Bachelor of Commerce and Laws Honours

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Queensland

Program Overview

The University of Queensland Bachelor of Commerce and Laws (Honours) is a five-year on-campus double degree designed for students who want to combine professional legal training with strong commercial, financial, and business expertise. Offered across St Lucia Campus, Herston Campus, Gatton Campus, and Dutton Park Campus, the program is ideal for students interested in corporate law, business leadership, finance, economics, or commercial strategy while developing advanced analytical, negotiation, and decision-making skills.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

In the first year, students build foundational knowledge in both commerce and law while developing academic, analytical, and communication skills. Law studies introduce core legal principles through units such as Law, Society and Justice and Legal Analysis and Writing, while commerce courses may include Accounting for Decision Making, Principles of Economics, and introductory business studies. Students begin understanding how legal systems and commercial environments interact within modern organisations.

Year 2

Second year expands students’ understanding of legal frameworks and commercial operations. Law units such as Contract Law, Torts, and Constitutional Law strengthen legal reasoning and case analysis abilities, while commerce studies progress into areas including finance, management, marketing, business information systems, or economics depending on the chosen major. Students develop stronger problem-solving and business decision-making capabilities.

Year 3

During third year, students move into more advanced commercial and legal studies with greater industry relevance. Law coursework includes units such as Property Law, Administrative Law, and Corporate Law, while commerce studies allow students to specialise in disciplines such as accounting, finance, business analytics, international business, or economics. Group projects and practical business case analysis strengthen teamwork and professional communication skills.

Year 4

Fourth year focuses on advanced electives, professional preparation, and specialised commercial law learning. Students may study areas such as taxation law, intellectual property law, competition law, or international commercial law while continuing advanced commerce subjects related to strategic management, investment analysis, or organisational leadership. Students also gain exposure to industry-focused learning, legal research, and applied business problem-solving.

Year 5

In the final year, students complete honours-level legal studies alongside advanced commerce coursework and research-based learning. Law units strengthen advocacy, legal interpretation, and professional judgement skills, while commerce studies focus on strategic analysis, commercial leadership, and evidence-based business decision-making. Graduates complete the degree with both accredited legal qualifications and strong commercial expertise suited to leadership-focused careers.

Focus Areas

Corporate law, commercial law, finance, accounting, economics, taxation law, international business, business analytics, intellectual property law, management, legal advocacy, commercial strategy, governance, investment analysis

Learning Outcomes

Develop advanced legal reasoning and advocacy skills, apply commercial and financial knowledge to legal and business challenges, analyse legal and economic issues critically, conduct independent legal and business research, communicate effectively in professional environments, evaluate corporate and regulatory frameworks, and integrate commercial strategy with legal decision-making.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT). Commerce majors such as accounting may also align with professional accreditation pathways through organisations including CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and other industry bodies depending on subject selection.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

The University of Queensland is internationally recognised for excellence in business and legal education, with strong graduate employability outcomes and industry engagement opportunities. UQ consistently ranks among the world’s leading universities through major rankings such as QS World University Rankings and maintains a strong reputation for commerce, economics, and law-related disciplines.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the University of Queensland Bachelor of Commerce and Laws (Honours) gain practical experience through legal clinics, commercial case studies, industry projects, business simulations, and professional networking opportunities. The program combines hands-on legal education with applied business learning, allowing students to develop advocacy, commercial analysis, leadership, negotiation, and strategic decision-making skills using industry-relevant tools and professional learning environments.

