Address environmental issues with an understanding of the law
If you have an interest in law and a passion for the environment, this dual program is for you. Upon graduation you'll be prepared for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia and have the practical skills and tools required for immediate entry into an environmental management career.
- * It is recommended that students planning to study part-time apply for the Bachelor of Laws rather than a double degree.
- ** Campus note: In addition to being able to study all courses at Sippy Downs, students may choose to complete some core and foundation business subjects at the Noosa Centre or Gympie campus. There may be a limited selection of subjects available at South Bank. The option to study at Noosa or Gympie is not available to international students on a Student visa.
If you have an interest in law and a passion for the environment, this dual program is for you. Upon graduation you'll be prepared for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia and have the practical skills and tools required for immediate entry into an environmental management career.
Through the law component of this program, you'll engage in active learning experiences and gain practical skills right from your first year. You will observe volunteer lawyers conducting client interviews at the 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.
Environmental management field work activities will see you travelling to locations such as Fraser Island and the Noosa Biosphere. Learn to minimise human impacts on the environment, manage resources sustainably, and conserve and restore habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. With a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments and peri-urban areas, making it highly relevant to our region as well as your job prospects. In addition, you can specialise with a range of minors such as coastal and marine environments, climate change adaptation, planning studies, environmental health, geospatial analysis and environmental geography.
Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
Career opportunities
Careers in the field of environmental management are diverse and include opportunities at local, state, national and international levels, in industry, government, conservation, and research organisations. These include environmental assessment and protection (air, water, land), natural resource management, ecosystem conservation and restoration, sustainable procurement and corporate stewardship, communications and public awareness, environmental education, policy and legislation development, international negotiations, and research and development of environmental technologies.
Law graduates have opportunities as solicitor, barrister, government legal officer, judge's associate, law academic, corporate counsel, business and public sector administration and policy development.
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
Program Structure
USC Law School courses
Introductory courses (5)
COR109
LAW101 Foundations of Australian Law A
LAW102 Foundations of Australian Law B
LAW103 Criminal Law and Procedure A
LAW104 Criminal Law and Procedure B
Advanced courses (20)
14 required courses:
LAW201 Torts A
LAW202 Torts B
LAW203 Contracts A
LAW204 Contracts B
LAW205 Property A
LAW206 Property B
LAW301 Constitutional Law
LAW302 Equity & Trusts
LAW303 Corporations Law
LAW304 Civil Procedure
LAW401 Administrative Law
LAW402 Professional Conduct
LAW403 Evidence
LAW404 Regulation
PLUS select 6 elective courses from:
LAW305
LAW306
LAW307 Commercial Law
LAW309
LAW310 Children & the Law
LAW311 Law Professional Practice
LAW312 Competition and Consumer Law
LAW313
LAW315
LAW316
LAW405 Legal Dispute Resolution
LAW406
LAW407 Wills, Estates and Elder Law
LAW408 Intellectual Property
LAW409
LAW410 Public International Law
LAW411
LAW412 International Human Rights Law
LAW414 Legal Internship
LAW415 Sports Law
The following 2 elective courses are only available to students who have been accepted into honours in Law:
LAW440 Honours Research Methods, Design and Confirmation
LAW441 Law Honours Thesis
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.
School of Science and Engineering courses
Introductory courses (4)
ENS120 Introduction to Environmental Management
ENS103 Earth's Surface Processes
SCI102 Biodiversity and Ecology
SCI110 Science Research Methods
Advanced courses (11)
ENS223 Environmental Impact Assessment
ENS221 Plant Diversity and Ecology
ENS222 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
SUS201 Advancing Sustainability: Planet, People and Prosperity
SUS202 Communicating Sustainability
ENS253 Geographic Information Science and Technology
ENS300 Environmental Economics
ENS351 Integrated Environmental Management
GEO310 Globalisation, Development and Indigenous Peoples
ENP211 Planning and Environmental Law
PLUS select 1 course from:
SRP301 Special Research Project
WPL310 Workplace Learning I
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 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