Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychology

5 Years On Campus Dual-bachelors Program

Macquarie University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University is a unique double degree that combines legal training with a deep understanding of human behaviour, mental processes, and psychological science. Delivered at the Wallumattagal Campus (North Ryde), it is ideal for students who want to work in law, policy, criminology, mental health advocacy, or roles where understanding people is just as important as understanding the law.

Curriculum structure

First Year

In the first year, students build foundational knowledge in both disciplines, learning how legal systems operate alongside core principles of psychology. Law units such as Foundations of Law and Contracts are studied alongside psychology units like Psychology I: Introduction to Psychological Science, helping students understand both legal reasoning and human behaviour from the beginning of their degree.

Second Year

In the second year, students deepen their understanding of core legal areas while developing strong scientific and analytical psychology skills. Law subjects such as Criminal Law, Torts, and Constitutional Law are complemented by psychology units like Psychology II: Experimental Design and Analysis and Cognitive and Biological Psychology, strengthening research and critical thinking abilities.

Third Year

The third year focuses on more advanced legal study, including Property Law, Administrative Law, and Equity, alongside psychology subjects exploring areas such as developmental and social psychology. Students begin connecting legal systems with psychological principles such as decision-making, behaviour, and human cognition.

Fourth Year

In the fourth year, students engage with higher-level legal subjects such as Corporations Law, Evidence, and Jurisprudence, while also studying advanced psychology topics such as abnormal psychology and research methods. This year strengthens analytical reasoning and applied understanding across both law and psychological science.

Fifth Year

The final year integrates advanced electives from both disciplines, allowing students to specialise in areas such as criminal behaviour, mental health, or commercial law. Students complete capstone legal studies and advanced psychology coursework, preparing them for professional practice or postgraduate study in either field.

Focus areas

Criminal law, constitutional law, psychology of behaviour, cognitive psychology, mental health, criminology, forensic psychology, legal theory, research methods, ethics, human behaviour, social psychology, public law

Learning outcomes

Develop strong legal reasoning and psychological analysis skills, understand the relationship between human behaviour and legal systems, conduct advanced research in law and psychology, communicate effectively in professional and academic contexts, demonstrate ethical judgment, and apply interdisciplinary thinking to complex real-world problems.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The law component satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT). The psychology component is aligned with the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) pathway structure, supporting further study toward professional psychology qualifications depending on postgraduate progression.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Macquarie University is internationally recognised for strong graduate employability and interdisciplinary teaching. It is consistently ranked in global systems such as the QS World University Rankings, with strong subject performance in Law & Legal Studies and Psychology.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning in the Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University is built around combining legal reasoning with scientific understanding of human behaviour. Students develop practical skills through real-world legal simulations, psychology research training, and applied case-based learning at the Wallumattagal Campus (North Ryde), where they engage with both courtroom-style environments and psychology laboratories designed for behavioural and cognitive research. This integrated approach ensures students can connect law, ethics, mental health, and human behaviour in meaningful, practice-oriented ways:

PACE (Professional and Community Engagement): Students participate in real projects with community organisations, legal services, and social impact partners, applying both legal and psychological knowledge to real-world problems.
Macquarie Law Moot Court & Advocacy Training: Structured moot court sessions and simulated hearings where students practise legal argumentation, negotiation, and courtroom communication skills.
Psychology Research Laboratories: Access to dedicated psychology labs for cognitive, behavioural, and experimental research, supporting hands-on training in research methods and data analysis.
Supervised Psychology Research Training: Students learn how to design studies, analyse behavioural data, and interpret findings using professional research tools and statistical methods.
Legal Research Databases & Digital Tools: Training in professional legal platforms for case law, legislation, and academic research, supporting accurate legal analysis and writing.
Collaborative Case Studies & Group Projects: Integrated assignments where students examine legal cases alongside psychological theories such as decision-making, memory, and behavioural influence.
Macquarie University Library Resources: Access to extensive law and psychology collections, digital journals, databases, and specialist academic support services.
Industry Engagement & Guest Lectures: Interaction with legal professionals, psychologists, policymakers, and mental health practitioners through seminars, workshops, and networking events.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University are uniquely positioned for careers that combine legal expertise with an understanding of human behaviour, decision-making, and mental processes. This powerful combination opens pathways into law, policy, criminal justice, human services, and corporate advisory roles where psychological insight strengthens legal reasoning. Typical roles include solicitor, policy adviser, compliance officer, organisational consultant, and roles in criminal justice or behavioural research.

Progression into professional careers is strongly supported through Macquarie University’s employability ecosystem and industry engagement opportunities:

Macquarie Careers and Employability Services: Provides tailored career coaching, resume and interview preparation, internship support, employer networking events, and access to graduate job opportunities across legal, psychology, and public sector fields.
Industry and Clinical Connections: Psychology training is aligned with professional standards through supervised practical learning environments, while law students engage with legal professionals through structured industry engagement and experiential learning opportunities.
Employment Outcomes & Salary Insights: Graduates entering early-career legal and psychology-related roles in Australia typically earn around AUD $65,000–$90,000 per year, with significant growth potential as professional registration, experience, or legal admission is achieved.
Professional Accreditation Value: The law component satisfies academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia (with Practical Legal Training), while the psychology component is aligned with pathways toward further study and professional accreditation in psychology.
Macquarie Industry Partnerships: Strong connections with legal firms, government agencies, healthcare organisations, and community services support work-integrated learning and graduate employment pathways.
Graduation Outcomes: Graduates develop highly transferable skills in critical thinking, behavioural analysis, legal reasoning, research, and communication, enabling careers across legal, psychological, corporate, and public policy sectors.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this double degree, students can pursue Practical Legal Training (PLT) to qualify for legal practice in Australia, or continue into postgraduate psychology study such as an Honours year, Master of Clinical Psychology, or related accredited training pathways. Graduates may also undertake further study in law (LLM), criminology, public policy, counselling, organisational psychology, or research degrees (Master’s by research or PhD) to specialise further in either discipline.