Bachelor of Laws

Swinburne Online

Australia, Melbourne

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Swinburne Online

Australia , Melbourne

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

Online

Campuses

Online

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesMarch-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

AUD 2,124 / per unit

Next Intake March-2026

Bachelor of Laws

About

Embark on a tech-savvy career in the innovative legal sector

The sweeping uptake of digital technologies in legal professions is revolutionising legal practice, just as it is changing the way we all live and work. Today’s legal professionals need to be not only commercially savvy, but have the adaptability to work with emerging technologies across continually innovating legal landscapes.

Pathway to becoming a lawyer

Swinburne Online’s Bachelor of Laws is approved by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board, with this course fulfilling the first requirement on the pathway to becoming a practicing lawyer.

You’ll develop a nuanced understanding of digital disruption and its legal implications, which will open your legal career for work in criminal, international, commercial, finance law and more. With a digitally informed toolkit at your disposal, you will be able to take advantage of the growing number of technology-focused opportunities in legal fields that govern cyber security, media, branding and advertising.

Like all Swinburne Online courses, practical experience is fundamental. This is why the Bachelor of Laws prioritises work integrated learning through professional placements. By participating you’ll have the opportunity to network and learn directly from experienced legal professionals, while acquiring a practical legal skill set.

Your placement can be at any workplace where legal work is performed, as long as your work experience during the placement is of a legal nature. You can take your placement overseas or in Australia, as long as it’s approved by the Course Director, so you have the opportunity to try different legal work during your practical experience.

Swinburne Online will prepare you to meet the challenges of rapid technological change and upheaval in the legal sector, and set you up to chart a success career in law.

Supervised examinations

Supervised examinations are a compulsory component of the course and will be scheduled for a specific date and start time at the end of each teaching period. If you are an Australian citizen, you’ll still be able to sit these exams in-person at most capital cities around the world.

What will you learn?

Legal Technology & Innovation: Innovative technologies continue to transform legal practice. Investigate the implications of technological change and automation in the legal sector, and ensure the changes are positive, making legal services more accessible than ever before.
Legal Theory & Practice: Acquire knowledge in the legal theory that underpins the Rule of Law in Australia and internationally – and informs all legal practice.
Ethical & Legal Responsibility: Keep your knowledge of legal ethics and responsibility current, so you can conduct yourself ethically in your role working within the legal system.
International Diplomacy: Manage relationships between state and non-state actors in an international legal context, based on an informed understanding of international and jurisdictional law.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

One of:

Successful completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification, with a minimum ATAR of 85; or
Completion or partial completion of a degree; AND
VCE Units 3 and 4: a minimum study score of 25 in any English (except EAL) or 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

This course is not available to international students.

Students who do not meet the above entry requirements can still gain admission to the Bachelor of Laws through one of several alternative pathways.

These pathways include both dedicated undergraduate certificates that help you prepare for the subject matter and workload of the Bachelor of Laws, as well as complementary studies through related undergraduate degrees.

Please see tabs below for information on individual pathways.

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee offer of a place. See Admissions at Swinburne, for general information about admission process.

Undergraduate Certificate of Business

This pathway qualification helps students develop the analytical and planning skills essential to a career in law. A focus on business strategy and innovation equips students to flourish in a corporate law environment, ideal for students ultimately seeking a role as general counsel.

A four-unit course typically requiring six months of full-time study, the Undergraduate Certificate of Business provides significant flexibility, offering students the ability to tailor their entry into law to suit their career goals.

Core unit:

Learning and Communicating for
Innovative Business Practice (COM10011)

Choose three units from the below:

Financial Information for Decision Making (ACC10007)
Business for Sustainability, Social Change and Impact (BUS10014)
Economics for Business Decision Making (ECO10005)
Business Digitalisation (INF10024)
Contemporary Management Principles (MGT10009)
Marketing and the Consumer Experience (MKT10009)

Students seeking to enter the Bachelor of Laws are recommended to select Financial Information for Decision Making as one of their electives. This unit will better prepare students for the workload required in the Bachelor of Laws and will be more relevant to material covered in the degree.

