Bachelor of Legal and Justice StudiesInformation for students commencing 2013

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About this Course

The Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies provides a thorough practical grounding in legal knowledge and opens opportunities for entering the fields of law and justice at the para-professional level. For people who have already been working professionally in the fields of law and justice, this course will help extend their knowledge, skills and expertise to develop their career. This Bachelor degree is an extension of the Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies), and offers a wider choice of specialised study areas.

Students who want to become layers and who achieve the required grade point average on completion of their degree may apply for admission to the Bachelor of Laws. They can also transfer to the Bachelor of Laws during their studies if they achieve the required grade point average.

Alternatively, students who wish to exit this course early with the Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies) may do so with the completion of the required 16 units.

Career Opportunities

Depending on their area of specialisation, graduates typically work in legal firms, corporate firms, government legal departments, law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, court administration, public prosecutions, and in the corporate sector in finance, banking and insurance. As long as they’ve completed the required units, graduates may apply for a conveyancer’s licence in NSW.

Professional Recognition

The Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies, with a major in Conveyancing, is accredited by NSW Fair Trading. See major areas of study for more information.

Major Areas of Study

Civil Practice: This major provides a platform for students to move into support roles in the fields of commercial and civil litigation practice within legal firms.

Community Justice: This major provides students with an insight into the human rights and social justice fields. Graduates will have the background and skills to enable them to work in a range of human and community services.

Conveyancing: This major provides students with the academic requirements necessary to obtain a conveyancer’s licence in NSW, and is accredited by NSW Fair Trading. For licensing requirements, and details of mandatory additional work experience required to enable registration, enquiries should be made to NSW Fair Trading. Note that each Australian state or territory has its own legislation regulating conveyancing practice, except Queensland where only qualified solicitors are legally permitted to engage in conveyancing.

Criminal Justice: This major is designed to give students a thorough grounding in the law and practice of criminal law. Graduates will have the background and skills to enable them to work in the criminal justice system which offers a diverse array of roles in legal firms, law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, courts administration and public prosecutions.

University-wide majors are also available, except for the Law and Justice major.

Course Structure and Units (Subjects)

Important - Please contact the University for confirmation of the course structure prior to acting on this information. The University accepts no liability for any loss suffered by reason of reliance on this information.

To qualify for the Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies a total of 288 credit points (usually 24 units) must be completed.

Please note that some majors and units may not be available at each location. Unit availabilities are published for each study period and vary from year to year. Please contact the School for further information.

For course rules and a full list of units, please refer to the Specific Award Rules below.

Course Summary

Locations
Distance Education Session 1
Session 2 — part-time only
Lismore Session 1
Coffs Harbour Unavailable
Gold Coast
Southern Cross Drive, Bilinga
Session 1
Course Duration 3 years full-time; 6 years part-time
Fees and Charges Domestic fees
International fees
Additional fee information
School School of Law and Justice
Admission, Enrolment and General Enquiries www.scu.edu.au/enquiries
Further Information Domestic students: Ph: 1800 626 481
International students: Ph: +61 2 6620 3876; E: intoff@scu.edu.au
Total Units: Award Abbreviation: 2013 ATAR equivalent/OP:
24 BLJSt 68/17
UAC Course Code QTAC Course Code CRICOS Course Code
Gold Coast: 336161
Lismore: 336110
Gold Coast: 056161
Lismore: 056051
Gold Coast QLD: 069408F
Lismore NSW: 022342G
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Teaching Methods

On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit.

Our distance education study option is highly interactive and strives to promote collaboration and a sense of community. Students may receive a combination of podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit.

If distance education students choose to study the following elective units, they will need to attend workshops on-campus:

Learning Resources

The School of Law and Justice delivers courses in a blended learning environment using innovative and emergent technologies.

MySCU is a student’s point of entry to a range of online services and resources that support study and student life. The portal includes unit learning sites and information sites where students can access resources, communication tools and useful links that are integral to their studies.

The web-based program Blackboard Collaborate delivers advanced on-line learning environments for students and lecturers to communicate and collaborate through virtual meeting spaces and classrooms. They can share files, presentations, and applications. If the session is recorded, students can view it afterwards.

Learning materials include the provision of unit information guides, study guides and books of readings. Students may need to purchase or access prescribed text books.

The SCU library provides a wide range of services including librarian assistance, print and electronic resources, a document delivery service, catalogues, databases, ebooks, ereadings, and full-text journal literature.

The Resident Tutor assists first year students who experience difficulties in understanding their study tasks and/or adapting to tertiary study.

The School of Law and Justice has a professional and dedicated Student Support Team who provide a diverse range of enrolment advice and support services to internal, external, and international students.

Learning support: All students have free access to the University’s a href="http://scu.edu.au/academicskills">Academic Skills Development team. All Indigenous students also have access to support staff at the Indigenous Student Support Centre located within Gnibi College and may be eligible to participate in the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme.

Assessment Methods

The assessment methods used in this course vary from unit to unit. They may include research proposals, research essays, reports, oral and written presentations, case studies, online and class participation, and examinations. The weighting of assessment marks between assignments and examinations also varies.

