Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws

At ACU, studying the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws isn’t just about lectures and reading cases — you’ll get plenty of hands-on experience that prepares you for real legal work and community engagement. From early in your degree, you’ll have opportunities to work on real legal matters, contribute to meaningful projects, and develop skills that matter in the workplace. ACU supports you with structured placements, professional connections, and practical projects that complement your studies in both law and the arts.

Here’s how you’ll gain practical experience throughout your degree:

• Pro bono placements: You’ll complete around 80 hours of pro bono legal work through the Thomas More Law School, helping real clients and learning to communicate, analyse, and apply legal knowledge in professional settings.

• Community Legal Engagement unit: This unit gives you supervised, hands-on experience in legal environments, letting you see the law in action and understand its impact on people and communities.

• Arts community engagement: On the Arts side, you may participate in placements with social research organisations, cultural institutions, or advocacy groups, gaining around 70 hours of practical experience linked to your major.

• Work integrated learning and internships: ACU provides access to internships, placements, and consultancy projects that let you build professional experience while earning credit towards your degree.

• Professional tools and networks: Through connections with legal professionals, community partners, and industry organisations, you’ll gain insight into professional practice and start building networks that can help your future career.

This combination of placements, practical units, and professional exposure ensures that by the time you graduate, you won’t just understand the law — you’ll have applied it in real-world settings and developed the skills employers look for.

The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws at Australian Catholic University (ACU) combines professional legal training with broad knowledge of society, culture, politics, communication, and human behaviour. This multidisciplinary qualification equips graduates with strong analytical, research, advocacy, and communication skills, preparing them for careers as Solicitors, Policy Advisers, Legal Researchers, Government Officers, and professionals in advocacy, diplomacy, and public administration. Graduates benefit from the flexibility to pursue opportunities across both legal and non-legal sectors, making them highly adaptable in a changing workforce.

This strong career foundation is supported by several key advantages:

• Excellent Graduate Employment Outcomes – ACU reports that 95% of graduates are employed, reflecting the university's strong emphasis on career readiness, professional development, and industry engagement.
• Career Development Services – Students have access to ACU's comprehensive employability services, including career consultations, professional mentoring, networking events, resume and interview coaching, internship support, and graduate employment resources designed to help students transition successfully into professional careers.
• Industry Partnerships and Professional Networks – ACU Law collaborates with organisations including AED Legal, JobWatch, Knowmore Legal Service, Refugee Legal, Peninsula Community Legal Centre, Western Sydney Community Legal Centre, Justice Reform Initiative, and Young Workers Centre, providing students with valuable exposure to legal practice and community engagement.
• Practical Pro Bono Experience – Students complete 80 hours of pro bono legal experience, allowing them to apply legal knowledge in practical settings while supporting community legal initiatives and developing professional skills highly valued by employers.
• Long-Term Professional Accreditation Value – The Bachelor of Laws component is accredited and recognised by legal admission authorities in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, satisfying the academic requirements required for admission to legal practice following the completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT).
• Graduate Salary Prospects – Graduates entering legal, policy, government, communications, and public-sector professions typically earn between AUD $70,000 and $105,000 per year, depending on their role, employer, location, and professional experience. Salaries often increase significantly following admission to legal practice and progression into senior positions.
• Broad Career Opportunities – The combination of Arts and Law creates pathways into legal practice, public policy, government administration, international relations, human rights advocacy, communications, media, community development, diplomacy, and regulatory affairs.
• Strong Graduate Outcomes – Graduates develop a versatile skill set that combines legal expertise with a deep understanding of social and cultural issues, making them valuable contributors across a wide range of industries and professional environments.

Further Academic Progression:

After completing the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws, graduates can undertake Practical Legal Training (PLT) to qualify for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia. Students interested in further legal specialisation may pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) in areas such as international law, human rights law, commercial law, environmental law, or dispute resolution. The Arts component also provides pathways into postgraduate study in fields such as public policy, international relations, political science, communications, sociology, and development studies. Graduates interested in research, academia, or leadership positions can continue into Master by Research or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs, creating opportunities in legal scholarship, policy development, public service, and senior management roles across government, non-government, and international organisations.