Law and Psychology

Curtins Bachelor of Laws degree provides the first qualification you need to practise as a lawyer in Australia. Combining this with our psychology degree is ideal if you want to develop a deeper understanding of human behaviour, or pursue a career in psychology in areas such as the criminal and justice systems.

Our law degree offers a rich and professionally relevant foundation in legal knowledge. Youll learn core skills essential to effective legal practice and build a strong commercial awareness. From early on in your studies, youll start to recognise the importance of respecting the rule of law, along with the responsibilities and ethics of legal practice.

Youll also have the opportunity to choose from optional law elective units focusing on topics such as forensic advocacy, family law, human rights law, native title law and policy or European Union law. With a wide range of optional units to choose from, you can tailor your degree to suit your interests.

In the Bachelor of Science (Psychology), you will gain a strong understanding of emotion, behaviour, cognition, interpersonal relationships, perception and personality. Youll learn how to examine, explain and predict what people do as individuals and in groups.

The first four years are delivered in semesters at Curtin Perth, while the fifth year, plus one trimester, is delivered at Curtin Law School in Perth city. If you choose to study full time, you can graduate with two degrees in five-and-a-half years.

While studying in Perth city, you can gain practical experience by undertaking simulated proceedings in our high-tech moot court and working on real cases at the John Curtin Law Clinic. Youll also greatly benefit from the relationships you form with academics, practising solicitors and barristers based at Curtin Law School, as well as the proximity of the Supreme Court, the District Court and the Federal Court.

Please refer to thehandbookfor additional course overview information.

Why study

• Law and psychology are a natural combination that reflect the day-to-day challenges of the legal professional and the growing role of psychology in numerous legal, forensic and criminal processes.
• Youll gain first-hand insight and knowledge of the legal profession from high-quality teaching staff.
• Youll develop your knowledge of human behaviour from teaching staff who are registered psychologists and active researchers in the field of psychology.
• You can undertake a legal internship in which you can gain experience working under the supervision of an employer in a professional legal environment. The internship unit puts your law studies into context and provides opportunities to develop and apply your legal practice skills, critically analyse and reflect on the law in practice, and gain an appreciation of legal ethics.
• Later in your degree, you can enrol in the Law Clinic unit to put your legal skills into practise through professional activities. Under the supervision of experienced legal practitioners, you will meet and prepare advice for eligible clients.
• You can participate in simulated court proceedings at our moot court facility. This will hone your skills in public speaking and debating, and enhance your understanding of how a real court environment operates.
• You can study at Ghent University in Belgium as part of our Ghent summer law program.
• You can choose optional units that focus on high-demand areas for law graduates.

Student profile

View our student profile table to get an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students at Curtin University. This table provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and passed the census date in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available. It includes those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

Professional recognition

An undergraduate degree in law is the first qualification you need if you want to practise as a lawyer in Australia. Further practical legal training must be undertaken after completing the Bachelor of Laws to be eligible for admission as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.

To be eligible for admission as a lawyer in Western Australia you must either undertake the Practical Legal Training course or complete 12 months articles of clerkship. For further details about admission as a lawyer in Australia, refer to the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia website.

The Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree is recognised by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as meeting the first three years of study in psychology. A further year in psychology is necessary to apply for associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) or to apply for post graduate training (pathway to registration) in psychology.

If English is not your first language, you must also check that you meet English language requirements for your chosen course. Australian students must also meet the English entry requirements.

• Lawyer (further study required)
• Policy Adviser
• Social Researcher
• Psychologist (further study required)
• Support Worker
• Youth Worker
• Program Officer
• Mental Health Advocate