The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) requires four years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). It is only available as an exit award for students who are enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Honours) and who do not wish to undertake the Practical Legal Training component. The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law. Students who complete this exit award cannot be admitted to Legal Practice without completing further practical legal training.
Course aims
The course aims to:
- provide students with a sound training in law and legal skills
- emphasise the acquisition of foundation legal skills through the integration of skills training with the teaching of substantive subjects
- instil in students a desire for just outcomes, a broad outlook on law and a commitment to ethical conduct
- develop the capacity to engage deeply and critically with legal knowledge
- provide students with a sound training in high level academic research and writing skills
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate:
- an extensive, well-founded and advanced knowledge of key areas of current Australian law, including new and developing areas
- the ability to find, interpret, understand and critique Australian law within its historical and comparative contexts, using effective learning strategies and appropriate methods, including both recent and traditional technologies
- the ability to use their knowledge to plan, analyse and think critically, logically and creatively, including by reflecting upon and evaluating facts, ideas, options and resolutions to disputes and debates, and considering the requirements of procedural and jurisdictional contexts
- the capacity to use plain English vocabulary, legal terminology and conventions as appropriate to the situation, to convey their knowledge, reasoning and decisions in a clear and fluent manner
- the capacity to listen well and respond constructively in written and spoken formats as they apply skills of oral advocacy, persuasion, interviewing, negotiation, argument and counter-argument, as appropriate to particular audiences and settings
- professionalism and self-reliance in their learning and their work within legal contexts, including skills and attributes such as initiative, goal setting, organising activities, prioritising tasks and managing time productively
- the capacity for, and a commitment to, lifelong learning: recognising that the world is dynamic and changing and therefore being prepared constantly to review, update and adapt their knowledge and skills
- the willingness and ability to exercise intellectual independence and take responsibility for their decisions and actions and to operate effectively within any relevant contextual framework
- the capacity to interact effectively with others in a variety of settings, including, where appropriate, working cooperatively and productively towards a common outcome as a team member and leader. This also includes group dynamics, showing respect for others and for their ideas and perspectives and learning to negotiate and resolve conflict or difficulties in a constructive manner
- awareness of the philosophy and the social and global contexts of law, and willingness to uphold their community responsibility to advocate for justice and to act with integrity in all matters in their professional work and personal lives. As potential officers of the court, they must learn and apply ethical standards applicable to the legal profession and the practice of law, and to show understanding of the complexity of ethical issues and debates, applying relevant decision-making models to arrive at ethical solutions to problems and taking responsibility for their actions
- the capacity to recognise the colonial and immigrant context of Australian law and the practice of law, and to engage positively with people and ideas beyond the limit of their own geographical, disciplinary, social and cultural background, including by synthesising ideas and principles across various legal doctrinal areas; critically analysing and taking appropriate action in complex global and cultural contexts; and forging constructive links between the world of study and the world of work
- the capacity to engage in significant academic research and writing which has been planned and executed with a degree of independence and which, with an awareness of the academic process for the development of ideas, will better equip students for postgraduate studies.
Credit
Credit may be granted for topics taken at other institutions. However, except in exceptional circumstances approved by the Faculty Board, a majority of units towards the degree must be obtained from topics offered by Flinders University.
Program of study
To qualify for the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, comprising 90 units of compulsory topics, 40.5 units of option topics and a 13.5 unit dissertation topic, as set out below.
All students must complete at least one option topic that has been designated by the Faculty Board as an international/comparative option; and at least one option topic that has been designated by the Faculty Board as an Indigenous/Social Justice option.#
Option topics may be taken from topics not offered or cross-listed by the School of Law only with the written permission of the Faculty Board. Under no circumstances will permission be given to take topics where entry and course requirements are not met, or the Faculty Board has designated them as unacceptable.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) on more than one occasion in the same topic, which may include attempts of the same topic undertaken in other awards, may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.
Not all option topics are necessarily available in a given year.
