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Undergraduate

Bachelor of Laws Honours

Key details

Duration

1 year/s full-time
2 year/s part-time
1 year/s full-time

Intake

Semester 1
On campus - Semester 1
Online - No
Important Dates

Locations

Danala - Education and Community Precinct, Online

Credit points required

80

Course code

VLAWH2
SATAC codes

Overview

The Bachelor of Laws Honours is a one-year course for high-achieving Bachelor of Laws' graduates. It may provide you with a pathway to a PhD, enhance your career prospects and advance your legal research and writing skills.

During the course, you'll undertake a substantial legal research project in an area relevant to your career. This is an opportunity to deeply explore a legal topic of your interest, as well as develop a sound understanding of the research methodologies relevant to law and legal scholarship.

With the support of CDU's academic staff and your research supervisor, you will be encouraged to produce quality research and develop your project to a publishable level.

If you successfully complete the Bachelor of Laws Honours, you may be eligible for admission to a PhD.



Professional recognition

This course is recognised by the Legal Profession Admission Board in the Northern Territory.

Fees

Commonwealth supported places

Commonwealth Supported places are available in this course to students who meet one of the following residency requirements:

(a) be an Australian citizen, who will complete some of your course of study while resident in Australia; or

(b) a New Zealand citizen; or an Australian permanent visa holder; or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder; who studies the entire course while living in Australia.

Further information about fees and charges can be found at Fees and Payments.

International tuition fees

The annual tuition fee for full time study in 2025 is AUD $28,848.00. This equates to $ $3,606.00 per 10 credit point unit (0.125 EFTSL).
These fees are subject to increases annually, effective at the start of each calendar year.

You can find a list of International fees and payments you can expect to pay as part of your studies in Australia.

CDU offers a number of scholarships to international students to assist with the cost of study.

CDU Law Student

Why study law at CDU?

Study law with the experts in online legal education at CDU. Learn from a leader in transnational, human rights, cyber and customary law to become a first-class legal practitioner. You'll be prepared for a multitude of career opportunities, from Australia's legal systems and public service to business, government, industrial relations, and more. 

  • Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
  • Fast-track your law degree and qualify in 3 years
  • #4 in Australia for law and paralegal employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
International student Adele

Why study Law and Legal Studies at CDU?

Study law at CDU to learn from a leader in transnational, human rights, cyber and customary law to become a first-class legal practitioner. You'll be prepared for a multitude of career opportunities, from Australia's legal systems and public service to business, government, industrial relations, and more.

  • #4 in Australia for law and paralegal employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
  • Five-star Australian university for graduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
CDU Law Student

Why study law at CDU?

Study law with the experts in online legal education at CDU. Learn from a leader in transnational, human rights, cyber and customary law to become a first-class legal practitioner. You'll be prepared for a multitude of career opportunities, from Australia's legal systems and public service to business, government, industrial relations, and more. 

  • Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
  • Fast-track your law degree and qualify in 3 years
  • #4 in Australia for law and paralegal employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
International student Adele

Why study Law and Legal Studies at CDU?

Study law at CDU to learn from a leader in transnational, human rights, cyber and customary law to become a first-class legal practitioner. You'll be prepared for a multitude of career opportunities, from Australia's legal systems and public service to business, government, industrial relations, and more.

  • #4 in Australia for law and paralegal employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
  • Five-star Australian university for graduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)

What will I study?

This course will support you to undertake a substantial and high-quality research project. You will undertake two coursework units that cultivate your understanding of legal research methodologies and develop your research skills and project proposal. You will also undertake two specialist elective units, with the option to choose either a coursework law unit or from other research training units offered by CDU (provided they are relevant to your chosen area of research).

Course structure

You will then focus on undertaking your research and producing a substantial honours thesis for the main component of the course.


A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 80 credit points (cp) as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Unit typeCredit PointsSpecific requirements
Core Units 
(2 units)
20cp
Compulsory Core units totalling 20 credit points as detailed below: 

LWZ401 Legal Research Methodologies 
LWZ402 Legal Research Development 
 
Research Units 
(1-2 units)
40cpResearch units totalling 40 credit points: 

Students who are completing the course full time should enrol in LWZ711 (40 credit points). 
Students who are completing the course part time should enrol in LWZ712 (20 credit points) twice over two semesters. 

