Bachelor of Laws
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Laws |
| Deakin course code | M312 |
| Course version | 2 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Business and Law |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2017 to 2018 |
| Campus | For students who commenced prior to 2019 only |
| Duration | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS code | 026686F |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
Offered to continuing students only. The final intake to this course version was in teaching period T2 2018. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course, course map and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive. | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Course learning outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Deakin’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB) provides the robust training and recognised qualifications you need to launch your career as a first-class legal practitioner.
All major areas of law are covered, such as contract, torts, property, legal practice and ethics, constitutional law, criminal law and corporate law. Throughout the degree you’ll develop legal skills including negotiation, mediation, preparing for court appearances, legal drafting and statutory interpretation.
Deakin’s Bachelor of Laws satisfies the university component of the requirements to become an Australian Lawyer. You will then complete an additional year of work placement as a legal trainee, or undertake a practical legal training course.
This comprehensive course provides in-depth studies in each of the key areas of legal practice, and emphasises practical legal skills training.
A law degree gives you incredible career flexibility and the scope to work in a variety of professions in, for example, business, government, and not-for-profit organisations.
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.
Professional recognition
Deakin’s Bachelor of Laws is designed to satisfy the university component of the requirements to become an Australian Lawyer set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB). In addition to completing an approved LLB degree, a person seeking entry is required to work for one year as a legal trainee, or to undertake a practical legal training (PLT) course.
Career opportunities
Obtaining a law degree is normally the first step towards becoming a barrister or solicitor, and most students entering law school aspire to enter one of these branches of the legal profession. A Law degree, especially when combined with a degree in Arts, Commerce or Science, is a qualification which offers unequalled career opportunities. As an alternative to practising as a barrister or solicitor, you may choose to enter business (eg. as a corporate lawyer, company administrator or business manager); government service (as a lawyer with departments or authorities as diverse as the Attorney Generals Department, the office of Parliamentary Counsel, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Australian Securities Commission); industrial relations; public administration; teaching (at a university); or in law reform (as a research officer).
Course learning outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Integrate theoretical knowledge and understanding of a coherent body of knowledge, including: (a) the fundamental areas of legal knowledge, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts, including international and comparative contexts, (b) the broader contexts within which legal issues arise, and (c) the principles and values of justice and of ethical practice in lawyers’ roles |
| Communication | Justify and communicate well developed communication skills, including: a) communicate orally, in writing, and by any interpersonal means effectively, appropriately, and persuasively for both legal and non-legal audiences, and b) collaborate effectively, using technologies where the demonstration of autonomy, well developed judgement and responsibility takes place. |
| Digital literacy | Use technologies to identify, locate, evaluate information for problem solving scenarios as well as communicating legal solutions, including: a) identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues, effectively using technologies where appropriate. b) find, use, and disseminate information using technologies. c) the use of digital sources to organise and present information in authentic and complex legal situations. |
| Critical thinking | Exercise critical judgement with the ability to problem-solve in unpredictable and sometimes complex scenarios, including: (a) identifying and articulating legal issues, (b) applying legal reasoning and research to generate accurate and relevant responses to legal issues, (c) engaging in critical analysis and making a choice amongst alternatives using legal reasoning, and (d) thinking creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate legal responses. |
| Problem solving | Create solutions to a wide range of legal problems, utilising analytical and critical thinking with the ability to problem-solve, including: (a) identifying and articulating legal issues, (b) applying legal reasoning and research to generate accurate and relevant responses to legal issues, (c) engaging in critical analysis and making a choice amongst alternatives using legal reasoning, and (d) thinking creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses |
| Self-management | Reflect on performance feedback to demonstrate long term development and to facilitate self-improvement, including: (a) lifelong learning and working independently, (b) reflecting on and assessing capabilities and performance, and making use of feedback as appropriate, to support personal and professional development. (c) taking responsibility for personal actions. |
| Teamwork | Collaborate and communicate in teams, including: (a) communicate in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences; and (b) collaborate effectively with others from different disciplines and backgrounds |
| Global citizenship | To be aware of and apply legal knowledge in different environments and global contexts, including: (a) an understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making, (b) an ability to recognise and reflect upon with a developing ability to respond to ethical issues likely to arise in complex professional contexts, (c) an ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community, (d) an ability to exercise professional judgement, (e) an ability to recognise and reflect upon cultural and community diversity. |
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Laws, students must pass 32 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- 16 credit points of core units
- 16 credit points of elective units
The 16 credit points of elective units must include:
- a minimum of 8 credit points of law course electives
- a minimum of 4 credit points of non law open electives
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University's vocabulary.
Course structure
Core units
| MLL110 | Legal Research and Statutory Interpretation |
| MLP119 | Contract A *[replaces MLL111] |
| MLP213 | Torts ^[previously coded MLL213] |
| MLP114 | Criminal Law ^[previously coded MLL214] |
| MLP117 | Misleading Conduct and Economic Torts ^[previously coded MLL217] |
| MLP218 | Criminal Procedure ^ |
| MLP219 | Contract B *[replaces MLL215] |
| MLP235 | Legal Practice and Ethics ^[previously coded MLL335] |
| MLP323 | Constitutional Law ^ |
| MLP325 | Land Law ^ |
| MLP327 | Property ^ |
| MLP331 | Corporate Law ^[previously coded MLL221] |
| MLP334 | Evidence ^ |
| MLP391 | Civil Procedure and Dispute Resolution ^ |
| MLP405 | Equity and Trusts ^ |
| MLP424 | Administrative Law ^[previously coded MLL324] |
* MLP119 and MLP219 replaced MLL111 Contract and MLL215 Commercial Law from T1 2022. MLL215 will remain as a core only for students who commenced prior to T1 2022 and have completed MLL111 but not MLL215. Students who have completed both MLL111 and MLL215 are not required to complete MLP119 and MLP219.
^Note: MLP codes replaced some MLL codes to denote Priestley units, which teach the academic areas of knowledge prescribed for admission to legal practice.
Law course elective units
Select a minimum of 8 credit points of law course elective units:
Note: not all units will be offered every year. Units not offered in 2025 may be offered in 2026 or 2027. From time to time the Law School may develop new units to strengthen the law elective list.
Elective units offered in 2025
| MLL215 | Commercial Law |
| MLL225 | Personal Injuries Compensation Schemes |
| MLL277 | International Law |
| MLC305 | Business Tax Law |
| MLL302 | Human Rights Law # |
| MLL318 | Corporate Insolvency Law |
| MLL319 | Sentencing Law and Practice |
| MLL320 | Family Law * |
| MLL330 | Health Law |
| MLL336 | International Commercial Law |
| MLL338 | Legal Professional Practice |
| MLL342 | Workplace Law |
| MLL351 | Community Legal Internship |
| MLL362 | Succession Law |
| MLT324 | Transnational Study Tour |
| MLL406 | Taxation |
| MLL410 | Intellectual Property |
| MLL420 | Deakin Law Clinic |
| MLL426 | Mining and Energy Law |
| MLL460 | Mooting and Advocacy |
* Previously coded MLL210
# Previously coded MLL417, MLL211
Elective units not offered in 2025
| MLL227 | Superannuation Law |
| MLL228 | Alternative Dispute Resolution: Principles and Practice |
| MLL329 | Financial Services Regulation |
| MLL332 | International Arbitration |
| MLL339 | Corporate Governance and Sustainability |
| MLL364 | Animal Law |
| MLL394 | Migration and Refugee Law and Policy |
| MLL409 | Competition Law and Policy |
| MLL419 | Contemporary International Legal Challenges (Intensive) |
| MLL425 | Environmental and Climate Law |
| MLL444 | Data Law, Privacy and Cybercrime |
Non law open electives
Students must complete a minimum of 4 credit points of non law open electives (these may be selected from any undergraduate units offered by the University, subject to eligibility).
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
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.