Students will acquire a sound knowledge base in the discipline of Law due to their completion of a sequence of core courses and a wide range of elective courses.

Approved Sequence

There is no assumed knowledge requirement for entry to Faculty of Law courses but students must study law courses in an approved sequence. An approved sequence can be found here:

Plan for Law 4790

Other sequences may be approved in special circumstances.

The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) may be awarded with the following levels of Honours:

Honours Class 1
Honours Class 2, Division 1
Honours Class 2, Division 2

The award of Honours in the LLB program is based on two requirements:

1) the Weighted Average Mark (WAM); and
2) satisfactory performance in written research.

1) Weighted average mark

In general terms, students who score a WAM in the top 10% of the graduating cohort in each semester will be eligible for the award of Honours Class 1; students with a WAM in the next 10% will be eligible for the award of Honours Class 2, Division 1; and students with a WAM in the next 10% will be eligible for the award of Honours Class 2, Division 2.
All courses taken towards the Law degree will be taken into account for written research requirements, but only those taken at UNSW Law School will count towards the WAM.

2) Satisfactory performance in written research

To demonstrate “satisfactory performance in written research” a student must complete one long substantial piece or three shorter substantial pieces of research writing in their program. In particular, a student must attain at least a credit grade either in LAWS 2423 Research Thesis (8 uoc); or (16 uoc); or in each of three (3) research papers of at least 3000 words each, taken in any three (3) courses in the LLB program.
At the time of enrolment in courses in their final semester, students who have demonstrated satisfactory performance in written research must submit an approved Honours Nomination Form to the Honours Committee detailing the basis upon which the research requirement has been met, and the course or courses in which the requisite grades were attained. If a student has not met the Honours research requirement before the end of their penultimate semester, he or she must notify the Honours committee of the LLB courses in which they propose to meet the requirement before the census date in their last semester.

Failures and Academic Misconduct

In no circumstances will a student be eligible for the award of Honours if he or she has

(a) failed more than one course in the LLB program;
(b) been found guilty of plagiarism or serious misconduct on more than one occasion.

Rules Relating to the Bachelor of Laws Program and the Bachelor of Jurisprudence Program

1. (1) The Bachelor of Laws degree may be conferred on the completion of any of the following programs:

(a) Bachelor of Laws

(b) Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Laws

(c) Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws

(d) Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) and Bachelor of Laws

(e) Bachelor of Art Theory and Bachelor of Laws

(f) Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws

(g) Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws

(h) Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Laws

(i) Bachelor of International Studies and Bachelor of Laws

(j) Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws

(k) Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws

(l) Bachelor of Social Science and Bachelor of Laws

(m) Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) and Bachelor of Laws

(n) Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Laws

(o) Bachelor of Planning and Bachelor of Laws


(2) The programs set out in paragraphs (b) to (o) of subrule (1) hereof are referred to in these Rules as 'combined programs', and shall be programs of full-time study of not less than five years' duration.

(3) The program leading to the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws (otherwise than as part of a combined program) shall be either:

(a) a program of part-time study which (unless otherwise approved by the Faculty for special reasons) shall be of not less than six years' duration; or

(b) a program of full-time study of not less than three years' duration, but no student shall be eligible to enrol in such a program unless he or she is a graduate or graduand of any Faculty of the University or another university approved by the Faculty, or has other qualifications or experience deemed acceptable by the Faculty.

2. No person shall be permitted to enrol in any program in the Faculty of Law at the same time as he or she is enrolled for any other degree or diploma in the University or elsewhere, except as may be necessary to complete the requirements of a combined program, or with the approval of the Faculty.

3. Where, in these Rules, reference is made to the requirement that a candidate shall complete a program, the requirement shall be construed as meaning that the candidate shall:

(1) attend such lectures, seminars, tutorials or other classes, and such court sessions, offices or institutions as may be prescribed in that program, and maintain a satisfactory standard of preparation for and participation in such classes and activities;

(2) perform satisfactorily in such exercises, essays, theses and other work (whether written, oral or practical) as may be prescribed in that program and undertake any prescribed reading related to that program; and

(3) attain a satisfactory standard in the examination or examinations, and such other means of assessment of a candidate's results in that program as the Faculty may prescribe.

4. The Faculty of Law shall specify a number of units of credit in respect of each Law course for which credit is given in the award of the degree of Bachelor of Jurisprudence or the degree of Bachelor of Laws (whether taken separately or as part of a combined program). On completion of the course, a candidate shall be credited with the specified number of points.

5. (1) In the case of the Bachelor of Laws degree program credit shall be given for the courses set out in the following table, each of which shall, unless otherwise determined by the Faculty, carry the number of units of credit (if any) specified.

Compulsory Courses

5. (2) Compulsory Course Changes

From 2003 onwards LAWS1051 Legal System and LAWS7410 Legal Research and Writing will be replaced by LAWS1052 Foundations of Law. These changes do not affect students who entered the School of Law prior to 2003.

5. (3) Elective Courses

Approximately 25-30 electives are made available each session. The number of students that may take an elective may be limited.