The Faculty Board may specify that two or more topics represent unacceptable combinations.
Core - Year 1 topics
LLAW1211 Legal Research and Writing [Research I, Writing I] (4.5 units)
LLAW1212 Criminal Law and Legal Method [Statutory Interpretation I] (4.5 units)
LLAW1213 Introduction to Public Law [Group Work] (4.5 units)
LLAW1214 Contract (4.5 units)
LLAW1221 Professional Skills and Ethics [Ethics I] (4.5 units)
LLAW1222 Issues in Criminal Law (4.5 units)
LLAW1223 Torts 1 (4.5 units)
LLAW1224 Advanced Contract [Writing II] (4.5 units)
Core - Year 2 topics
LLAW2211 Torts 2 [Interviewing] (4.5 units)
LLAW2212 The Constitution and the Australian Federation [International / Comparative I] (4.5 units)
LLAW2213 Administrative Law 1: Judicial Review [Statutory Interpretation II] (4.5 units)
LLAW2214 Property, Equity and Trusts (4.5 units)
LLAW2221 The Constitution and the Australian People [Indigenous / Social Justice I] (4.5 units)
LLAW2222 The History of Legal Ideas [Research II] (4.5 units)
LLAW2223 Administrative Law: Merits Review (4.5 units)
LLAW2224 Corporate Law 1 [Drafting] (4.5 units)
Core - Year 3 topics
LLAW3211 Corporate Law 2 [Ethics II] (4.5 units)
LLAW3212 Civil Litigation (4.5 units)
LLAW3221 Real Property Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3223 Evidence (4.5 units)
Plus 18 units of option topics selected from the list of Year 3 option topics below.
Core - Year 4 topics
LLAW7100A Dissertation (Part 1) (4.5 units)#
LLAW7100B Dissertation (Part 2) (4.5 units)#
LLAW7100C Dissertation (Part 3) (4.5 units)#
Plus 22.5 units of option topics selected from the list of Year 4 option topics below.
# Pre-2015 students are only required to complete a 9-unit Dissertation and should enrol in LLAW7200 Dissertation (9 units) and complete an addisional 4.5 units of Year 4 option topics.
Options - Year 3 topics
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
Students select a total of 18 units of options.
#Students must select 4.5 units of International/Comparative [IC] options from:
LLAW3236 Conflict of Laws (4.5 units)
LLAW3239 Defamation Law and Policy (4.5 units)
LLAW3245 Immigration and Refugee Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3248 International Criminal Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3249 International Humanitarian Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3250 International Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3251 The International Protection of Human Rights (4.5 units)
LLAW3252 International Trade Law and Development (4.5 units)
LLAW3261 Selected Issues in Human Rights (4.5 units)
LLAW3262 Selected Issues in Media Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3270 Introduction to China's Law and Legal System (4.5 units)
LLAW3271 Miscarriages of Justice – Australia, Canada, Britain (4.5 units)
LLAW3273 Mooting and International Appellate Advocacy (4.5 units)**
LLAW3274 Indonesia’s law and legal system: an introduction (4.5 units)**
**pending formal approval by the Faculty Board
#Students must select 4.5 units of Indigenous/Social Justice [ISJ] options from:
LLAW3237 Consumer Protection Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3238 Current Issues in Law: Mining Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3240 Disability, Mental Health and the Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3242 Environmental Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3245 Immigration and Refugee Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3246 Indigenous Australians and the Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3253 Labour Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3254 Land Use Planning Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3256 Socio-Legal Theory (4.5 units)
LLAW3257 Occupational Health and Safety Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3264 Social Justice Internship (4.5 units)
LLAW3267 Workplace Compensation Law (4.5 units)
Students select 9 units of options from:
BUSN3054 Taxation Law and Practice (4.5 units)
CRIM2201 Crime and Punishment (4.5 units)
CRIM2202 Policing and Law Enforcement (4.5 units)
CRIM3011B Current Issues in Criminal Justice B - Organised Crime and Criminal Networks (4.5 units)
CRIM3203 Corporate Crime (4.5 units)
CRIM3301 Crime, Law and Trauma (4.5 units)
