Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Psychological Science

In La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Psychological Science, you'll build an adaptable skillset that combines skills-based legal training with expertise in psychological science, preparing you for a rewarding career.

As you study law, you can tailor your degree to your personal career aspirations with a wide range of elective subjects and opportunities for hands-on professional experience. We combine outstanding legal training with a progressive approach that prepares you for employment. You'll build legal expertise in key areas of law and develop skills that are highly valued by all employers, like advocacy, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

In your accredited psychological science degree, you'll enjoy the full benefits of having access to academics who are experts in their fields. Explore the environmental factors that affect our mental health and understand how community members cope with mental and physical disorders. Thanks to our electives and specialised minors, you'll be able to further ensure your study meets your specific career goals.

With access to real-world placement opportunities in both law and psychology, you'll also have opportunities put your knowledge into practice – whether it's working at a community legal centre, law firms and government agencies, or undertaking a psychology-related field placement.

You'll learn:

• Evidence and criminal procedure
  • Build your understanding of the criminal legal system and procedure. Learn how to apply criminal law to real-world scenarios and provide legal advice.
• Private and public law
  • Learn how to apply the legal principles underpinning contract law, develop the skills to specialise as a corporate legal expert and discover how government power is distributed, exercised and controlled.
• Clinical, health, developmental and social psychology
  • Understand how to help people cope with mental and physical disorders and investigate how environmental factors contribute to our psychological makeup.
• Psychological assessment, intervention and research
  • Become familiar with methods used to understand and measure people's psychological state, and learn when and how to intervene or conduct research.

The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 8 – Bachelor Degree Honours.

Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL.

6.5 IELTS (Academic) with no individual band less than 6.0.

La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours) satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practise law in Victoria. Degrees in law and psychological science prepare you for careers in a wide range of industries, including in legal practice, community and welfare services and policy advice roles.

The unique blend of expertise offered in this double degree means your potential careers include:

• Forensic psychologist*
  • Apply your psychological and legal knowledge, theory and skills as you research or work in criminal justice systems.
• Mediator
  • Help community members to reach a resolution to their dispute without pursuing litigation.
• Barrister or solicitor
  • Advocate for justice as you prepare cases, represent clients in court, assist in creating and reviewing contracts, and provide advice on legal issues.
• Workplace relations adviser
  • Study and interpret legislation, develop and plan enterprise agreements, and perform other vital roles to support the relationship between employers and their employees.
• Policy advisor
  • Provide trusted advice as you identify mental health policy needs, review existing legislation, research and analyse policy options and assess the impacts and feasibility of policies.

* Requires completion of further psychology education.