Help protect the environment with a law degree
Become a defender of the environment with this dual degree. You’ll cover all the academic courses required for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia, and build practical skills through active learning experiences right from your first year. You’ll also gain an in-depth understanding of human impacts on the environment, with a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments. Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
- 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.
- ^ It is recommended that students planning to study part-time apply for the Bachelor of Laws rather than a double degree.
Become a defender of the environment with this dual degree. You’ll cover all the academic courses required for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia, and build practical skills through active learning experiences right from your first year. You’ll also gain an in-depth understanding of human impacts on the environment, with a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments. Law Honours is available, usually without extending the time required to complete your degree.
In this program you will:
- Research answers to legal problems, prepare advice, present legal argument, observe court proceedings, and take part in simulated court presentations in USC’s Moot Court
- Develop your skills by working with legal service clients under legal supervision in law practice
- Build your skillset and knowledge by specialising in an environmental area such as coastal and marine environments, urban design and town planning, geospatial analysis and global environment security and policy.
- Travel to fieldwork locations such as Fraser Island and the Noosa Biosphere to learn about conservation and restoration of the natural environment
Career opportunities
- In-house counsel for industry, conservation or research organisation
- Government positions
- Natural resource management
- Ecosystem conservation and restoration
- Policy and legislation development
- International negotiations
- Solicitor
- Barrister
- Judge's associate
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
Law courses
Introductory courses (4) 48 units
LAW101 Health Promotion Assessment and Planning
LAW102 Environmental Health Risk Management
LAW103 Health Promotion Principles
LAW104 Health Promotion Settings and Advocacy
Developing and Graduate courses (20) 240 units
14 required courses (168 units):
LAW201 Health Promotion Implementation and Evaluation
LAW202 Epidemiology and Biostatistics
LAW203 Politics and the Media
LAW204 Public Health Practicum
LAW205 Introduction to Social Work and Human Services
LAW206 Working With Children, Youth and Families
LAW301 Ethical Practice in the Helping Professions
LAW302 Australian Society: How does(n't) it work? - An Introduction to Sociology
LAW303 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
LAW304 Introduction to Psychology A
LAW401 Introduction to Psychology B
LAW402 Research Methods in Psychology A
LAW403 Research Methods in Psychology B
LAW404 Physiological Psychology
PLUS select 6 elective courses (72 units) from:
Not all electives are offered every year. For a list of current Law elective courses click HERE.
LAW307 Introduction to Human Development
LAW310 Social Psychology
LAW311 Motivation and Emotion
LAW312 Advanced Methods in Psychology
LAW313 Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology
LAW315 Intercultural and Indigenous Psychologies
LAW318 Personality and Assessment
LAW405 Human Associative Learning
LAW406 Abnormal Psychology
LAW407 Data and System Integration
LAW408 Machine Learning
LAW409 Data Science Practice
LAW410 Quantitative Research Methods
LAW411 Animal Ecology Field Course
LAW412 Endangered Animals and their Conservation
LAW414 Animal Form, Function and Evolution
LAW415 Marine Vertebrates: Sharks, Seabirds, Fish, Turtles and Whales
LAW416 Cell Biology
LAW417 Biodiversity and Ecology
LAW418 Science Research Methods
LAW419 Discovering Science
LAW420 Communication and Thought
LAW421 Introductory Counselling Skills and Theory
LAW422 Introduction to Psychology A
The following 2 elective courses (24 units) are only available to students who have been accepted into Honours in Law:
LAW440 Introduction to Sociology: Society, Culture and Change
LAW441 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
Environmental Management courses
Introductory courses (5) 60 units
ENS120 Social Work and Human Services Practice
ENS103 Group Processes and Practice
SCI102 Regions, Change and Sustainability
SCI110 International Community Development and Global Justice
SUS101 Social Justice, Welfare and the State
Developing and Graduate courses (11) 132 units
ENP211 Human Services Placement 1
ENS204 Human Services Placement 2
ENS221 Working With Families
ENS223 Ethics and Professional Practice
ENS253 Community Development and Social Action
ENS300 Complexity and Social Work: Policy and Practice
ENS351 An Introduction to Australian and Comparative Politics
GEO310 Indigenous Australia and the State
SUS201 Social Research
PUB262 Understanding Society: An Introduction to Social Theory
PLUS select 1 course (12 units) from:
ENS330 Health, Society and Culture
ENS333 Disability: Culture, Community and Change
SRP301 Understanding Cultural Diversity
SUS310 Gender and Culture
WPL310 Human Services Placement 1
Note: Program structures are subject to change. 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:
- Successfully complete 480 units as outlined in the Program Structure
- Complete no more than 15 introductory level (100 coded) courses (180 units) 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) and following the recommended study sequence
- The unit value of all courses is 12 units unless otherwise specified
- It is each students responsibility to enrol correctly according to your course requisites, program rules and requirements and be aware of the academic calendar dates
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods which may include essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations
- 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
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
- Refer to the Managing your progression page for help in understanding your program structure, reviewing your progress and planning remaining courses.