Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Sustainability and Climate Change

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Adelaide

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Sustainability and Climate Change at University of Adelaide combines professional legal education with specialist knowledge in sustainability and climate change, preparing graduates to address some of the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges. Ideal for students who are passionate about justice, environmental policy, and sustainable development, this five-year double degree develops expertise in legal advocacy, climate governance, policy development, and environmental problem-solving. Campus: Adelaide City Campus and Magill Campus.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1:
Students establish a foundation in both law and climate studies. They begin with How Law Works, Torts, Humanity in a Changing Climate, and Fundamentals of Climate Change, gaining an understanding of legal systems alongside the scientific and societal dimensions of climate change. Courses such as Law, Government and Community and Culture, Society and Climate Change further explore how law and society respond to environmental challenges.

Year 2:
The second year focuses on developing legal reasoning and understanding governance frameworks in national and international contexts. Students study Constitutional Law, Contract, and International Law, while climate-focused subjects such as Communicating Climate Change strengthen their ability to engage stakeholders and communicate complex environmental issues effectively.

Year 3:
Students advance into specialised sustainability and policy studies through courses such as Responding to Climate Change, Climate Change Policy, and Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Alongside these subjects, they continue building legal expertise and begin exploring elective areas that align with their professional interests, such as Environmental Law and Human Rights Law.

Year 4:
This year deepens professional legal knowledge and environmental governance expertise. Students engage with advanced legal topics and may choose electives such as Climate Change Law, Media Law, or Health Law, while developing stronger analytical, advocacy, and policy evaluation skills relevant to sustainability and regulatory practice.

Year 5:
In the final year, students integrate their legal and sustainability knowledge through advanced coursework, honours-level learning, work-integrated learning experiences, and professional practice opportunities. They refine their research capabilities, policy development expertise, and legal problem-solving skills while preparing for careers in law, government, environmental policy, and international organisations.

Focus Areas:

Environmental Law, Climate Change Policy, Sustainable Development, Global Environmental Governance, Legal Advocacy, Climate Communication, Human Rights, Regulatory Frameworks, Public Policy

Learning Outcomes:

Develop advanced legal reasoning and advocacy skills; analyse and interpret legal frameworks; understand climate systems and sustainability challenges; evaluate environmental policy and governance approaches; communicate climate-related issues effectively; design ethical and sustainable solutions to complex environmental problems; conduct independent research and policy analysis.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia. Graduates seeking admission as a legal practitioner must also complete the required practical legal training pathway, such as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

Reputation (Employability Rankings):

The University of Adelaide is a member of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities and is internationally recognised for academic excellence, research impact, and graduate employability. The combination of legal qualifications and sustainability expertise positions graduates strongly for careers in law firms, government agencies, non-profit organisations, corporate sustainability teams, and international institutions.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Sustainability and Climate Change at University of Adelaide gain hands-on experience by combining legal studies with real-world sustainability and climate change challenges. The program encourages students to apply legal reasoning to environmental and climate-related issues while developing practical research, policy analysis, and problem-solving skills. Through access to world-class research facilities, interdisciplinary projects, and industry-connected learning opportunities, students graduate with the ability to address complex sustainability challenges from both legal and scientific perspectives:

Moot courts and legal simulations: Law students participate in advocacy exercises, legal problem-solving activities, and simulated court proceedings to develop practical legal skills.
Honours research project: The honours component provides opportunities to undertake advanced legal or sustainability-related research under academic supervision, strengthening analytical and investigative capabilities.
Interdisciplinary sustainability projects: Students work on real-world sustainability and climate change case studies, often collaborating across disciplines to develop policy and governance solutions.
Environment Institute: Access to the University's renowned Environment Institute, which conducts leading research in environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, biodiversity, and natural resource management.
Stretton Institute: Students can engage with research and policy discussions through Stretton Institute, which focuses on public policy, sustainability, and societal challenges.
Research laboratories and field-based learning: Sustainability and climate change studies incorporate exposure to environmental research facilities, data collection methods, and field investigations relevant to climate and ecological systems.
Digital research tools: Students utilise professional legal databases, policy research platforms, environmental datasets, and geographic information resources to support legal and sustainability analysis.
Barr Smith Library: Access to one of Australia's largest academic libraries, providing extensive legal, environmental, policy, and sustainability research collections.
Industry engagement opportunities: Students may participate in internships, community projects, guest lectures, and industry-led initiatives involving government agencies, environmental organisations, and policy stakeholders.
Collaborative group projects: Team-based projects allow students to tackle contemporary sustainability and climate governance challenges while developing professional communication and leadership skills.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Sustainability and Climate Change at University of Adelaide are uniquely equipped to address some of the world's most pressing environmental, legal, and policy challenges. By combining advanced legal training with expertise in sustainability and climate change, graduates develop the skills needed to influence environmental governance, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable business practices. Career opportunities include roles such as environmental lawyer, climate policy advisor, sustainability consultant, and environmental compliance manager.

As governments, corporations, and international organisations place greater emphasis on sustainability and climate action, graduates benefit from strong and growing career prospects:

University employability services: The University of Adelaide’s Career Services team provides personalised career consultations, employability workshops, internship support, mentoring opportunities, employer networking events, and graduate recruitment programs to help students build professional connections and workplace-ready skills.
Employment outcomes & salary figures: Graduates entering environmental law, sustainability, policy, and regulatory professions in Australia typically achieve starting salaries ranging from AUD $75,000 – $125,000, with median earnings commonly between AUD $95,000 – $120,000, depending on industry sector, role, and professional experience.
University–industry partnerships: Students benefit from engagement with government agencies, environmental organisations, legal firms, research institutes, sustainability-focused businesses, and industry partners through internships, industry projects, guest lectures, and networking opportunities.
Long-term accreditation value: The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) fulfils the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, while the Sustainability and Climate Change qualification provides specialised expertise that is increasingly valued across environmental, corporate, and public policy sectors worldwide.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates leave with advanced capabilities in legal analysis, environmental governance, climate policy evaluation, sustainability strategy, and stakeholder engagement, positioning them for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving global field.

Further Academic Progression: After completing this degree, graduates may undertake Practical Legal Training (PLT) to qualify for admission as a legal practitioner or continue with postgraduate studies such as a Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Climate Change, Master of Environmental Policy and Management, Master of Sustainability, or research-focused MPhil and PhD programs in environmental law, sustainability, climate science, public policy, or related disciplines.