Equipment and Facilities

Southern Cross University provides students with modern well-equipped teaching spaces such as lecture theatres, classrooms, and studios or laboratories tailored to meet the needs of specific study disciplines. Modern audio-visual equipment is standard in most teaching venues, and students have access to computer labs for individual study purposes.

Students at the Lismore campus also have access to a Moot Court with a two-way viewing room, which is used for teaching practical skills in a court setting.

How to Apply

Pre-requisite Year 12 subjects

There are no pre-requisite subjects required for this course.

On-campus Undergraduate applications

To apply to study an undergraduate degree at a SCU campus, apply online through the NSW Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). For more information please visit either the UAC or QTAC websites: www.uac.edu.au or www.qtac.edu.au. A late fee applies for UAC and QTAC applications received after the 30th of September.

Apply with QTAC

Apply with UAC

Direct Applications

Apply Online

The following applications to study can be made online, directly to SCU:

Online applications for the Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies involve four key steps:

  1. Register your details to create an account or login to access your applications
  2. Select the exact course you want to apply for
  3. Answer the questions and submit documents
  4. Submit your application

Once registered you can exit and return to your application at any time.

International Applicants

Please refer to the International Office website.

International Applicants

Advanced Standing

Your previous study may help you cut time off your degree.

We recommend that you apply for advance standing at the same time as you apply for admission into this course, because the amount and type of credit awarded will determine your study plan.

For more details and how to apply please visit the Advanced Standing website.

Associate Degree in Law (Paralegal Studies)
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Contemporary Music, Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies, Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science, Bachelor of Laws

Specific Award Rules

Important - Please contact the University for confirmation of the course structure prior to acting on this information. The University accepts no liability for any loss suffered by reason of reliance on this information.

See the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, in conjunction with the Specific Award Rules listed below.

4.1 Qualification for Admission

As an alternative to Rule 2 Section 2 of the Rules relating to Awards, applicants for admission also may be chosen from those who have completed an Associate Degree (or Diploma) in Law (Paralegal Studies), Associate Degree in Law (Aboriginal Paralegal Studies) or Associate Diploma of Business (Paralegal Studies).

4.2 Requirements for the Award
  1. To be eligible for the award of Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies a candidate shall successfully complete not less than twenty‑four (24) units comprising:
    1. All units in Part A of the Schedule of Units attached to these Rules; and
    2. One eight (8) unit major from Part B of the Schedule of units; and
    3. Either a second eight (8) unit major from Part B of the Schedule of units; or
    4. Eight (8) elective units of which a minimum of six (6) are selected from Part B of the Schedule of Units; or one (1) eight (8) unit University-wide major selected from the University-wide Schedule of majors, excluding the Law and Justice major.
  2. Where a candidate undertakes two majors, a unit may not be counted towards both majors except where a unit is a core unit in both majors. In this case a candidate must still complete twenty-four (24) units as in 4.2(a) above, including eight (8) units from each of the two majors.
4.3 Advanced Standing
  1. Candidates who have completed an Associate Degree in Law or Diploma in Law (Paralegal Studies), Associate Degree in Law or Diploma in Law (Aboriginal Paralegal Studies), Associate Diploma in Business (Paralegal Studies) or Associate Degree in Correctional Administration may be granted advanced standing for up to sixteen (16) units towards the Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies.

Schedule of Units

Part B

ACC00132 - Taxation
ACC00134 - Advanced Taxation
LAW00004 - Company Law
LAW00057 - Conveyancing Law
LAW00058 - Litigation Practice
LAW00059 - Welfare Law
LAW00061 - Drugs, Crime and the Law
LAW00062 - Wills and Estates
LAW00104 - Employment and Industrial Relations Law
LAW00106 - EEO and OH&S Law and Practice
LAW00107 - Conveyancers Professional Practice
LAW00108 - Legal and Conveyancing Practice
LAW00118 - Environmental Law
LAW00119 - Local Government and Planning Law
LAW00120 - Victimology
LAW00121 - Intellectual Property
LAW00124 - International Business Law
LAW00125 - Information Technology and the Law
LAW00126 - Competition and Consumer Law
LAW00214 - Mediation and Dispute Resolution
LAW00216 - Mediation Practice and Procedure
LAW00514 - Criminology
LAW00521 - International Law
LAW00522 - Human Rights
LAW00523 - Commercial Law
LAW00525 - Cyberlaw
LAW00526 - International Criminal Justice
LAW00529 - Restorative Justice
LAW01125 - Stock Exchange and Finance Law
LAW10068 - Law and Government Decision Making
LAW10069 - Veterans Law I
LAW10070 - Veterans Law II
LAW10158 - Introduction to Evidence and Advocacy
LAW10160 - Public Interest Advocacy
LAW10166 - Entertainment Law
LAW10171 - Mediating Across Cultures
LAW10206 - The Holocaust, Genocide and the Law
LAW10288 - Mooting
LAW10292 - Education and the Law
LAW10472 - International Human Rights Law
LAW10487 - Animal Law
LAW10489 - Australian Military and National Security Law
LAW10490 - Trials and Witnesses
LAW10491 - Sexual Orientation and the Law
LAW10527 - Comparative Law
LAW10727 - Marine Animal Protection Law

Majors

Criminal Justice
Conveyancing
Civil Practice
Community Justice
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