Bachelor of Social Science/Bachelor of Laws

This is a five-year double degree that pairs a Bachelor of Social Science with a Bachelor of Laws. You graduate with two qualifications and a broader view of how law works in society, not just the rules, but the social conditions they operate in. Western Sydney University runs it as a full-time course, and the law component is a professional law degree, so you're working towards admission as a lawyer while you study.

What you actually study

The social science half draws on sociology, politics, criminology, and social policy. You look at how inequality, migration, housing, and community services shape people's lives. The law half covers the subjects every Australian law graduate has to pass: contract, torts, criminal law and procedure, property, equity, constitutional law, administrative law, evidence, and professional responsibility. Later units let you specialise, areas like family law, human rights, Indigenous legal issues, or social justice law are common pairings with a social science degree. Teaching is a mix of lectures, tutorials, and seminars where you argue through problems.

Australian law degrees are structured around units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You need to complete a required number of credit points to graduate, and the double degree spreads them across five years instead of the three years a single bachelor degree takes. The law component includes a capstone unit in your final year, where you work on a substantial legal research or policy project. Social science subjects often include research methods and a final-year project too. If you do well, an honours year is possible, it adds a year and a research thesis, and it's the usual path if you're thinking about a PhD or a research career.

Practical experience and accreditation

Law is a field where work-integrated learning matters. The degree includes opportunities for clinical legal education, where you work under supervision at a community legal centre, and placements with law firms, government agencies, or community organisations. Western Sydney University has strong ties to the region, courts, legal aid, local councils, and community services in Western Sydney all take students. The law degree is designed to meet the academic requirements for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia, which means after you graduate you complete practical legal training and then apply for admission in a state or territory. Check the current accreditation status with the university and the relevant admitting authority, because requirements can change.

Who this suits

This course suits people who want to practise law but also care about why the law works the way it does. If you're interested in social justice, policy, community advocacy, or human rights, the double degree gives you the legal tools and the social analysis to back it up. It's also a good fit if you're not certain you want to be a solicitor or barrister, the social science side opens up policy, research, and community sector work. International students should note the English requirement is higher for law than for most other courses, and the Student visa has its own English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. While you study, your visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available, depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Confirm all details, including English scores and credit arrangements, on the official course page.

• Solicitor or barrister, after completing practical legal training and admission, you can work in private practice, legal aid, or the community legal sector.
• Policy officer or analyst, in state and federal government departments, especially in social policy, justice, housing, and community services.
• Community legal centre lawyer or advocate, representing clients on tenancy, family, discrimination, and welfare matters.
• Human resources or industrial relations adviser, handling workplace law, enterprise agreements, and compliance.
• Social researcher or program evaluator, in NGOs, research institutes, and government, looking at what social programmes actually achieve.
• Compliance or regulatory officer, in financial services, health, education, or local government.
• Legal officer in a government agency or corporate legal team, drafting, advising, and managing legal risk.

Australian employers in these areas include law firms, Legal Aid commissions, community legal centres, the courts, state and federal public service, local councils, unions, NGOs, and universities. The double degree is also a recognised pathway to a research career if you go on to honours and a PhD.