LWZ711 Honours Research Thesis A (40cp) OR 
LWZ712 Honours Research Thesis B (20cp) (repeatable) x 2 
 
Specialist Elective Units 
(2 units)
20cpSpecialist Elective unit totalling 20 credit points selected from the list of available units detailed below: 

The selection of specialist electives will need to be approved by Course Coordinator and Supervisor before students enrol in any specialist elective unit.  

Students can select from law units they have not previously undertaken in their studies, including: 
LAW515 Indigenous Peoples and the Law 
LAW516 Comparative Legal Systems 
LAW518 Transnational Issues in Family Law 
LAW519 Transnational Law 
LAW520 International Criminal Law 
LAW521 Finance and Securities Law (no longer offered) 
LAW522 Public International Law 

Students can also select specialist electives from available 400 or 500 level units across CDU where they will support their research project. Students can also apply to undertake a 300 level law specialist elective if highly relevant to their research. Students should discuss enrolment with the unit coordinator before enrolling. 

Units can include the below or others on application: 
ENV511 Real-World Statistics and Data Reasoning 
ENV513 Environmental Planning and Policy 
MPP502 Evidence-Based Policy Development in Northern and Indigenous Contexts (not offered 2024) 
MPP503 Realist Research and Evaluation 
MPP505 Policy and Ethnography 
PHM525 Indigenous Health Research 
PHM526 Research Design 
PHM527 Research, Ethics and Impact (new title 2021) 
PHM588 Qualitative Research (new title 2021) 
PSY416 Ethics and Professional Issues (replaces PSY426 2022) 
PSY417 Research Methods and Practice (replaces PSY447 2022) 
 
 80cpTotal Credit Points

Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure)

 

COURSE CHANGES AND TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS - 2022

PSY426 has been replaced by PSY416. Students that have completed PSY416 prior to 2022 should not complete PSY416. 
PSY447 has been replaced by PSY417. Students that have completed PSY447 prior to 2022 should not complete PSY417.

Study plan


STUDENTS COMMENCING IN SEMESTER 1

The Recommended Study Plans provided below are suitable for students enrolling in a full-time or part-time study load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.

When designing an individual study plan:

  • maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
  • check the prerequisite and assumed knowledge for each unit as some units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level.   
     
Legend:CO = Core UnitR = ResearchSE = Specialist Elective

Full-Time Study Plan

Semester 1Semester 2
Year 1
LWZ401 Legal Research MethodologiesCOLWZ711 Honours Research Thesis (40cp)R
LWZ402 Legal Project DevelopmentCO  
Specialist Elective 1SE  
Specialist Elective 2SE  

Top of Page

Legend:CO = Core UnitR = ResearchSE = Specialist Elective

Part-Time Study Plan

Semester 1Semester 2
Year 1
LWZ401 Legal Research MethodologiesCOSpecialist Elective 1SE
LWZ402 Legal Project DevelopmentCOSpecialist Elective 2SE
Year 2
LWZ712 Honours Research Thesis (20cp)RLWZ712 Honours Research Thesis (20cp)R

Top of Page


STUDENTS COMMENCING IN SEMESTER 2  

There is no semester 2 intake for this course.

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

Successful completion of a Bachelor of Laws degree or a related discipline with a minimum GPA of 5.50.

Additional admission requirements

Applicants must contact the Faculty by email at law@cdu.edu.au to discuss a potential research project and supervision prior to application. In addition to minimum GPA of 5.50, applicants are required to have a research project topic and supervisor who has agreed to supervise the student and project before admission is approved.

Essential requirements

English language requirements

To gain entry into Charles Darwin University, all Higher Education applicants must satisfy the University's English Language Proficiency requirements for their chosen course of study. From 2025 ALL applicants will be required to supply evidence of this at the time of application. For further details on the English requirements for CDU courses, please refer to CDU English Language Proficiency Policy.

DOMESTIC STUDENTS   
English language proficiency requirements - Domestic students

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS   
English language proficiency requirements - International students   
Course specific English language proficiency requirements for International students are included below.

The minimum English language requirement for this course is met by either undertaking previous education from an English-speaking country or undertaking one of the following English language tests and obtaining the minimum requirements listed below.

