Bachelor of Laws
Balance the scales of justice
Studying law is about understanding our society and the power structures within it. Why do we have the laws we do? How have they evolved? How should we interpret them?
Whether you want to uphold, use or change the system—law can take you just about anywhere.
What will you do?
Our Bachelor of Laws can be completed as a single degree, or a double degree program. You will:
- explore legal concepts, processes and methods within common law principles and legal methodology
- build ethical reasoning, policy-based analysis and oratory skills
- gain rigorous knowledge of the areas of law necessary to undertake legal practice
- go deeper by choosing from our broad list of electives
- learn from legal professionals, former judges and international academics
- undertake internships in areas such as Public Law, Native Title Law and Human Rights Law
- form connections through the University’s Lex Salus, Next Steps and Law Students' Society events.
If you are already a graduate of another degree, you can complete the program in as little as three years full-time (or part-time equivalent).
Where could it take you?
Law can take you all over the world. You might advocate for asylum seekers or be a voice for the environment. With a little additional training (see Professional accreditation under Careers below) you could guide innovating businesses as an in-house counsel or lead legal reform drafting new bills in government. Perhaps you’ll go on to prosecute criminals, or preside in a Supreme Court.
*QS World University Ranking by Subject, 2021
Entry Requirements
Please note: For programs including placements and/or study-related activities in settings where COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory, it is an inherent requirement that all students be fully vaccinated prior to undertaking the placement and/or study-related activity.
From 30 June 2023, in accordance with Australian government requirements, the University will be returning to face-to-face teaching for all students where it is safe and practical to do so. For students with circumstances where it would not be practical or safe to travel to Australia, exemptions may apply. Students are encouraged to regularly check Study in 2023 and International Student Covid-19 FAQ for information and updates.
Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions
information for this program.
I am a:
Domestic applicants
| SATAC Code | 324111, 324251, 354451, 3BG002 |
|---|---|
| 2021 CSP ATAR | 95 |
| 2021 CSP IB | 37 |
| Deferment | Yes - 2 year |
| Intake | February and July |
| Prerequisites | If applying for a Law double degree, the prerequisites of the second degree or "stream" must be met. |
| Additional Entry Requirements | The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is recognised as an alternative entry pathway. |
Selection Criteria
| Recent Secondary Education | Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, however if you completed your secondary education more than two years ago, you may still be able to be considered on the basis of your secondary schooling. You must not have completed more than 2 years full time equivalent university study (48 units). You compete for a place with your Selection Rank (ATAR plus any applicable adjustment factors). Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information. |
|---|---|
| Higher Education Study | You must have completed at least six months full time equivalent higher education study (the number of courses and units will vary depending on your prior institution however at the University of Adelaide, this equates to 4 courses / 12 units). A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined). You compete on the basis of your best GPA. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information. |
| Work and life experience | To be eligible to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) as as pathway for entry, you must be 18 years or over before 1 February 2022. If you have studied at higher education level in the last two years (for 2022 entry this means you were enrolled in either 2021 or 2020), you must not have accumulated more than a TOTAL of 2 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education study (ie. including any study prior to 2020). If you meet this criteria, you will be ranked according to your result in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Your STAT result is not weighted between verbal and quantitative components. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information. |
| Other Entry Pathways | |
2021 Admissions Data for school leavers
| ATAR (raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors) |
Lowest ATAR to receive an offer | 88.25 |
|---|---|---|
| Median ATAR to receive an offer | 94.93 | |
| Highest ATAR to receive an offer | 98.7 | |
| Selection Rank (ATAR plus any adjustment factors) |
Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer | 95.2 |
| Median Selection Rank to receive an offer | 97.25 | |
| Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer | 99.95 | |
| Minimum eligibility score | 80 | |
| Additional criteria considered | Selection rank only | |
Student Profile
| Applicant background | Semester one/Full year intake 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of students | Percentage of all students | |
| (A) Higher Education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) |
68 | 23.8% |
| (B) Vocational education and training (VET) study | n/a | N/A |
| (C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) |
<5 | N/A |
| (D) Recent secondary education: | ||
|
108 | 37.8% |
|
N/A | N/A |
|
96 | 33.6% |
| International students | 13 | 4.5% |
| All students | 286 | 100.0% |
Fees and Scholarships
Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees and scholarships information for this program.
