requirements and must be considered a fit and proper person to be admitted to the legal profession.

Requirements for admission in jurisdictions outside Australia vary. Please check the relevant jurisdiction’s legal admissions authority to confirm the required academic qualifications criteria, including any restrictions on online study or distance education.

Deakin Business School holds the prestigious and globally recognised AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which attest to quality, academic and professional excellence, ongoing improvement, innovation and graduate employability.

Students who complete the accounting major can apply for the:

Students who complete the marketing major are eligible for a one-year credit towards their five-year Certified Practicing Marketer and Chartered Marketer certification awarded by the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI).

Students who complete the finance major are recognised through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.

Students who complete the financial planning major satisfy the education standards of the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS). This enables students to provide financial advice in Australia and eligibility to enter certification programs of the professional financial planning associations. These include the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification Program by the Financial Adviser Association of Australia (FAAA).

Depending on your units of study, commerce graduates are also eligible to apply for membership to the:

Students should consult the professional body or a course adviser to identify additional requirements for memberships.

_{*2022 QS World University Rankings by Subject and 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject.}

Career opportunities

Graduates from this course can look forward to a diverse and challenging range of opportunities that make you a sought-after candidate in a range of roles including:

conveyancer
corporate lawyer
law reform officer
police officer
judge
jury consultant
law academic
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

Bachelor of Commerce (M300)
Bachelor of Laws (M312)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Course Learning Outcomes

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

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, DAI001 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):-

DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

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 open elective unit chosen from across the University
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
1 credit point of WIL/practical/experiential course elective unit from a specified list
5 credit points of law elective units.*

**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 MLP119 (core unit in the Bachelor of Laws).

*See the Bachelor of Laws entry for a list of the Deakin Law School’s Law elective units

Other course information

Course duration

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