Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2021 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2021 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Campus	This course is only offered Online
Duration	1 year part-time
Deakin course code	M412
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.
This course is only available to Deakin students currently enrolled in M312 Bachelor of Laws or combined Law degrees and who meet the entry requirements for M412. Further information can be found here.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Our Bachelor of Laws (Honours) offers high-achieving law graduates additional advantages in establishing their career and a pathway to a PhD or Masters by Research.

Honours students have the opportunity to build high-level research skills through conducting independent legal research.

Entry will be based on performance in:

Completion of a minimum of 21 credit points of MLL coded units from the Bachelor of Laws (M312) with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 65% across these units OR
Completion of a minimum of 16 credit points of MLL coded units from Law combined degrees with a Weighted Average Mark of at least 65% across these units.

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 (Honours) satisfies 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, you will be 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, Management or Science, is a qualification that 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).

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree provides students with demonstrated research skills, which are highly prized in legal practice, government, policy, and corporate roles. In particular, students who complete the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) will have a strong foundation for entry into postgraduate study and potential careers in academia, legal practice, and government roles.

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.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

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.

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

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, (c) the principles and values of justice and of ethical practice in lawyers’ roles, (d) applying such integrated knowledge to researching a major legal issue, (e) developing a specialised knowledge in the area of law researched
Communication	Justify and communicate well developed communication skills, including: (a) communicating orally, in writing, and by any interpersonal means effectively, appropriately, and persuasively for both legal and non-legal audiences, (b) collaborating effectively, using technologies where the demonstration of autonomy, well developed judgement and responsibility takes place, (c) demonstrating high level written communication skills in the preparation and presentation of legal research
Digital literacy	Use technologies to identify, locate, evaluate information for problem solving scenarios as well as communicating legal solutions, including: (a) identifying, evaluating and synthesising relevant factual, legal and policy issues, effectively using technologies where appropriate, (b) effectively using online law databases and other digital law resources in undertaking a research thesis on an important law matter, (c) finding, using, and disseminating information using technologies, (d) using digital sources to organize 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) demonstrating skills in research methods and undertaking a significant and novel legal research thesis, (d) engaging in critical analysis and making a choice amongst alternatives using reasoning, (e) thinking creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate 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) acquiring legal research skills to undertake a significant research project on a major law problem, d) engaging in critical analysis and making a choice amongst alternatives using reasoning, e) 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, d) undertaking a significant piece of independent research on a major law issue
Teamwork	Collaborate and communicate in teams, including: a) communicating in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audience, b) collaborating effectively with others from different disciplines and backgrounds, c) working effectively with parties providing specialised services in support of independent legal research
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, and as applying to undertaking a significant piece of legal research incorporating comparative and international perspectives, e) an ability to recognise and reflect upon cultural and community diversity

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) students must be concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws (M312) (or combined Deakin Law degree) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (M412) course.

To complete the Bachelor of Laws (Honours), students must attain a total of 4 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (M412) consisting of:

- MLH401 Legal Research Training (2 credit points)
- MLH402 Legal Research Project (2 credit points

Overall:

Students enrolled in the single Law degree must attain a total of 36 credit points, consisting of 4 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (M412) and 32 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws (M312) with a minimum Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 65%

Students enrolled in a combined Law degree must attain a total of 44 credit points, consisting of 4 credit points from the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (M412) and 40 credit points from the Law combined degree.

Course structure

Core Units

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) core units:

MLH401

Legal Research Training (2cp)

MLH402

Legal Research Project (2cp)

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

Research and research-related study

Research and research skills are developed through two core 2 credit point units. MLH401 Legal Research Training, MLH402 Legal Research Project. Both units require students to demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in the application of online and print research resources that relate to case law, legislation, and legal literature, and advanced writing skills that integrate critical thinking and synthetic analysis.