Please refer to the section 'Elective Courses' below.

5. (4) Postgraduate Electives Available to Undergraduates

The Faculty has determined that, with the permission of the Co-ordinator of Undergraduate Education and the course teacher, undergraduate students may enrol in one or more courses offered in the Master of Laws by Coursework degree. The units of credit so earned shall be the same as are specified in the Course Descriptions for the Master of Laws.

General guidelines: Students may apply to enrol in an LLM course provided they:

Such courses shall be taken in a sequence approved by the Faculty.

6. Bachelor of Laws: A candidate for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws (whether taken as part of a combined program or as a separate degree) shall complete:

(1) all of the courses prescribed in Rule 5 under the heading 'Compulsory Courses', totalling 92 units of credit,

(2) selected courses from the courses prescribed in Rule 5 under the heading 'Elective Courses' so as to comply with Rule 7,

(3) such Legal Research and Writing Programs, Prescribed Readings in Law, Moot Court Work and other work as the Faculty may require.

7. (1) Total Units of Credit: A candidate for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws shall complete Elective Courses prescribed in Rule 6 to the extent necessary to bring his or her total units of credit for Compulsory and Elective Law Courses to:

(a) Total: 144 UOC (Core: 92 UOC; Electives: 52 UOC)

(b) Total: 144 - 150 UOC (Core: 92 UOC; Electives: 52 - 58 UOC)

c) Total: 150 UOC (Core: 92 UOC ; Electives: 58 UOC)

(d) Total: 156 UOC (Core: 92 UOC; Electives: 64 UOC)

(e) Total: 148 -156 UOC (Core: 92 UOC; Electives: 56 - 64 UOC)

(f) Total: 156 - 174 UOC (Core: 92 UOC; Electives: 64 - 82 UOC)

(2) Approval: A candidate's choice of Elective Courses shall require the approval of the Faculty.

8. Combined Program: A candidate for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws as part of a combined program shall not be eligible to be awarded that degree until he or she has completed the additional requirements applicable to the other degree.

9. Bachelor of Jurisprudence/Bachelor of Laws:

In the case of the combined program leading to the award of the degrees of Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws, the requirement for the award of the Bachelor of Jurisprudence degree shall be:

(i) Completion of all requirements of the Bachelor of Laws degree program (including Law courses totalling not less than 156 units of credit).

(ii) Completion of a minimum of 54 units of credit of courses in another Faculty or Faculties comprising (unless specially approved by the Faculty) a major sequence of three years' study comprising 42 units of credit, plus an additional first year course comprising 12 units of credit. Unless he or she obtains special permission from the relevant Head of School, a student shall be bound by any requirements as to course prerequisites normally applicable to a course in another Faculty.

(iii) Completion of electives totalling 24 units of credit of electives selected from either the Faculty of Law or another Faculty.

(iv) Completion of General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit

(v) A candidate shall obtain the approval of the Faculty of Law for the selection, and sequence of study, of courses in other Faculties. In approving such courses, the Faculty shall have regard to the contribution the study of such courses may reasonably be expected to make to the development of the candidate's capacity as a lawyer and understanding of the law.

10. Bachelor of Jurisprudence: The requirement for the award of the Bachelor of Jurisprudence degree shall be:

(i) completion of a program of full-time study of not less than three years' duration comprising law courses totalling not less than 78 units of credit and including the following compulsory courses totalling 54 units of credit:

Year 1

LAWS1052 Foundations of Law - 6 UOC

LAWS1061 Torts - 6 UOC

LAWS1071 Contracts 1 - 6 UOC

LAWS1072 Contracts 2 - 3 UOC

LAWS2140 Public Law - 3 UOC

Year 2

LAWS1001 Criminal Law 1 - 6 UOC

LAWS1011 Criminal Law 2 - 6 UOC

LAWS2160 Administrative Law - 6 UOC

LAWS6210 Law, Lawyers & Society - 6 UOC

Year 3

LAWS8320 Legal Theory - 6 UOC, or

LAWS8820 Law and Social Theory 6 UOC

(ii) Completion of a minimum of 54 units of credit of courses in another Faculty or Faculties comprising (unless specially approved by the Faculty) a major sequence of three years' study comprising 42 units of credit, plus an additional first year course comprising 12 units of credit. The candidate shall be bound by any requirements as to course prerequisites normally applicable to a course in another Faculty.

(iii) Completion of General Education courses totalling 12 units of credit.

(iv) A candidate shall obtain the approval of the Faculty of Law for the selection, and sequence of study, of courses in other Faculties. In approving such courses, the Faculty shall have regard to the contribution the study of such courses may reasonably be expected to make to the development of the candidate's capacity as a lawyer and understanding of the law.

11. Part-Time Study: A student shall not be enrolled as a part-time student unless he or she satisfies the Faculty that his or her special circumstances preclude full-time study, and that his or her previous experience and/or study make it appropriate to admit him or her to part-time study for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Laws as a separate degree.

12.Faculty: In these Rules, unless the contrary is indicated, 'the Faculty' means the Faculty of Law.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

and any other courses specified by the Faculty.