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.
- * 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
Program Structure
USC Law School courses
Introductory courses (5)
COR109 International Justice and Human Rights
LAW101 Youth Justice & Restorative Justice
LAW102 Professional Ethics and Integrity Management
LAW103 Diversity, Crime and Justice
LAW104 Working with Victims and Offenders
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Communication and Thought
LAW202 Foundations of Australian Law A
LAW203 Foundations of Australian Law B
LAW204 Criminal Law and Procedure A
LAW205 Criminal Law and Procedure B
LAW206 Torts A
LAW301 Torts B
LAW302 Contracts A
LAW303 Contracts B
LAW304 Property A
LAW401 Property B
LAW402 Constitutional Law
LAW403 Equity & Trusts
LAW404 Corporations Law
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305 Civil Procedure
LAW306 Administrative Law
LAW307 Professional Conduct
LAW309 Evidence
LAW310 Regulation
LAW311 Family Law
LAW312 Employment Law
LAW313 Commercial Law
LAW315 Health Law
LAW316 Children & the Law
LAW405 Law Professional Practice
LAW406 Competition Law
LAW407 Building & Construction Law
LAW408 Indigenous Legal Issues
LAW409 Equal Opportunity Law
LAW410 Alternative Dispute Resolution
LAW411 Environment & Planning Law
LAW412 Elder Law and Succession
LAW414 Intellectual Property
LAW415 Taxation
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Public International Law
LAW441 Private International Law
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 Leaders.
School of Science and Engineering courses
Introductory courses (4)
ENS120 Human Rights Law
ENS103 Legal Internship
SCI102 Sports Law
SCI110 Honours Research Methods, Design and Confirmation
Advanced courses (11)
ENS223 Law Honours Thesis
ENS221 Introduction to Environmental Management
ENS222 Earth's Surface Processes, Materials and Soils
SUS201 Biodiversity and Ecology
SUS202 Science Research Methods
ENS253 Environmental Management Systems and Processes
ENS300 Plant Diversity and Ecology
ENS351 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
GEO310 Measuring Sustainability
ENP211 Communicating Sustainability
PLUS select 1 course from:
SRP301 An Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Technology
WPL310 Environmental and Resource Economics
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 including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
- When enrolling, refer to the Study Plan
- 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