Help protect the environment with a law degree
Become a defender of the environment with this dual degree. You’ll cover all the academic courses required for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia, and build practical skills through active learning experiences right from your first year. You’ll also gain an in-depth understanding of human impacts on the environment, with a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments. Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
- 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.
- ^ It is recommended that students planning to study part-time apply for the Bachelor of Laws rather than a double degree.
Become a defender of the environment with this dual degree. You’ll cover all the academic courses required for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia, and build practical skills through active learning experiences right from your first year. You’ll also gain an in-depth understanding of human impacts on the environment, with a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments. Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
In this program you will:
- Research answers to legal problems, prepare advice, present legal argument, observe court proceedings, and take part in simulated court presentations in USC’s Moot Court
- Develop your skills by working with legal service clients under legal supervision in law practice
- Build your skillset and knowledge by specialising in an environmental area such as coastal and marine environments, urban design and town planning, geospatial analysis and global environment security and policy.
- Travel to fieldwork locations such as Fraser Island and the Noosa Biosphere to learn about conservation and restoration of the natural environment
Career opportunities
- In-house counsel for industry, conservation or research organisation
- Government positions
- Natural resource management
- Ecosystem conservation and restoration
- Policy and legislation development
- International negotiations
- Solicitor
- Barrister
- Judge's associate
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) 60 units
COR109 Marketing Essentials
LAW101 Accounting for Business
LAW102 Information Systems in Organisations
LAW103 Business Law
LAW104 Social Media: Content Curation and Creation
Developing and Graduate courses (20) 240 units
14 required courses (168 units):
LAW201 Fintech Innovations
LAW202 Creating and Leveraging Digital Products
LAW203 Bringing Data to Life
LAW204 World of Work: Your Pathway to Employment
LAW205 Business, Governance and Society
LAW206 Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Organisations in the Digital Age
LAW301 Start-up LaunchLab
LAW302 Organisations in the Digital Age
LAW303 Communication and Thought
LAW304 Foundations of Australian Law A
LAW401 Foundations of Australian Law B
LAW402 Criminal Law and Procedure A
LAW403 Criminal Law and Procedure B
LAW404 Torts A
PLUS select 6 elective courses (72 units) from:
Not all electives are offered every year. For a list of current Law elective courses click HERE.
LAW307 Torts B
LAW310 Contracts A
LAW311 Contracts B
LAW312 Property A
LAW313 Property B
LAW315 Constitutional Law
LAW318 Equity & Trusts
LAW405 Corporations Law
LAW406 Civil Procedure
LAW407 Administrative Law
LAW408 Professional Conduct
LAW409 Evidence
LAW410 Regulation
LAW411 Commercial Law
LAW412 Children & the Law
LAW414 Law Professional Practice
LAW415 Competition and Consumer Law
LAW416 Building & Construction Law
LAW417 Indigenous Legal Issues
LAW418 Advocacy
LAW419 Legal Dispute Resolution
LAW420 Planning and Environment Law
LAW421 Elder Law and Succession
The following 2 elective courses (24 units) are only available to students who have been accepted into Honours in Law:
LAW440 Intellectual Property
LAW441 Taxation
School of Science and Engineering courses
Introductory courses (4) 48 units
ENS120 Public International Law
ENS103 Private International Law
SCI102 International Human Rights Law
SCI110 Legal Internship
Developing and Graduate courses (11) 132 units
ENP211 Sports Law
ENS204 International Commercial Disputes
ENS221 Employment Law
ENS223 Health Law
ENS253 Family Law
ENS300 Anti-Discrimination Law
ENS351 Cyber Laws and the Rules of Evidence
GEO310 Honours Research Methods, Design and Confirmation
SUS201 Law Honours Thesis
PUB262 Introduction to Environmental Management
PLUS select 1 course (12 units) from:
ENS330 Earth's Surface Processes
ENS333 Biodiversity and Ecology
SRP301 Science Research Methods
SUS310 Planning and Environmental Law
WPL310 Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
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 (180 units) 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) and following the recommended study sequence
- The unit value of all courses is 12 units unless otherwise specified
- It is each students responsibility to enrol correctly according to your course requisites, program rules and requirements and be aware of the academic calendar dates
- 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 Managing your progression page for help in understanding your program structure, reviewing your progress and planning remaining courses.