Interested in criminal law and justice? Make a difference within the criminal justice system.
Put the law into context with this double degree. You'll have the opportunity to work in legal practice or across the related field of criminology.
- 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.
Only a full time option is available to international students studying 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.
Only a full time option is available to international students studying on a Student visa.
Put the law into context with this double degree. You'll have the opportunity to work in legal practice or across the related field of criminology.
You will cover all the academic courses required for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia. You will engage in active learning experiences and gain practical skills right from your first year. For example, you will observe volunteer lawyers conducting client interviews at an advice clinic operated by 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. You can further develop your skills by working with Legal Service clients under legal supervision in law professional practice, or undertake a legal internship.
The Criminology component will hone your focus to the causes and impacts of crime, and what works in reducing crime and improving justice from an applied social science perspective. You'll be prepared for real world challenges through guest lectures and opportunities for practical learning.
Completion of this program ensures you meet the academic requirements for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia. With a depth of knowledge and understanding in both law, and criminology and justice, graduates have extended career prospects.
Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
Career opportunities
This double degree will be valuable for those graduates who intend to practise in criminal law. A broad range of career opportunities exist for graduates, in areas such as legal research, law reform research and policy development, advocacy, political advising; corruption and white collar crime investigations, prosecutions and crime prevention.
Registration
The degree is an approved academic qualification for admission to the legal profession. Graduates must undertake a further period of practical legal training before being admitted as a legal practitioner.
Program structure
Program Structure
USC Law School courses
Introductory courses (5)
COR109 Cell Biology
LAW101 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
LAW102 Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
LAW103 Plant Growth and Reproduction
LAW104 Advanced Genetics
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Genetics
LAW202 Plant Diversity and Ecology
LAW203 Invertebrate Biology and Ecology
LAW204 Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
LAW205 Microbiology
LAW206 Teaching Senior Secondary Arts
LAW301 Teaching Senior Secondary Science 1
LAW302 Individual Learner Needs
LAW303 Professional Experience: Managing Learning Environments
LAW304 Teaching Junior Secondary Arts
LAW401 Teaching Junior Secondary Science 1
LAW402 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives in Learning and Teaching
LAW403 Diversity and Inclusion
LAW404 Professional Experience: Individual Learner Needs
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305 The Psychology of Learning
LAW306 Literacy and Numeracy Across the Curriculum
LAW307 Secondary Assessment and Reporting
LAW309 Using Data for Learning
LAW310 Secondary Professional Learning: The Professional Empowered and Engaged
LAW311 Cell Biology
LAW312 Human Physiology
LAW313 Human Anatomy
LAW315 Foundations in Medical Science
LAW316 Public Health Foundations
LAW405 Chemistry
LAW406 Science Research Methods
LAW407 Medical Genetics
LAW408 Introduction to Pharmacology
LAW409 Immunology
LAW410 Organic Chemistry
LAW411 Integrated Physiology
LAW412 Biochemistry
LAW414 Microbiology
LAW415 Medical Microbiology
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Pathophysiology
LAW441 Communication Skills for Medicine
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 Leaders.
Criminology courses
Introductory courses (6)
CRM101 Integrated Medical Science
CRM102 Medical Biochemistry
CRM103 Health, Law and Ethics
CRM105 Epidemiology and Biostatistics
PSY100 Functional Anatomy
SCS110 Introduction to Clinical Trial Coordination
Advanced courses (5)
CRM202 Biochemical Pharmacology
CRM204 Clinical Embryology
CRM301 Medicinal Organic Chemistry
CRM304 Pharmaceutical and Food Microbiology
SCS225 Microbial Pathogenesis
Elective courses (4)
Select 4 elective courses from either faculty (Arts, Business and Law or Science, Health, Education and Engineering or USC Law School .
Suggested electives for Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Criminology and Justice include:
CRM201 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
JST202 Special Research Project
LGL202 Special Research Project
CRM203 Workplace Learning I
CRM302 Workplace Learning II
CRM303 Communication and Thought
CRM305 Chemistry
CRM306 Introduction to Weather and Climate
Note: 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:
- Complete 5 introductory level (100 coded) required law courses including COR109
- Complete 14 advanced level (200/300/400 coded) required law courses
- Complete 6 law electives
- Complete 6 required introductory level (100 coded) criminology courses
- Complete 5 required advanced level (200/300 coded) criminology courses
- Complete 4 elective courses
- 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 including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
- When enrolling, refer to the Study Plan
- 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