I am a:
Domestic applicants
| Indicative annual tuition fees |
Commonwealth-supported place: $12,945
|
Where the standard duration of the program is less than one year the full cost of the program is displayed.
More information on Student Contribution Amounts.
Scholarships
These scholarships, as well as many others funded by industry and non-profit organisations, are available to potential and currently enrolled students.
Careers
Career Readiness
Roles for law graduates are expanding significantly. Those who become lawyers can become involved in court work, or enter practice as a solicitor. But many graduates also pursue careers in industry, government, commerce, community organisations or academic institutions.
This huge range of options, and the opportunities and influence they afford, gives a career in law a distinctive appeal and makes its study one of the most popular choices among today’s students.
The University of Adelaide Careers Service prepares, inspires and empowers students to achieve successful career transitions and connect with industry.
Graduate Attributes
The objective of this program is to produce graduates with specific attributes as outlined in University of Adelaide Graduate Attributes.- Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
- Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
- Teamwork and communication skills
- Professionalism and leadership readiness
- Intercultural and ethical competency
- Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency
- Digital capabilities
- Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Industry Placement
Throughout their degree, students can apply to undertake work placements, either through internships or through Clinical Legal Education courses. Each placement or internship is in conjunction with a law elective (three units). Currently the following is available for students:
Clinical Legal Education
Clinical Legal Education is a three-point elective subject available to students in their final year of study in their Bachelor of Laws program. This practical subject gives law students the chance to work in a legal office one day per week and participate in the day-to-day provision of legal services to people in need.
Human Rights Law Internships
Many students are interested in working in the field of human rights when they graduate. However, it is a popular field and finding a job can be competitive. The Adelaide Law School offers a number of human rights electives and student can also receive three units of academic credit for undertaking the Human Rights Internship course.
Native Title Internships
Students completing internships with native title representative bodies and other organisations which deal with native title in Australia or Indigenous law and policy for a period of four to six weeks to complete. The internship enables students to build on their understanding of native title law or Indigenous law and policy by gaining an appreciation of its practical operation. The associated elective course aims to give depth and context to student's existing knowledge of native title law and Indigenous law and policy.
Public Law Internship Program
Available year-round, Public Law Internships are a great way for students to apply the knowledge of public law theory gained in their degree to practical issues. Through these internships, students are involved in the day-to-day activities of public law offices.
Opportunities are available at public law institutions in Adelaide and Canberra, including:
- the State Ombudsman's Office
- the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- the Commonwealth Ombudsman's Office (summer internship)
- the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (summer internship).
From time to time additional internship positions are offered by the South Australian Crown Solicitor's Office, the South Australian Solicitor-General's Office and the Attorney-General's Department's Office for Legislation and Legal Policy.
Adelaide Law Review
The Adelaide Law Review (ALR) course introduces students to legal publishing and editing. Students will:
- consider the legal journal as a means of legal education, involving them in the production of the annual editions of the ALR
- consider the role of legal publications, critically analyse submitted material and comment upon a diverse range of legal scholarship
- develop skills in advanced legal writing, copy-editing and journal production.
South Australian Law Reform Institute
In the South Australian Law Reform Institute course, students are provided with the opportunity to work with the Director of the Institute to research and develop law reform proposals.
Professional Accreditation
Our Bachelor of Laws is accredited by the Legal Practitioners' Education and Admission Council in South Australia; and provides the academic foundation for admission to legal practice throughout Australia.
To be admitted to practice in Australia, however, you must complete further practical legal training.
