Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Political Science and International Relations
Program code
1675
Available at
Nathan
Gold Coast
Mount Gravatt
Logan
South Bank
Online
Offshore
Other
Duration
5 years full-time
8 years part-time
Credit points
400
Indicative fee
$17,000.00* per year (more)
* 2025 indicative annual CSP
fee
Commencing in
Trimester 1 and Trimester 2
Prerequisites
- English, English as an Additional Language, Literature or English & Literature Extension (Units 3&4, C)
Assumed knowledge
Nil
About this program
Combining Political Science and International Relations with Law will help you develop a solid understanding of the world we live in. You will learn about the forces that shape politics, public administration and international affairs.
Law component
In the Law component, you will study within a number of special subject areas called 'vertical subjects'. Through these subject areas, you will make connections between law and ethics, legal theory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, and internationalisation. You will also develop interdisciplinary understandings of law and legal work.
If you complete the five Canadian Law courses, you will be eligible for entry into the legal profession in Canada's common law provinces, when accompanied by a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
Political Science and International Relations component
In the Political Science and International Relations component, you will learn about political movements and institutions, processes of lawmaking, diplomacy and global politics. You'll explore how democracy thrives or struggles to survive, and the strategies authoritarian leaders increasingly use to maintain their grip on power, among a range of other exciting topics in Political Science and International Relations. In your second, third and fourth years, you'll gain valuable specialised knowledge by completing one or two majors in International Relations, Political Science and Public Policy; or Security, Conflict and Human Rights. Throughout your studies, you'll gain the skills and training needed for pursuing your own career pathway, including taking dedicated employability courses and having opportunities to complete a work placement, field study trip, or parliamentary internship.
Attendance information
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Political Science and International Relations is offered full-time on-campus at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses.
As a full-time student you will generally attend 10-15 hours of scheduled classes per week throughout the trimester. Classes may be scheduled during the day and early evening throughout the week.
Some law electives are based at Nathan campus, South Bank and some at the Gold Coast. A few law electives are run in intensive mode, including in trimester 3. Intensive mode means that classes may be compacted over a week, or over several weekends. Some law electives are 'clinics' which typically involve work off campus. Law electives are not normally undertaken until the final two years of your law degree.
Student Income Support
To be classed as a full-time student, you are required to enrol in a minimum number of credit points each standard study period. The minimum credit points for full-time enrolment in this program is 30 credit points.
Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 are deemed standard study periods. As Trimester 3 is a non-standard study period, continuing students moving from one year to the next will not be required to study during this trimester to be eligible for student income support.
Domestic students who commence in Trimester 3 may be eligible for student income support from the onset of study provided they are enrolled full-time in this study period.
Please refer to the Australian Government website for more details.
Work-integrated learning
The Bachelor of Laws provides the opportunity for optional work-integrated learning through its variety of Clinic courses.
My career opportunities
A law degree from Griffith University is recognised as a qualifying degree for admission into the legal profession in many countries around the world.
There are a multitude of exciting career opportunities in the legal profession for those with an interest in public law or international issues. You may find employment in areas such as diplomacy, strategic analysis or trade relations, or in businesses with overseas profiles, and international aid and non-government organisations.
Professional recognition
To be eligible for admission as a solicitor, a person must complete an approved law degree (undertaken approved practical legal training via a practical legal training course of Supervised Traineeship at a Law firm) and be able to satisfy the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board and the Supreme Court of their fitness to practise.
- Queensland Law Society
- Steps to practising law interactive tool outlining the steps to practise law, information on admission and practising law in Queensland, interstate and internationally
Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak): Students from Sabah or Sarawak who have a Griffith law degree and wish to return to Sabah or Sarawak to practise law may do so providing they gain admission to practice in an Australian jurisdiction first and then fulfil additional requirements upon their return to Sabah or Sarawak.
Fiji: All Australian law degrees are recognised in Fiji. Graduates must also complete their Practical Legal Training to be admitted to practice law in Fiji.
Papua New Guinea (PNG): All Australian law degrees are recognised in PNG. Graduates that are not citizens of PNG must complete their Practical Legal Training, have three years' post admission experience, and complete three exams on PNG law to be admitted to practice law in PNG.
Brunei: All Australian law degrees are recognised in Brunei. Graduates must also complete their Practical Legal Training to be admitted to practice law in Brunei.
India: Griffith's law degree is recognised for the purposes of admission to legal practice in India.
Please note that different jurisdictions' admission rules and requirements are subject to change. You should carefully examine the relevant legal requirements which are usually available on each jurisdiction's relevant law or bar association's websites.
Commonwealth supported students
- The indicative fee represents the expected average fee for an annual full-time study load (80 credit points). This is based on average study patterns across courses and the Australian Government's broad discipline areas (student contribution bands). A student's actual annual fee may vary in accordance with his or her choice of majors and electives. The Australian Government sets student contribution amounts on an annual basis.
- Find out more...
Fee-paying undergraduate and eligible micro-credential (domestic) students
These fees are only applicable to domestic students who are not Commonwealth supported including:
- Full-fee paying domestic students who commenced their program prior to 2009.
- Micro-credential domestic students studying a program approved as part of the Government Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education
- International students who have been approved to pay domestic tuition fees after obtaining Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency or a permanent humanitarian visa and who have not obtained a Commonwealth supported place.
Tuition fees
- A fee-paying undergraduate and micro-credential student pays tuition fees.
- Students are liable for tuition fees for the courses they are enrolled in as at the census date.
- The tuition fee is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student is enrolled.
- Find out more...
Program fees for the Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Political Science and International Relations (1675)
If the fee rate for your program is not displayed above, please contact Student Connect for assistance.
FEE-HELP
Eligible undergraduate and micro-credential fee-paying students may defer their tuition fees by taking out a FEE-HELP loan which is part of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). Payment of the loan is via the taxation system when income reaches a specified level.