Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

This is a five-year double degree at Western Sydney University that pairs a Bachelor of International Studies with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). You graduate with two awards from one enrolment: a law degree with honours built in, and an international studies degree. The law component covers the areas Australian law graduates need, contracts, torts, criminal law, constitutional law, property, equity, administrative law, evidence and procedure, and the honours year means you complete a substantial research project or thesis within the law programme. The international studies side takes you through politics, history, economics, languages and regional studies, so you finish with a working knowledge of how countries and institutions actually operate.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees normally run three years full time; this one runs five because it combines two full programmes. You study in semesters, enrolling in units of study each semester, and each unit carries credit points that count towards the total needed for the degree. Expect a mix of core law units, core international studies units, and electives where you can specialise, in a region, a language, or a branch of law such as international or human rights law. The honours component sits in the later years and involves supervised research. Because law is a professional degree, the sequence matters: you build foundational legal knowledge before you take advanced and clinical units.

Work-integrated learning and practical experience

Law is a field where placement is standard, and Western Sydney University uses work-integrated learning in its law programmes. That usually means clinical legal units, internships with community legal centres, law firms, government agencies or corporate legal teams, and mooting or advocacy competitions. International studies students often take part in study tours, exchange or in-country language programmes. These experiences are where you test whether you want to practise as a solicitor, work in policy, or go into international organisations. Confirm the specific placement and exchange options for this course on the official page, because they can change.

Who it suits

This degree suits someone who wants to practise law but does not want to be limited to domestic matters. If you are interested in human rights, refugee law, trade, diplomacy, international criminal law, or working for an NGO, a government department or a multinational, the combination gives you the legal qualification plus the international context. It also suits students who want to keep options open: you can qualify for legal practice and still move into policy, foreign affairs or development work. English language requirements are higher for law than for most degrees, the published standard for law is IELTS Academic 7.0–7.5 overall, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced accepted as equivalents, and the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. As an international student on a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets eligible graduates stay and work in Australia. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 108421D, and you should check the official page for current fees, admission requirements and credit arrangements.

• Solicitor or barrister, in private firms, community legal centres or the bar, after completing the practical legal training required for admission in Australia.
• Government lawyer or policy officer, in federal and state departments dealing with trade, immigration, defence, foreign affairs or human rights.
• International organisation roles, with UN agencies, NGOs, development bodies and humanitarian organisations, often in policy, legal or programme roles.
• Corporate and commercial advisory, in-house legal teams, compliance, risk and international business roles in Australian and overseas companies.
• Diplomacy and foreign affairs, policy and analysis work in Australia and at overseas posts.
• Migration and refugee law, a growing practice area in Australia, in firms, advocacy bodies and community legal services.
• Research and academia, further study through a master's or doctorate, building on the honours research component.

Typical Australian employers include law firms, the federal and NSW public service, community legal centres, universities, banks and professional services firms, and international NGOs with offices in Australia. Check the official Western Sydney University course page for admission, fees and any accreditation details.