Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice/Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

This is a five-year double degree that pairs a law degree with a criminal and community justice degree. You graduate with two qualifications: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice. The law component covers the subjects you need for admission to legal practice in Australia, contract, torts, criminal law procedure, evidence, constitutional law, property, equity, administrative law and professional responsibility. The criminal and community justice side looks at why people offend, how the justice system responds, and what community-based alternatives exist. You study policing, corrections, youth justice, victim services and crime prevention alongside the black-letter law.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are built on units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A full-time load is usually four units a semester, and you need a set total of credit points to graduate. Western Sydney University runs most teaching on a semester basis, with some units offered in summer or over other teaching periods. Because this is a double degree, you take law units and criminal and community justice units across the five years rather than doing one degree and then the other. The honours component is built into the law degree. You complete a research thesis or a substantial research project in your later years, supervised by an academic, and that is what earns the Honours classification.

Work-integrated learning is part of the law degree. You may take a clinical placement, an internship with a community legal centre, a law firm or a government agency, or a professional experience unit where you work under supervision. The criminal and community justice side often includes placements with organisations that work with offenders, victims or young people in the justice system. The exact placement options and the number of hours vary, so check the official course page for the current list.

What you actually learn

You learn to read a case, find the ratio, apply statute to facts, and write advice a client or a court can use. You learn legal research using Australian databases and how to draft submissions, affidavits and letters of advice. On the justice side you learn to assess risk, write reports for courts and corrections, and understand how policy shapes who ends up in prison and who gets diverted. Group work, mooting and client interviewing are common. By the end you should be able to argue a legal position, critique a justice policy, and work with people who are often at the worst point of their lives.

Who it suits

This degree suits someone who wants to practise law but is also interested in the parts of the system that sit outside the courtroom, policing, corrections, youth justice, policy and community legal work. It also suits people who want to work in the justice system without necessarily becoming a solicitor or barrister. The law degree is accredited for admission to practice, but you still need to complete practical legal training or a supervised traineeship after graduation before you can be admitted. Confirm the current accreditation and admission requirements with the university and the relevant admitting authority.

International students should note the English requirement. The published standard for law is higher than for most other courses, IELTS Academic 7.0 to 7.5 overall is common for law, with equivalents accepted through TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced or the university's own English programs. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, which is separate from the university's entry requirement. While you study, your visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight during teaching periods. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may let you stay and work in Australia, depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 108486J. Check the official course page for the current structure, placement options and entry requirements.

• Solicitor or barrister, after completing practical legal training and admission
• Legal officer in a government department or statutory authority
• Community legal centre lawyer or caseworker
• Police officer or police analyst
• Corrective services officer or case manager
• Youth justice worker or youth support officer
• Victim support or court support officer
• Policy officer in justice, corrections or crime prevention
• Compliance or investigations officer
• Researcher or advocate in a non-government justice organisation

These roles are found across Australian state and federal public services, community legal centres, legal aid commissions, private law firms, corrections departments, youth justice agencies, and community organisations working with offenders, victims and families.