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 Public Relations: Contemporary Perspectives
LAW101 Ways of Seeing: Understanding Images
LAW102 Editing for the Communications Professional
LAW103 Digital Photographic Practice
LAW104 Visual Worlds: An Introduction to Art and Design History
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Typography
LAW202 Digital Photographic Practice
LAW203 Visual Worlds: An Introduction to Art and Design History
LAW204 Typography
LAW205 Investigative and Data Journalism
LAW206 Risk, Crisis and Issues Management
LAW301 Advertising: Copy and Image
LAW302 News Rounds
LAW303 Media Publishing: Law & Ethics
LAW304 News Writing and Reporting
LAW401 Online Journalism
LAW402 Creative Advertising
LAW403 Television & Video Journalism
LAW404 Multimedia Advertising
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305 Advertising Campaigns
LAW306 Media Publishing: Law & Ethics
LAW307 Communication Campaign Planning
LAW309 News Writing and Reporting
LAW310 Online Journalism
LAW311 Feature Writing
LAW316 Investigative and Data Journalism
LAW318 Risk, Crisis and Issues Management
LAW405 Advertising: Copy and Image
LAW406 News Rounds
LAW407 Media Publishing: Law & Ethics
LAW408 Online Journalism
LAW410 Creative Advertising
LAW411 Television & Video Journalism
LAW412 Accounting Principles
LAW414 Introduction to Informatics
LAW415 Communication and Thought
LAW416 Business Analytics
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Introduction to Economics
LAW441 Introduction to Management
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 Financial Accounting
ENS103 Law of Business Associations
SCI102 Business Finance
SCI110 Company Accounting
Advanced courses (11)
ENS223 Management Accounting
ENS221 Taxation Law and Practice
ENS222 Contemporary Accounting Issues
SUS201 Auditing and Professional Practice
SUS202 Business Law and Ethics
ENS253 Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
ENS300 Research Foundations for Health Practice
ENS351 Contexts of practice: child, youth and family
GEO310 Health Law and Ethics
ENP211 Preparation for Practice 2
PLUS select 1 course from:
SRP301 Drug Therapy
WPL310 Health Alteration
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)