Throughout the degree, students work on collaborative projects, legal research tasks, commercial problem-solving activities, and business case analyses that reflect real workplace challenges. UQ’s campuses provide access to specialised legal learning facilities, business research centres, digital databases, collaborative study spaces, and industry engagement opportunities that support professional development:

UQ Pro Bono Centre : Law students can contribute to real community legal projects and public interest initiatives while developing practical legal research, client communication, and professional responsibility skills.
Moot Courts and Advocacy Training : Dedicated moot court facilities allow students to practise legal advocacy, negotiation, dispute resolution, and courtroom presentation through simulated legal proceedings and competitions.
Business Case Study Projects : Commerce students regularly participate in real-world business problem-solving activities, strategic analysis tasks, and collaborative consulting-style group projects.
Legal Research Databases : Students gain access to professional legal research platforms such as LexisNexis, Westlaw, and AustLII for case analysis, legal drafting, and research training.
Bloomberg and Financial Databases : Commerce students may use industry-standard financial tools and market research platforms for finance, economics, accounting, and investment-related coursework.
Student-managed Investment and Finance Activities : Certain commerce disciplines include practical investment analysis, financial modelling, and market-based learning experiences that strengthen commercial decision-making skills.
UQ Law Library : Students have access to extensive legal collections, journals, legislation databases, research archives, and digital legal resources supporting professional-level legal study.
Business School Facilities : UQ Business School provides collaborative learning spaces, technology-enabled classrooms, research centres, and digital business learning environments.
Industry Networking and Internship Opportunities : Students may participate in internships, work-integrated learning experiences, employer networking sessions, and mentoring opportunities connected to law firms, financial institutions, government agencies, and multinational companies.
Research Centres and Institutes : Students benefit from UQ research institutes specialising in business innovation, governance, economics, corporate regulation, and commercial law.
Collaborative Group Learning : Group assignments, presentations, and interdisciplinary projects help students strengthen teamwork, leadership, and professional communication skills.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Opportunities : Students may engage with innovation initiatives, commercialisation programs, and entrepreneurial learning activities linked to UQ’s business and enterprise networks.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the University of Queensland Bachelor of Commerce and Laws (Honours) develop a powerful combination of legal expertise and commercial knowledge that prepares them for careers across corporate law, finance, consulting, government, and international business sectors. The program equips students with strong analytical, negotiation, leadership, and strategic decision-making skills that are highly valued by employers in both legal and commercial industries. Graduates commonly pursue careers such as Corporate Lawyer, Commercial Consultant, Investment Analyst, Taxation Advisor, Business Strategist, and Compliance Manager.

The combination of accredited legal education and advanced commerce training provides graduates with excellent long-term career flexibility and strong professional outcomes:

UQ Employability Services : Students receive career development support through UQ Careers and Employability, including resume workshops, interview preparation, networking events, mentoring programs, employer presentations, and internship guidance.
Professional Legal Accreditation : The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT).
Commerce Industry Accreditation Pathways : Depending on chosen majors, commerce studies may align with professional accreditation requirements through CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and other recognised business industry bodies.
Industry Partnerships and Employer Connections : UQ maintains strong relationships with leading law firms, accounting firms, financial institutions, multinational corporations, government agencies, and consulting organisations that support internships, networking, and graduate recruitment opportunities.
Practical Legal and Commercial Experience : Through legal clinics, business case competitions, commercial projects, and professional mentoring, students graduate with practical industry-focused experience that strengthens employability.
Global Career Opportunities : The program prepares graduates for international careers in corporate law, global business strategy, international trade, investment, and regulatory compliance.
Graduate Employability Reputation : The University of Queensland is internationally recognised for graduate employability and consistently ranks among the world’s leading universities for business, economics, and law disciplines.
Median Salary : Graduates entering legal, finance, consulting, and commercial business sectors commonly report starting salary ranges between AUD $75,000 – AUD $110,000 annually depending on role, industry, and experience.
Leadership and Strategic Skills : Students graduate with advanced communication, negotiation, commercial analysis, and leadership abilities that support long-term career progression into senior management and advisory positions.
Research and Innovation Opportunities : Graduates may also pursue opportunities in business innovation, commercial research, economic policy, entrepreneurship, and regulatory strategy.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this double degree, graduates may continue into Practical Legal Training (PLT) to qualify for admission as practising lawyers in Australia. Students may also pursue postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Finance, Master of Commerce, Master of International Business, or specialised research degrees including PhD programs in law, economics, finance, governance, or business strategy. UQ also offers advanced research and professional development pathways through its law and business faculties.