Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Laws

Course Details

The Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Laws is offered jointly by UTS: Law and UTS: Science. The law is of special importance in many areas of science, including research, industrial and commercial enterprise. The program provides full-time study for students wishing to obtain a professional legal qualification that satisfies the academic requirements only for admission as a lawyer together with a science specialisation. The course addresses the increasing need for scientific expertise among lawyers. Graduates develop critical and analytical skills necessary when making decisions as they understand the complex links between science and law, increasing their employment prospects and career opportunities in both fields. Career options include positions in the law (in areas where strong scientific backgrounds are valued, such as conservation and resource management), climate change advisory roles, defence technologies, environmental pollution regulation, finance, human health, industrial and occupational health and safety, pharmaceutical and biotechnological research and development, and scientific patents.

Qualification: Bachelor Degree (Pass)

Course structure: The course comprises a total of 240 credit points and allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB). The study components for course completion are as follows. The law component of 144 credit points is made up of: 108 credit points of compulsory core law subjects; 30 credit points of law options; and 6 credit points of legal theory options. The science component comprises 96 credit points of core science subjects taken from one of 10 specified majors representing different science disciplines. The course duration is five years of full-time study. For students who undertake the Bachelor of Science (Honours) the course duration is six years of full-time study. The law component requires attendance at 10-15 hours of lectures a week and timetable constraints may require attendance at daytime and evening classes. The science component requires attendance of approximately 10 hours a week at the University.

To practise as a lawyer in NSW, students need to successfully complete an accredited legal academic qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT), which UTS offers through its PLT program. Students enrolled in this course may complete their practical legal training by undertaking a postgraduate course in PLT, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice. Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.