Students will need to complete all four units with an average mark of 60% to gain entry to the Bachelor of Laws. All completed units will be credited against the Bachelor of Laws.

Upon successful completion of the Undergraduate Certificate of Business, students will need to contact the admissions office to transfer to the Bachelor of Laws.

Undergraduate Certificate of Criminal Justice and Criminology

The Undergraduate Certificate of Criminal Justice and Criminology exposes students to foundational concepts in criminal law. Students will develop an understanding of different theoretical models of crime and the structure of the Australian legal system. It also explores the processes and procedures used by different parts of the legal system to manage, deter, and punish criminal offences.

As a four-unit course which typically requires six months of full-time study, the Undergraduate Certificate of Criminal Justice and Criminology is ideal for those considering a career in criminal law. It equips you with the essential knowledge needed to progress to the Bachelor of Laws with confidence.

Core units:

Learning and Communicating for Innovative Business Practice (COM10011)
Introduction to Law (LAW10021)
Fundamentals of Criminology (CRI10002)
Criminal Law and Process (LAW10024)

Students will need to complete all four units with an average mark of 60% to gain entry to the Bachelor of Laws. All completed units will be credited against the Bachelor of Laws.

Upon successful completion of the Undergraduate Certificate of Criminal Justice and Criminology, students will need to contact the admissions office to transfer to the Bachelor of Laws.

Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Students can transfer to the Bachelor of Laws after completing four units in the Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

An alternative to the Undergraduate Certificate of Criminal Justice and Criminology, this pathway offers a different range of foundational units for students interested in criminal law.

Students interested in enrolling in this pathway with the intent of transferring the Bachelor of Laws are recommended to select from the following units:

Learning and Communicating Online for Innovative Business Practice (COM10011)
Fundamentals of Criminology (CRI10002)
Introduction to Forensic Psychology (FOR10001)
Introduction to Law (LAW10021)
Law & Social Science (LAW10022)

Students will need to complete all four units with an average mark of 60% to gain entry to the Bachelor of Laws. All completed units will be credited as secondary electives against the Bachelor of Laws.

Upon successful completion of the required units, students will need to contact the admissions office to transfer to the Bachelor of Laws.

English Program Requirements

English language tests

International students are required to demonstrate their English proficiency before enrolling into a Swinburne Online degree by undertaking one of the following English language tests; The International English Language Test Score (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

IELTS

IELTS have over 1,000 testing centres worldwide and run testing throughout the year. Use the IELTS worldwide search to find a testing centre near you.

TOEFL

The TOEFL test is administered worldwide through a network of testing centres. Use the TOEFL Testing Location Search to find a testing centre near you.

Minimum entry score: IELTS

Overall 6.5
With no band below 6

Minimum entry score: TOEFL

Paper Based: 550 (With a written English score of 5)
Internet Based: 79 (With no individual band below 18)

Test results

Once you have received your test results simply contact us via our online application form or by contacting our Course Consultants on 1300 069 765.

Career

Swinburne Online teaches you more than just theory

Upon graduation you will be able to steer your career in the direction of your choice. That may be towards traditional fields of legal practice – such as criminal law, international law or finance law.

Our graduates work in a range of rewarding roles and industries. The Bachelor of Laws prioritises enhancing your technical literacy so that you can graduate with a future-focused skill set. You will:

Undertake professional experience placements that will familiarise you with the legal practice
Focus on the technological advancement within the Australian legal system
Learn from industry leaders

Commercial Law

Navigate the intricacies of commercial law, which govern commercial transactions within Australia and internationally. Work in specialist areas that include: company law, corporate governance, consumer protection, and environmental law.

Intellectual Property Law

In an era of digital disruption and diversifying media, you can gain expertise in the field of Intellectual Property law. Calling upon your informed understanding of technological change – and the important role that the law plays in encouraging further innovation – while protecting the rights of creators and businesses.

Native Title Law

Consider Native Title laws, in accordance with an informed and culturally sensitive approach to the mediation of the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, government and local communities.

International Law

Oversee the implementation of international law from an Australia perspective, taking into account the intersection of other jurisdictional legal systems and the complexities that may arise.