Join a high-achieving community at one of the top 3 law schools in the state of Victoria*. Designed and taught by leading academics and practising lawyers, Deakin's Bachelor of Laws delivers comprehensive legal training that builds strong academic foundations in law, alongside vital skills in communication, problem solving and analytical thinking.
Apply your learning in professional or international settings with multiple opportunities for work-integrated learning. Explore career directions and legal interests through an extensive list of law electives, spanning commercial law, animal law, human rights, technology, privacy and data law. Complete up to 150 hours of supervised casework at the Deakin Law Clinic, resolving legal matters for real clients. You will graduate ready to pursue dynamic careers across law, business, government, public policy and more.
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, graduating from the #1 Victorian university for course satisfaction, 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 Clinic functions as a teaching law firm, where students can build their legal skills under the supervision of experienced lawyers. Based in two locations, Melbourne CBD and Geelong, It offers free legal assistance in the following areas:
civil law criminal law employment law family law generalist law policy advocacy.
A Deakin Law Clinic can be taken as a law elective in year 3 or year 4 of your law degree. Learn more about Deakin Law Clinic
NIKERI Institute
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can enrol in Deakin’s Bachelor of Laws through the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation (NIKERI) Institute. NIKERI offers culturally respectful, flexible, and accredited programs that combine week-long on-campus intensives with supported online learning. Your studies will be grounded in shared cultural values and designed to balance learning with your community commitments. Learn more at deakin.edu.au/nikeri.
Study abroad opportunities
Our global study itinerary includes the prestigious Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Hong Kong and Vienna, international study tours and options to study one or more elective units at an overseas institution.
These options provide you with the opportunity to experience first-hand foreign legal systems and learn how law is applied within these jurisdictions as well as across borders, again giving you an edge upon graduation.
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
Course Learning Outcomes
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
Communicate legal knowledge effectively to legal and non-legal audiences, both verbally and in writing
Use a range of digitally-based technologies to locate, evaluate and disseminate information
Exercise critical thinking, judgment and intellectual independence to evaluate, consolidate and synthesise knowledge relevant to legal doctrine and legal practice
Apply legal reasoning and critical analysis to generate and articulate accurate and relevant responses to legal issues
Exercise responsibility and accountability for own learning, and possess abilities to reflect on own capabilities, performance and feedback to support personal and professional development
Collaborate effectively in a team environment demonstrating constructive engagement and contribution to the team and the ability to draw on strengths of others
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
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Laws you must pass 32 credit points. This includes:
DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
18 credit points of core units
1 credit point of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) or practical course elective units
5 credit points of course elective units
4 credit points of open (non law) elective units
4 credit points of course or open elective units
a maximum of 5 credit points of elective units at level 1
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Not all elective units will be offered every year. Units not offered in 2027 may be offered in 2028 or 2029. From time to time the Law School may develop new units to strengthen the law elective list.
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
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.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.