CRIM3302 International Criminal Justice (4.5 units)
CRIM3303 Psychology, Crime and the Law (4.5 units)
LEGL3113 Socio-Legal Research Methods (4.5 units)
LEGL3114 Introduction to India's Law and Legal System (4.5 units)
LLAW3230 Advanced Public Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3231 Australian Legal History (4.5 units)
LLAW3232 Banking and Finance Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3234 Commercial Equity (4.5 units)
LLAW3236 Conflict of Laws (4.5 units)
LLAW3237 Consumer Protection Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3238 Current Issues in Law: Mining Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3239 Defamation Law and Policy (4.5 units)
LLAW3240 Disability, Mental Health and the Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3241 Dispute Management (4.5 units)
LLAW3242 Environmental Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3243 Family Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3244 Health Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3245 Immigration and Refugee Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3246 Indigenous Australians and the Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3247 Intellectual Property (4.5 units)
LLAW3248 International Criminal Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3249 International Humanitarian Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3250 International Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3251 The International Protection of Human Rights (4.5 units)
LLAW3252 International Trade Law and Development (4.5 units)
LLAW3253 Labour Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3254 Land Use Planning Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3256 Socio-Legal Theory (4.5 units)
LLAW3257 Occupational Health and Safety Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3259 Remedies (4.5 units)
LLAW3260 Securities Regulation (4.5 units)
LLAW3261 Selected Issues in Human Rights (4.5 units)
LLAW3262 Selected Issues in Media Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3263 Selected Issues in Law: Natural Resources and Climate Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3264 Social Justice Internship (4.5 units)
LLAW3265 Succession (4.5 units)
LLAW3267 Workplace Compensation Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3268 Animal Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3269 Personal and Corporate Insolvency Law (4.5 units)
LLAW3270 Introduction to China's Law and Legal System (4.5 units)
LLAW3271 Miscarriages of Justice – Australia, Canada, Britain (4.5 units)
LLAW3273 Mooting and International Appellate Advocacy (4.5 units)
LLAW3274 Indonesia’s law and legal system: an introduction (4.5 units)
PHIL2601 Ethics for Professionals (4.5 units)
PHIL2608 Freedom, Law and Society (4.5 units)
PHIL3601 Moral Philosophy (4.5 units)
WMST2015 Sex, Gender and the Law (4.5 units)
Options - Year 4 topics
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
Select 22.5 units of options from the following:
BIOL7731 Evidence Evaluation (4.5 units)
LLIR9500 The Relationship between International Law and International Relations (4.5 units)
LLIR9501 Principles of Public International Law (4.5 units)
LLIR9502 Issues in Human Security (4.5 units)
LLIR9503 Causes and Conduct of Conflict (4.5 units)
LLIR9504 Cultural Politics in International Law and International Relations (4.5 units)
LLIR9505 Post-Conflict Mechanisms in International Law and International Relations (4.5 units)
LLIR9508 Issues in Energy and Environmental Security (4.5 units)
LLIR9510 Current Issues in International Law and International Relations (4.5 units)
LLAW9701 The Business of the Law (4.5 units)*
LLAW9702 In-house Practice (4.5 units)*
LLAW9703 Advanced Mediation (4.5 units)*
LLAW9704 Introduction to Migration Practice (4.5 units)*
LLAW9705 Insolvency Law (4.5 units)*
LLAW9706 Securities Regulation (4.5 units)*
LLAW9707 Tax Law (4.5 units)*
LLAW9708 Mergers and Acquisitions (4.5 units)*
LLAW9709 Intellectual Property Law (4.5 units)*
LLAW9710 International Trade Law (4.5 units)*
LLAW9711 Corporate Crime (4.5 units)*
LLAW9712 Banking and Finance Law (4.5 units)*
Other Honours or Masters level topics may be taken with the approval of the Honours Coordinator and, where appropriate, the Juris Doctor Coordinator.
* Juris Doctor topics