Monash University

Bachelor of Laws - basic course structure - Faculty of Law

The Bachelor of Laws core curriculum consists of 12 compulsory units (72 credit points) which must be completed by all students enrolled in an LLB program plus a further six 'quasi-compulsory' units (36 credit points) which must be completed by students who wish to be qualified for admission to practice as a barrister or solicitor in Victoria. The remainder of the program consists of elective units chosen by the student.

The purpose of the core undergraduate curriculum (comprising the 12 compulsory units and the six quasi-compulsory units) is to:

(a.) enable students to acquire an understanding of:

  • the fundamental concepts and institutions of public law
  • the fundamental concepts of criminal law
  • legal rights and obligations (including proprietary, contractual, tortious and equitable obligations) and their interrelationship
  • the nature of legal personality, fundamental legal institutions and the relationship between different types of legal institutions
  • the trial process and litigation
  • the obligations of practitioners

(b.) introduce students to a variety of theoretical, social and other perspectives on the nature of law

(c.) enable students to acquire competence in the skills of legal research, analysis and oral and written communication, and introduce them to a range of other legal skills including interviewing, drafting, advocacy, negotiation and other forms of dispute resolution.

Compulsory units

All compulsory units are worth 6 points:

Quasi-compulsory units

The following units are not required in order for a student to graduate with a Bachelor of Laws, however they are required by the Council of Legal Education for admission to practice as a solicitor in Victoria. If students wish to be eligible for admission to practice as a solicitor in Victoria, they must complete these units:

The elective program

The remainder of the degree is made up of elective law units selected by the student. Students should be aware that many electives are offered on a rotational basis and they should check the timetable each year for the availability of elective units. The number of elective units required varies according to the actual course in which the student is enrolled (Bachelor of Laws or an associated double degree). Students must check their course rewuirements to determine the number of electives they are required to complete.

The purpose of the elective program is to:

  • enable students to broaden and deepen the legal knowledge and skills they have acquired through studying compulsory units
  • enable students to explore new and significant developments in the law, legal theory and the legal system and to acquire knowledge and skills in areas of law which particularly interest them
  • introduce students to areas of legal knowledge that are not included in the compulsory curriculum
  • enable students to further develop the skills relevant to legal practice
  • enable students to acquire interdisciplinary perspectives that will extend and enhance their understanding of legal principles, theory or skill.

Exchange and Law faculty programs

Students can choose to study part of their course overseas without increasing the length of time to their degree.

Exchange

Monash University has over 100 overseas partner universities in more than 25 countries where students can choose to study for up to a year. Further information including eligibility and application process is available via the Exchange program website.

Law faculty programs

Monash Law faculty also offers students the opportunity to study overseas at the Prato Centre, Italy or Sunway campus, Malaysia. Students can also participate in both programs in the one year.

Students can internationalise their law qualification by including the international study program in their Monash Law degree. This is a unique opportunity to learn about different legal traditions, systems and procedures. Students can discuss both the exchange and Law faculty programs with their faculty adviser.

Further information including eligibility and application process is available via the Monash Law International Study Programs – Prato and Malaysia website.

Bachelor of Laws with honours

The Bachelor of Laws is a pass degree that may be awarded with honours to recognise academic achievement. Since 2002, honours classes 1, 2A, 2B or 3 have been awarded to graduating students based on the average of their results in all law units attempted at Monash University.

Any student may apply for enrolment in the full-year honours research unit LAW5207 at the end of their penultimate year of LLB studies. To be eligible to take this unit students will be required to meet a minimum  average grade for all undergraduate law units attempted at Monash up to the end of their penultimate year of LLB studies.

Students wishing to apply for the honours research unit LAW5207 should do so by late-November of their penultimate year.

For further information refer to the faculty's Monash Law honours webpage.