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 Engineering Sustainable Design
LAW101 Communication and Thought
LAW102 Foundations of Australian Law A
LAW103 Foundations of Australian Law B
LAW104 Criminal Law and Procedure A
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Criminal Law and Procedure B
LAW202 Torts A
LAW203 Torts B
LAW204 Contracts A
LAW205 Contracts B
LAW206 Property A
LAW301 Property B
LAW302 Constitutional Law
LAW303 Equity & Trusts
LAW304 Corporations Law
LAW401 Civil Procedure
LAW402 Administrative Law
LAW403 Professional Conduct
LAW404 Evidence
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305 Regulation
LAW306 Family Law
LAW307 Employment Law
LAW309 Commercial Law
LAW310 Health Law
LAW311 Children & the Law
LAW312 Law Professional Practice
LAW313 Competition Law
LAW315 Building & Construction Law
LAW316 Indigenous Legal Issues
LAW405 Equal Opportunity Law
LAW406 Alternative Dispute Resolution
LAW407 Environment & Planning Law
LAW408 Elder Law and Succession
LAW409 Intellectual Property
LAW410 Taxation
LAW411 Public International Law
LAW412 Private International Law
LAW414 Human Rights Law
LAW415 Legal Internship
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Sports Law
LAW441 Honours Research Methods, Design and Confirmation
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 Law Honours Thesis
ENS103 Introduction to Environmental Management
SCI102 Earth's Surface Processes, Materials and Soils
SCI110 Biodiversity and Ecology
Advanced courses (11)
ENS223 Science Research Methods
ENS221 Environmental Management Systems and Processes
ENS222 Plant Diversity and Ecology
SUS201 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
SUS202 Measuring Sustainability
ENS253 Communicating Sustainability
ENS300 An Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Technology
ENS351 Environmental and Resource Economics
GEO310 Integrated Environmental Management
ENP211 Indigenous Peoples and the Environment
PLUS select 1 course from:
SRP301 Planning and Environmental Law
WPL310 Special Research Project
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