In South Australia, we—the University of Adelaide—together with the Law Society of South Australia, provide this additional training through our Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. But if you intend to seek admission to practice elsewhere, you should seek advice from the admitting authority in the relevant jurisdiction.
Upon graduation from the Bachelor of Laws and completion of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, you'll be eligible to be admitted to the Supreme Court of South Australia (with a restricted practicing certificate). Once admitted, you can then apply for admission in any other Australian jurisdiction.
For more information contact:
The Law Society of South Australia
Level 10, 178 North Terrace
Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia
Phone: +61 8 8229 0200
Email: email@lawsocietysa.asn.au
Potential careers
Barrister, Business Lawyer, Community Legal Services Officer, Corporate Lawyer, Industrial relations, Intelligence Officer, Ministerial Adviser, Patent Attorney, Juris Doctor, Parliamentary Adviser, Parliamentary Member, Judicial Associate, Lawyer / Solicitor / Barrister, Legal Officer / Legal aid, Political Adviser, Politician
Degree Structure
In addition, students choose from a range of elective law courses in areas of specialised interest including but not restricted to Law and Popular Culture, Sport Law, Migration Law, Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Medical Law and Ethics and Family Law.
Students of the four year undergraduate program can include some non-law electives towards their studies, although these are limited.
If you are a graduate, the duration of the program is three years full-time (or equivalent) as opposed to four years for non-graduates.
Areas of Specialisation
Example Study Plan
Bachelor of Laws - single degree, semester 1 intake
| Year 1 | S1 | LAW 1501: Foundations of Law LAW 1507: Tort Law Open Elective (3 units) Open Elective (3 units) |
|---|---|---|
| S2 | LAW 1508: International Law LAW 1504: Principles of Public Law Open Elective (3 units) Open Elective (3 units) |
|
| Year 2 | S1 | LAW 1509: Commercial Transactions LAW 2599: Criminal Law Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
| S2 | LAW 1510: Contract Law LAW 1511: Property Law Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
|
| Year 3 | S1 | LAW 2502: Equity LAW 2501: Australian Constitutional Law Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
| S2 | LAW 2598: Corporate Law LAW 2504: Administrative Law Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
|
| Year 4 | S1 | LAW 3501: Dispute Resolution and Ethics Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
| S2 | LAW 3502: Evidence and Advocacy Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
|
| *Students are encouraged to participate in an exchange with an overseas partner University for one semester. We recommend students go in one of these semesters. | ||
Bachelor of Laws - single degree, semester 2 intake
| Year 1 | S2 | LAW 1501: Foundations of Law LAW 1504: Principles of Public Law Open Elective (3 units) Open Elective (3 units) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | S1 | LAW 1507: Tort Law LAW 1509: Commercial Transactions Open Elective (3 units) Open Elective (3 units) |
|||
| S2 | LAW 1508: International Law LAW 1510: Contract Law Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
||||
| Year 3 | S1 | LAW 2599: Criminal Law LAW 2502: Equity LAW 2501: Australian Constitutional Law Open or Closed Elective (3 units) |
|||
| S2 | LAW 1511: Property Law LAW 2598: Corporate Law LAW 2504: Administrative Law Open or Closed Elective (3 units) |
||||
| Year 4 | S1 | LAW 3501: Dispute Resolution and Ethics Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
|||
| S2 | LAW 3502: Evidence and Advocacy Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
||||
| Year 5 | S1 | Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) Closed Elective (3 units) |
|||
| *Students are encouraged to participate in an exchange with an overseas partner University for one semester. We recommend students go in one of these semesters. | |||||
Bachelor of Laws - concurrent degrees
Graduates completing two degrees concurrently are uniquely placed to take up specialist career opportunities offered beyond the law - visit the 'Related Degrees' section below for more information.Related Degrees
Testimonial
Law provides you the skillset you need to advocate for others and engage in our increasingly complex political system.
The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
Last updated: Friday, 15 Jul 2022