CDU English for Academic Purposes 4 (ZEAP40)Successful completion of EAP004 English for Academic Purposes 4
IELTS Academic ModuleA minimum overall score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0.
Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)A minimum overall score of 176, with no skill below 169.
Common European Framework Certificate of English ProficiencyA minimum overall grade of C1, valid for three years from the date of the test to the date of commencement at CDU.
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic moduleA minimum overall score of 58 with no score lower than 50.
TOEFL Internet-based Test (iBT)A minimum overall score of 79 with a minimum writing score of 21.

* All tests are valid for two years from the date of the test to the date of commencement at CDU, unless otherwise specified. 
* Where applicable, international applicants must also satisfy the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) English language requirements for student visa applications.

Do you have a question regarding English requirements at CDU? Please email: international@cdu.edu.au
 

ATAR profile


There are no statistics available for this course. It may be that the course is new or the profile data is unavailable.

CDU offered an amazing fast track option for law. I could complete my law degree in three years, as opposed to the usual four. Finishing my law degree in a shorter amount of time will mean I reach the workplace faster and there's no compromise on how many different areas of the law I study.

Ade

CDU student

Student sitting with laptop

Thanks to the Law school we had the chance in the past to participate in professional development days attended by lawyers, judges, and legal officers which gave us a clear idea of how the law works in practice.

Adele

CDU student

International student Adele (Law)

CDU offered an amazing fast track option for law. I could complete my law degree in three years, as opposed to the usual four. Finishing my law degree in a shorter amount of time will mean I reach the workplace faster and there's no compromise on how many different areas of the law I study.

Ade

CDU student

Student sitting with laptop

Thanks to the Law school we had the chance in the past to participate in professional development days attended by lawyers, judges, and legal officers which gave us a clear idea of how the law works in practice.

Adele

CDU student

International student Adele (Law)

Course details

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the University in accordance with the Higher Education Standards.

Inherent Requirements

There are inherent requirements for this course. Students must read and understand the requirements for this course.

Australian qualification framework

This course is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students that commenced this course and passed the census date in Semester 1, 2024.

Applicant background (Semester one intake 2024)No. of Students% of all Students
A. Higher education study
(includes a bridging or enabling course)
<5N/P
B. Vocational education and training (VET) study<5N/P
C. Work and life experience
(Admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories)
<5N/P
D. Recent secondary education
  • Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR

(regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)

<5N/P
  • Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered

(e.g. portfolio, audition, extra offer conditional on minimum ATAR)

<5N/P
  • Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor

(e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)

<5N/P
International students<5N/P
All students<5N/P

Notes
"<5" - the number of students is less than 5
N/A - Students not accepted in this category
N/P - Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students.

Additional information

Can offers be deferred?
Yes
Award
Bachelor of Laws Honours
Faculty/College
Faculty of Arts and Society
Sector
HE
Area of study
Law and Legal Studies

Contact details

For further information about the course, enrolment procedures, closing dates and other administrative issues please contact Student Central on:

Email:Student.Central@cdu.edu.auPhone:1800 061 963 (free call)

You make CDU

Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.

You make CDU

Our students choose to study with us because we share the same vision – to make a positive change. Whatever your motivation is, we can guide you in the right direction.

You make CDU

Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.

You make CDU

Our students choose to study with us because we share the same vision – to make a positive change. Whatever your motivation is, we can guide you in the right direction.

How to apply

There are many ways to apply to CDU. The method you use depends on your course type, where you live and whether you are a new or returning student to CDU.

Remember to apply early for your best chance at securing an offer to study with us.

SATAC

SATAC is the application channel for residents of NT, ACT, SA, WA, QLD, VIC, NSW or TAS.

International applications

Applications must be submitted online through our application portal, Studylink. You'll need a valid email address to create your online account. Once you have started your application, you will be able to save it and resume it later. There is no application fee when you apply online.

You may be able to lodge a direct application; however, there may be restrictions on your geographic location. If you cannot submit a direct application via the application portal, please apply through one of our registered agents.

Apply through StudyLink or through an Agent.

If you do not meet any of the criteria above please visit Pathways to study to view the options available to you.

SATAC codes

Location
SATAC Code
Danala - Education and Community Precinct (CSP)
1BH026
Online (CSP)
1BH026
* CSP = Commonwealth supported place
FF = Full fee

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