Bachelor of Arts / Law

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts / Law at University of New South Wales is a versatile five-year double degree that combines professional legal education with broad interdisciplinary study across the humanities and social sciences, preparing students for careers that require critical thinking, communication, cultural awareness, and legal expertise. Campus: Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia — the program is ideal for students who want the flexibility to explore interests such as politics, international relations, media, history, languages, sociology, psychology, philosophy, or cultural studies while also qualifying for a professional legal career.

This degree suits students who are passionate about understanding people, societies, cultures, and global issues while developing strong legal reasoning and advocacy skills. Students study core law subjects alongside a chosen Arts major, graduating with advanced analytical, research, communication, and problem-solving abilities valued across legal, government, media, policy, and creative industries.

Curriculum Structure

First Year

In the first year, students establish foundational knowledge in legal systems, humanities, and social sciences while developing critical thinking and academic communication skills. Courses such as Foundations of Law, Introduction to International Relations, and Introduction to Sociology introduce students to legal reasoning, social analysis, political systems, and cultural perspectives. Students also begin building research, writing, and argumentation skills essential for both Arts and Law studies.

Second Year

Second-year study deepens students’ understanding of legal principles while expanding disciplinary expertise within their chosen Arts specialisation. Depending on the selected major, students may study subjects such as World Politics, Media, Culture and Everyday Life, or Philosophy and Ethics alongside law courses including Contracts, Torts, and Criminal Law. The year focuses on analysing institutions, social issues, and legal frameworks through interdisciplinary perspectives.

Third Year

By third year, students engage with more advanced legal concepts and specialised Arts coursework connected to society, governance, communication, or culture. Arts subjects may include Globalisation and Development, Political Theory, or Psychology and Society, while law courses such as Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Equity and Trusts strengthen students’ understanding of public institutions and legal obligations. Students also undertake collaborative discussions, research essays, and analytical case studies linked to contemporary global challenges.

Fourth Year

Fourth year combines advanced legal education with applied humanities and social science learning. Students study law subjects such as Corporations Law, Evidence, and Private International Law while continuing higher-level Arts electives aligned with their interests in politics, communication, languages, social justice, international studies, or philosophy. Coursework encourages students to apply legal and cultural analysis to complex societal and organisational issues.

Fifth Year

The final year allows students to tailor the degree toward specialised legal and Arts pathways through advanced electives and independent research opportunities. Students may explore areas such as Human Rights Law, International Law, Media Law, or advanced Arts research subjects while refining advocacy, leadership, negotiation, and communication skills. By graduation, students possess a highly adaptable combination of legal expertise and interdisciplinary knowledge suited to a wide range of professional careers.

Focus areas

Law, international relations, politics, sociology, philosophy, psychology, media studies, cultural studies, history, languages, public policy, human rights, communication, governance, and legal analysis.

Learning outcomes

Graduates develop advanced legal reasoning, communication, cultural awareness, critical thinking, research, negotiation, and interdisciplinary analytical skills. Students learn to interpret legal and social systems, evaluate cultural and political issues, conduct evidence-based research, and apply ethical and strategic thinking within diverse professional contexts.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The Law component is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board and satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT). The Arts component provides strong preparation for careers across public policy, government, diplomacy, communications, media, international relations, and social advocacy sectors.

Reputation (employability rankings)

UNSW Law & Justice is internationally recognised for academic excellence, employer reputation, and graduate employability, while UNSW’s Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences disciplines are highly regarded for research quality, interdisciplinary education, and global engagement. UNSW is consistently recognised as one of Australia’s leading universities for graduate outcomes, innovation, and industry relevance across law and social sciences disciplines.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Bachelor of Arts / Law at the University of New South Wales gain practical experience through legal clinics, interdisciplinary research projects, policy analysis activities, debate-based learning, cultural studies engagement, and collaborative group work. The program combines professional legal education with humanities and social sciences learning, allowing students to apply legal reasoning alongside critical analysis of politics, society, media, culture, international relations, and human behaviour in real-world contexts.

UNSW’s experiential learning environment gives students access to legal practice opportunities, specialised research centres, multimedia learning spaces, global engagement programs, and industry-connected activities that prepare graduates for careers across law, government, public policy, media, communications, diplomacy, and social advocacy sectors:

Kingsford Legal Centre : Law students gain practical legal experience through the Kingsford Legal Centre, where they assist real clients under professional supervision. Students develop advocacy, legal research, client communication, and case preparation skills through hands-on community legal work.
Moot Courts & Advocacy Training : Students strengthen public speaking, legal reasoning, negotiation, and persuasive communication skills through mooting competitions, courtroom simulations, legal debates, and advocacy exercises hosted by UNSW Law & Justice.
Interdisciplinary Research Projects : Arts and Law students engage in research assignments, collaborative presentations, policy analysis activities, and critical investigations connected to areas such as politics, international relations, media, sociology, philosophy, history, and cultural studies.
Media & Communication Learning Spaces : Students studying media, communications, or cultural studies subjects may access multimedia production environments, digital storytelling resources, and communication-focused learning facilities that support creative and analytical coursework.
Policy & Social Analysis Activities : Many Arts subjects incorporate policy simulations, debate sessions, social issue analysis, and evidence-based research tasks that encourage students to evaluate contemporary political, legal, and cultural challenges from interdisciplinary perspectives.
Research Institutes & Humanities Centres : Students benefit from UNSW’s research ecosystem including institutes and centres connected to social policy, international studies, governance, human rights, culture, media, and public affairs research. These opportunities expose students to current debates and real-world societal issues.
Legal Research Databases & Digital Resources : Students access professional legal research systems including LexisNexis, Westlaw, and HeinOnline alongside humanities, political science, sociology, and media research databases used across academic, policy, and legal sectors.
Collaborative Group Projects : Many courses involve interdisciplinary teamwork, presentations, legal case discussions, and policy proposal activities that replicate professional environments in law, communications, government, consulting, and public advocacy sectors.
Industry Engagement & Internship Opportunities : UNSW maintains strong connections with law firms, government agencies, NGOs, cultural organisations, media companies, and policy institutions that support internships, networking opportunities, public lectures, and industry engagement programs.
Global Learning Opportunities : Students may participate in international exchange programs, overseas study opportunities, Model United Nations activities, language immersion experiences, and global policy initiatives that strengthen intercultural understanding and international communication skills.
Libraries & Collaborative Learning Spaces : Students have access to specialised law libraries, humanities research collections, multimedia study environments, collaborative classrooms, and technology-enabled learning spaces that support interdisciplinary legal and Arts education.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts / Law at the University of New South Wales are highly valued for their combination of legal expertise, critical thinking, cultural awareness, research capability, and advanced communication skills. The degree prepares students for diverse careers across law, government, media, public policy, international relations, communications, social advocacy, and consulting by equipping them with both professional legal training and interdisciplinary analytical knowledge. Typical career pathways include lawyer, policy adviser, diplomat, communications specialist, media analyst, human rights advocate, public sector consultant, and international relations adviser.

UNSW strengthens graduate employability through professional legal education, interdisciplinary learning, industry engagement opportunities, and strong employer networks across legal, public, and creative sectors:

Dedicated Career & Employability Services : UNSW Law & Justice and UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture provide tailored career support including clerkship preparation, internship guidance, résumé workshops, interview coaching, networking events, mentoring programs, and leadership development opportunities connected to law, government, communications, and public policy careers.
Strong Industry & Government Partnerships : Students benefit from UNSW’s connections with law firms, government departments, NGOs, international organisations, media companies, policy institutes, and cultural organisations that support internships, industry projects, networking opportunities, and graduate recruitment pathways.
Professional Legal Qualification : The Law component satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT). This provides graduates with long-term professional recognition and flexibility across legal and non-legal industries.
Strong Graduate Employability Reputation : UNSW is consistently recognised among Australia’s leading universities for graduate employability and employer reputation across law, humanities, social sciences, and public policy disciplines. Employers value UNSW graduates for their communication strengths, analytical capability, adaptability, and leadership potential.
Median Graduate Salary : Based on Australian graduate outcomes data across law, humanities, communications, and public policy-related fields, graduates commonly achieve median full-time salaries ranging between approximately AUD $75,000–$95,000 depending on professional sector, Arts specialisation, and career pathway.
Global Career Opportunities : The combination of Arts and Law creates opportunities in multinational organisations, diplomatic services, media companies, international NGOs, legal firms, government agencies, consulting organisations, and cultural institutions across Australia and internationally.
Practical Graduation Outcomes : Graduates leave the program with advanced legal research capability, persuasive communication skills, cultural and political awareness, negotiation expertise, interdisciplinary problem-solving ability, and leadership experience developed through legal clinics, research projects, debates, collaborative coursework, and policy analysis activities.
Research & Social Impact Engagement : Students graduate with exposure to contemporary social, political, cultural, and legal issues through interdisciplinary learning experiences connected to human rights, governance, ethics, international affairs, media, and public policy discussions.
Leadership & Communication Preparation : The Arts and Law combination develops graduates who can critically assess complex societal challenges, communicate effectively across diverse audiences, evaluate policy and legal frameworks, and contribute strategically within professional and public environments.
Long-Term Career Flexibility : Graduates are equipped to transition across legal practice, diplomacy, communications, policy development, consulting, public administration, advocacy, education, media, and executive leadership roles throughout their careers.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this double degree, graduates may continue into postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Public Policy, Master of International Relations, Master of Media, Master of Social Research, or specialised postgraduate studies in human rights law, international law, communications, diplomacy, governance, or cultural policy. High-achieving graduates may also pursue research-focused programs including Honours or PhD studies in Law, Politics, Sociology, International Relations, Media Studies, Philosophy, History, or Cultural Studies, leading to careers in academia, advanced policy research, diplomacy, public leadership, or international advocacy organisations.