Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice

This is a five-year double degree that pairs a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) with a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice. You graduate with two qualifications and an honours-level law degree in one go. That matters, because it means you finish with the research and writing training that a straight law degree doesn't always include, plus a grounding in how crime, policing, courts and corrections actually work in Australia.

How the degree is structured

At Adelaide University, a five-year double degree is built from units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You'll usually enrol in two semesters a year, with the option of a summer or winter term depending on what's on offer. The law side covers the subjects you need for admission to legal practice in Australia, contract, torts, criminal law, constitutional law, property, equity, evidence, civil procedure and professional conduct. The criminology and criminal justice side covers the causes of crime, the criminal justice system, policing, sentencing, prisons and community corrections, plus research methods and statistics. In the later years you'll do a capstone or honours thesis in law, which is the research project that gives you the (Honours) tag. Many students also take a clinical or placement unit, working with a community legal centre, a law firm or a justice agency, and counting that towards their degree.

What you'll actually learn

You'll learn to read a case, find the ratio, and argue from it. You'll learn to draft advice, write a memorandum, and stand up and make a submission. On the criminology side, you'll learn to look at a crime problem and ask what the evidence says, what works in policing, what doesn't in sentencing, and how policy gets made. The two halves feed each other. If you end up in criminal law, you'll understand the system your client is moving through. If you end up in policy, you'll understand the legal constraints on what you can do.

Who this suits

This degree suits school leavers and mature-age students who want to practise law but also care about the justice system more broadly. It suits people who are interested in criminal law, prosecution or defence work, policing, corrections, youth justice, or crime policy and research. It's a long degree, five years, so it suits someone who is happy to commit to a longer runway in exchange for two qualifications and an honours thesis. International students should note that law is one of the fields where the English requirement is higher: IELTS 6.0–6.5 may be enough for some courses, but law generally asks for 7.0–7.5, or the equivalent in TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Student visa has its own English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs, separate from the university's. While you're studying, a student visa lets you work up to 48 hours a fortnight during term. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream is the usual pathway for graduates who want to stay and work. Check the official page and the CRICOS register for current fees, English equivalents and admission details before you apply.

• Solicitor or barrister, criminal law, family law, commercial litigation, community legal centres, Legal Aid, Aboriginal legal services, or private practice. Admission to practice requires further practical legal training and admission in an Australian state or territory.
• Prosecution or defence, offices of the Director of Public Prosecutions, defence firms, or the criminal bar.
• Policy and research, state and federal justice departments, police policy units, corrections, youth justice, crime prevention agencies, and research institutes.
• Policing and investigations, state and territory police services, the Australian Federal Police, and integrity or regulatory bodies.
• Courts and tribunals, associateships, registry roles, and tribunal support.
• Compliance and regulatory affairs, financial crime, anti-money laundering, and professional standards teams in banks, insurers and government agencies.
• Community and non-profit sector, offender rehabilitation, victim support, and advocacy organisations.

Graduates with an honours law degree are also well placed for further study, including a master's by coursework or a doctorate in law or criminology. Confirm current admission and accreditation requirements with the relevant admitting authority in the state or territory where you intend to practise.