Designed and taught by practising lawyers and academics, Deakin's accredited Bachelor of Laws combines sound legal training with real-world experience. You will develop key skills in communication, problem solving and analytical thinking, and gain sought-after experience through our substantial work-integrated learning opportunities.
Tailor your studies to a field of interest by choosing from a wide range of commercial and public law electives, and work with clients on real cases under the supervision of qualified solicitors at the Deakin Law Clinic, our community legal service that offers free legal advice.
Study at Deakin Law School and join the ranks of high-performing students attending one of Australia's top law schools.* For over 30 years we've attracted some of the best and brightest students in Australia who have gone on to enjoy high employment rates in dynamic roles across law, business, journalism, public administration, private enterprise and politics.
Are you looking for a degree that prepares you for a leading legal or professional career?
Choose Deakin's Bachelor of Laws and develop a solid foundation of practical legal skills, including:
negotiation
problem solving
preparing for court appearances
legal drafting
statutory interpretation.
You will also learn transferable skills that can launch you on a variety of career paths that could see you entering the business sector, government, law reform, politics or public administration.
The legal profession is undergoing rapid change and lawyers are increasingly required to provide clients with practical, commercial advice. A distinctive feature of our programs is our focus on experiential learning, which helps you develop critical skills and obtain disciplinary knowledge, giving you an edge upon graduation.
At the Deakin Law Clinic, you will have the opportunity to hone the legal skills acquired in your academic training, including the capacity to analyse complex legal problems and other critical skills necessary for pursuing a career in law.
*Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. 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 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.
Career opportunities
Obtaining a law degree is your first step to entering the legal profession. Upon completion of your degree and the additional practical legal training, you will be qualified to work as a solicitor or barrister in all legal fields, including:
commercial law
criminal law
equity and trusts
family law
personal injury law
public international and human rights law
refugee law.
In addition, your degree opens up many other career opportunities. As an alternative to practising as a barrister or solicitor, you may choose to enter:
business as a corporate lawyer, consultant, company administrator or business manager
education
government as a lawyer or policy adviser with departments or authorities as diverse as the Attorney General's Department, the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Office of Public Prosecutions, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
industrial relations
law reform
media
politics
public administration.
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.
A distinctive feature of the Deakin law degree is the large number of commercial law and public law elective units offered in the course. You can choose to add a commercial focus to your degree by selecting from a wide range of electives. Deakin Law School also offers a number of public law electives, drawing upon the significant expertise of staff in the areas of international law, criminal law, constitutional law, human rights law and health law.
Clinical legal education
Legal internship
In conjunction with community legal centres and other legal organisations, Deakin Law School offers a clinical skills unit. This involves students working in private law firms, companies employing in-house legal counsel, public legal centres or statutory bodies under the supervision of legal practitioners. You’ll assist the practitioners to take instructions from, advise and represent clients. Clinical training of this nature is designed to teach you skills such as interviewing, counselling, negotiation, communication and advocacy. Deakin's Legal Internship enables you to gain an appreciation of legal practice and extend your critical thinking skills by working in a legal environment. Quotas apply and enrolment is via application.
Deakin Law School offers teaching law firms which provide legal placements for students. The clinics operate under the supervision of qualified legal practitioners and offer opportunities for students to develop legal skills in the following areas:
civil and commercial law criminal law employment law family law policy law venture law.
A Deakin Law Clinic can be taken as a law elective in year 3 or year 4 of your law degree.
Study abroad opportunities
Our global study itinerary includes the prestigious Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Hong Kong and Vienna and options to study one or more elective units at an overseas institution
Admission to legal practice
At present, to qualify for admission as a barrister and solicitor in Victoria, university graduates are required to complete either a supervised legal traineeship (previously known as articles of clerkship) for one year or an approved practical legal training (PLT) course. Institutes that offer Practical Legal Training in Victoria include:
The College of Law Victoria: Victorian Professional Program
Leo Cussen Centre for Law
Australian College of Applied Professions with the Law Institute of Victoria
Course of study
The Deakin law degree is designed to satisfy the university component of the requirements to become a barrister and solicitor in Victoria set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board. Study may be undertaken on either a full-time or part-time basis.
Course Learning Outcomes
Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
Demonstrate an understanding of the Australian legal system and the fundamental areas of knowledge required for legal practice as situated within international contexts and the broader contexts within which legal issues arise
Communication
Communicate legal knowledge effectively to legal and non-legal audiences, both verbally and in writing
Digital literacy
Use a range of digitally-based technologies to locate, evaluate and disseminate information
Critical thinking
Exercise critical thinking, judgment and intellectual independence to evaluate, consolidate and synthesise knowledge relevant to legal doctrine and legal practice
Problem solving
Apply legal reasoning and critical analysis to generate and articulate accurate and relevant responses to legal issues
Self-management
Exercise responsibility and accountability for own learning, and possess abilities to reflect on own capabilities, performance and feedback to support personal and professional development
Teamwork
Collaborate effectively in a team environment demonstrating constructive engagement and contribution to the team and the ability to draw on strengths of others
Global citizenship
Reflect on the ethical and professional behaviours and responsibilities of legal professionals and demonstrate an understanding of the impact that different social, ethical, global or environmental perspectives have on exercising legal practice in the community
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:
DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
This course includes Work Integrated Learning (WIL) formally registered as part of the course on the CRICOS register. The total work integrated learning hours will differ depending on the WIL unit you choose. For more information about WIL hours, please check the unit information in the handbook or the unit guide.
For information about how WIL units may impact student visa holder work rights, please visit Home Affairs. See 8105 Work limitation.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
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 or 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.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
