Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of International Relations

This is a five-year double degree that puts law and international relations side by side. You graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of International Relations. The law side is the one that matters for admission to practice; the international relations side gives you the political, historical and economic context that legal work increasingly demands, especially in trade, diplomacy, human rights and refugee law.

How the degree is structured

Australian double degrees like this run across semesters. You take units of study from both faculties, each worth a set number of credit points, and you need to complete the required credit points for each degree. The law component follows the Priestley 11, the subjects every Australian law graduate must pass before they can be admitted: constitutional law, criminal law, torts, contracts, property, equity, administrative law, evidence, professional conduct and civil procedure. The international relations component covers international politics, security studies, comparative politics, international economics and research methods. Because it is an honours degree, the law component includes a research thesis or a substantial research project in your final year. You will also complete work-integrated learning, typically a legal placement, a clinic, or an internship with a government department, NGO or firm, as part of the law degree.

What you actually study

Early years are foundational: legal research and writing, case law analysis, statutory interpretation, plus the core international relations theory and history units. Middle years get into the harder law subjects and the specialised international relations electives. Later years are where the two halves meet: international law, human rights law, trade law, diplomacy, and a capstone research thesis. You will write a lot. You will read more. You will learn to argue both sides of a question and then commit to one.

Who it suits

This degree suits students who want to practise law but do not want to be confined to a domestic firm. It also suits students who want to work in foreign affairs, defence, intelligence, international development or global policy, and who need a legal qualification to do it. It is a long degree, five years, and it is academically demanding. If you are choosing between law and international relations, this lets you keep both. If you already know you want to be a solicitor in a suburban practice, a straight law degree may be faster. Confirm the exact unit list, credit points and admission requirements on the official Adelaide University page and the CRICOS register.

• Solicitor or barrister, after completing the law degree and the practical legal training or supervised workplace training required for admission in an Australian state or territory.
• Government policy officer, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Defence, Attorney-General's Department, or state government departments dealing with trade, security and international agreements.
• International organisation officer, the United Nations and its agencies, the World Bank, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and regional bodies, usually after further study or experience.
• NGO or human rights advocate, organisations working on refugee law, humanitarian policy, climate justice and international development.
• Corporate or commercial adviser, law firms, banks and multinationals with cross-border operations, particularly in trade, compliance and international arbitration.
• Diplomat or foreign service officer, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade graduate programme, which is highly competitive and usually requires Australian citizenship.
• Journalist or analyst, foreign affairs reporting, think tanks and risk consultancies.

Graduates of Australian law degrees are eligible to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which allows you to stay and work after you finish. While you study, your visa allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight. Check current visa conditions with the Department of Home Affairs.