Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication

Overview

Protect the rights of creators and innovators (or become a savvy creator yourself) with our Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication. Delve into the space where the media, communications and multimedia industries intersect with commercial and intellectual property (IP) law. 

Learn all about trademarks, patents and designs, copyright, misleading or deceptive conduct, and competition law.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Laws, graduates should be able to:

• apply the principles and doctrines that underpin the fundamental areas of Australian law and the Australian legal system
• build on and continuously develop ethical and professional responsibility in the practice of law and a commitment to the pursuit of justice
• interpret issues affecting the legal status and experiences of Indigenous peoples in Australia and apply legal doctrine and other approaches to solve problems in preparation for professional practice acknowledging the culture, traditions and beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other communities
• describe and compare the international legal order and the law and legal systems of Australia’s major trading partners
• critically evaluate events or factual situations, identify the legal issues to which they give rise and develop and articulate appropriate and creative responses
• effectively communicate persuasive legal arguments to legal and non-legal audiences
• demonstrate effective and persuasive communication capabilities with legal and non-legal audiences
• function as an effective member or leader of a team and critically reflect on individual performance and professional development

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Media and Communication, graduates will be able to:

• identify and contextualise the impacts of digital transformation on media and communication industries, audiences and professional and creative practices
• analyse diverse socio-cultural influences on media and communication practices and their impact on audiences in Indigenous, local and global contexts
• apply critical thinking within a specialised media and communication discipline to solve problems through theoretical, practice-led and decolonised lenses
• initiate professional approaches to planning, problem-solving and decision-making in a range of media and communication activities and processes, both individually and in collaboration with others
• design creative and professional media and communication artefacts that focus on examining the relationship between people and technology for social impact and sustainability
• explore innovative use of new media and communication technologies to engage, influence and build communities for next generation media futures
• engage ethical approaches to research methodologies for socially responsible, just and fair content creation strategies
• apply learning from Indigenous, global and cross-cultural communication contexts to support accountability, self-assessment and independence in lifelong learning

Career opportunities

Graduates will have the theoretical and practical knowledge required to operate effectively in diverse settings such as law firms and barristers’ chambers, not-for-profit organisations, government, small businesses, as well as media and communication organisations.

In particular, the specialisation in intellectual property law equips graduates for careers in the new knowledge economy, giving them the skills to work in media and entertainment, design, branding and advertising, and in internet companies and firms advising information-dependent industries.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Laws satisfies the academic requirements for admission to practice as a lawyer in the Victorian and Australian Federal legal systems as set by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board. 

Please be advised that non-academic requirements must also be satisfied for admission to practice and that no law degree allows graduates to practise straight away. 

All laws graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) prior to applying for admission to practice as a lawyer. Swinburne offers the opportunity to complete this PLT at the same time as completing your Bachelor of Laws via the Leo Cussen Centre for Law Swinburne Program. 

The Advertising major in the Bachelor of Media and Communication  is professionally accredited by the Media Federation of Australia (MFA).

The Public Relations major in the Bachelor of Media and Communication is accredited by the Communication and Public Relations Australia (CPRA).

Course rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication, students must complete 500 credit points comprising:

• Twenty (20) Core Law units (250 credit points)
• Four (4) Law Elective units (50 credit points)
• Three (3) Professional Experience units in law (0 credit points)* (450 Professional Experience hours)
• Four (4) core Media and Communication units (50 credit points) 
• Eight (8) units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major (100 credit points)
• Four (4) units comprising a minor, advanced minor or electives. (50 credit points)

* Note: If a student selects the Media & Communication Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are still required. However, if a student selects the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived.

Students complete no more than 200 credit points (16 units) at Introductory Level (i.e. Stage 1 - eg: LAW1XXXX). A unit of study can only be counted once. Where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternative unit.

Domestic students also have an opportunity to undertake a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Professional Placement. Please note that due to government regulation international students holding a student visa are not able to undertake Professional Placements in this course.

Professional placements

Professional placements are subject to a competitive selection process.

Students who undertake a 12-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 575 credit points comprising:

• Twenty (20) Core Law units (250 credit points)
• Four (4) Law Elective units (50 credit points)
• Three (3) Professional Experience units in law (0 credit points)* (450 Professional Experience hours)
• Four (4) core Media and Communication units (50 credit points) 
• Eight (8) units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major (100 credit points)
• Two (2) units comprising electives (25 credit points) 
• Four (4) Professional Placement units (100 credit points) (1672 - 1976 Professional Placement hours);
•  

Students who elect to undertake a 6-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 537.5 credit points comprising:

• Twenty (20) Core Law units (250 credit points)
• Four (4) Law Elective units (50 credit points)
• Three (3) Professional Experience units in law (0 credit points)* (450 Professional Experience hours)
• Four (4) core Media and Communication units (50 credit points) 
• Eight (8) units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major (100 credit points) 
• Three (3) units comprising electives (37.5 credit points)
• Two (2) Professional Placement units (50 credit points) (836 - 988 Professional Placement hours)

* Please note if a student selects the Business Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are required to be completed. If student selects the Law Professional Placement units, the Professional Experience in Law units are waived.

Volume of Learning

The Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Media and Communication consists of 500 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points (cps). A standard annual full-time load comprises 100 credit points and a standard annual part-time load comprises 50 credit points.

This course requires students to complete 450 hours Professional Experience.

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication is typically 5 years. For students who complete a Professional Placement the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication consists of 525 – 575 credit points. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points with placement units carrying 25 credit points each. A standard annual full-time student load comprises 100 credit points, and a standard part-time load comprises 50 credit points.

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication with a 6-month placement is typically 5.5 years.

The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication with a 12 month placement is typically 6 years

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Media and Communication is 250 credit points (normally 20 units), 150 credit points maximum from Law discipline and 100 credit points from Media and Communication discipline.

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent.