Address environmental issues with an understanding of the law
If you have an interest in law and a passion for the environment, this dual program is for you. Upon graduation you'll be prepared for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia and have the practical skills and tools required for immediate entry into an environmental management career.
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
- * It is recommended that students planning to study part-time apply for the Bachelor of Laws rather than a double degree.
- ** Campus note: In addition to being able to study all courses at Sippy Downs, students may choose to complete some core and foundation business subjects at the Noosa Centre or Gympie campus. There may be a limited selection of subjects available at South Bank. The option to study at Noosa or Gympie is not available to international students on a Student visa.
- * It is recommended that students planning to study part-time apply for the Bachelor of Laws rather than a double degree.
- ** Campus note: In addition to being able to study all courses at Sippy Downs, students may choose to complete some core and foundation business subjects at the Noosa Centre or Gympie campus. There may be a limited selection of subjects available at South Bank. The option to study at Noosa or Gympie is not available to international students on a Student visa.
If you have an interest in law and a passion for the environment, this dual program is for you. Upon graduation you'll be prepared for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia and have the practical skills and tools required for immediate entry into an environmental management career.
Through the law component of this program, you'll engage in active learning experiences and gain practical skills right from your first year. You will observe volunteer lawyers conducting client interviews at the Suncoast Community Legal Service. You will research answers to legal problems, prepare advice, present legal argument, observe court proceedings and take part in simulated court presentations in our new Moot Court venue.
Environmental management field work activities will see you travelling to locations such as Fraser Island and the Noosa Biosphere. Learn to minimise human impacts on the environment, manage resources sustainably, and conserve and restore habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. With a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments and peri-urban areas, making it highly relevant to our region as well as your job prospects. In addition, you can specialise with a range of minors such as coastal and marine environments, climate change adaptation, planning studies, environmental health, geospatial analysis and environmental geography.
Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
Career opportunities
Careers in the field of environmental management are diverse and include opportunities at local, state, national and international levels, in industry, government, conservation, and research organisations. These include environmental assessment and protection (air, water, land), natural resource management, ecosystem conservation and restoration, sustainable procurement and corporate stewardship, communications and public awareness, environmental education, policy and legislation development, international negotiations, and research and development of environmental technologies.
Law graduates have opportunities as solicitor, barrister, government legal officer, judge's associate, law academic, corporate counsel, business and public sector administration and policy development.
Membership
The Law degree is an approved academic qualification for admission to the legal profession. After graduating you must undertake a further period of practical legal training before being admitted as a legal practitioner.
On graduation you can apply to become Associate Member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) while you acquire relevant work experience. You can apply for Full Membership in EIANZ after you acquired two years of professional experience in one or more functional areas of environmental practice.
Program structure
USC Law School courses
Introductory courses (5)
COR109 Research Project F
LAW101 Communication and Thought
LAW102 Cell Biology
LAW103 Chemistry
LAW104 Science Research Methods
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Introduction to Mathematics
LAW202 Mathematics Foundations
LAW203 Environment, Technology and Sustainability
LAW204 Business Analytics
LAW205 Introduction to Economics
LAW206 Management and Organisational Behaviour
LAW301 Introduction to Marketing
LAW302 Accounting for Business
LAW303 Introduction to Informatics
LAW304 Communication and Thought
LAW401 Business Law and Ethics
LAW402 Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
LAW403 Principles of International Business
LAW404 Cross-Cultural Management
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305 Trade and Finance in a Global Economy
LAW306 International Marketing
LAW307 Managing Global Logistics
LAW309 International Business Strategy
LAW310 Economics for Managers
LAW311 International Business Law and Ethics
LAW316 Managing Across Global Cultures
LAW318 Management Informatics
LAW405 Managing People
LAW406 Strategic Management
LAW407 Leveraging Innovation, Design and Creativity
LAW408 Project Management Principles
LAW410 Project Risk
LAW411 Communication and Thought
LAW412 Cell Biology
LAW414 Biodiversity and Ecology
LAW415 Chemistry
LAW416 Science Research Methods
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Discovering Science
LAW441 Introduction to Mathematics
Please note: Semester offerings for Law elective courses are subject to change and are dependent on student demand. For more information on elective availability please contact your Program Coordinator.
School of Science and Engineering courses
Introductory courses (4)
ENS120 Mathematics Foundations
ENS103 Plant Diversity and Ecology
SCI102 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
SCI110 Molecular Biology
Advanced courses (11)
ENS223 Microbiology
ENS221 Biochemistry
ENS222 Molecular Biology
SUS201 Microbiology
SUS202 Biotechnology: Research to Product
ENS253 Organic Chemistry
ENS300 Inorganic Chemistry
ENS351 Physical Chemistry
GEO310 Biochemistry
ENP211 Invertebrate Biology and Ecology
PLUS select 1 course from:
SRP301 Plant Diversity and Ecology
WPL310 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 480
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Successfully complete 480 units as outlined in the Program Structure
- Complete no more than 15 introductory level (100 coded) courses in total, including the core course
Program notes
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses)
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods which may include essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations
- Semester offerings for Law elective courses are subject to change and are dependent on student demand. For more information on elective availability please contact your Program Coordinator
- Honours in Law available for high performing students
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
- Refer to the Planning your study page to manage your progression
- You may wish to use electives to complete an additional major or minor
- Register your selected major(s) and/or minor(s)