#1 Victorian university for law course satisfaction
Top 3 law school in Victoria
Stand out to employers as an honours graduate
Why choose laws at Deakin
Undertake a major independent research project to deepen your understanding of law, gain an employment edge and create a pathway to PhD study in Deakin’s Bachelor of Laws (Honours) program. This one-year program is designed for high-achieving students who have completed or nearly completed a Bachelor of Laws at Deakin or another Australian institution. You will sharpen your research capabilities, enhance your analytical thinking and strengthen your legal writing – skills that are highly valued by employers.
You will complete research training units and undertake in-depth research on a legal topic of your choice, supervised by an academic from Deakin Law School, producing a 10,000-word thesis. Whether you're looking to elevate your legal career, strengthen your professional profile or pursue further study such as a masters or PhD, the honours program will help you stand out.
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Stand out to employers
Demonstrate enhanced research, analytical and writing skills, and create a career edge.
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Investigate a research topic of your choice
Deep dive, completing a 10,000-word thesis where you apply research methods and explore a question that drives your curiosity.
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Pathway to a PhD
Gain research training and experience that can lead to PhD or research masters studies.
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Become an acute thinker
Develop your analytical thinking, guided by your research supervisor and by completing four specialist law units.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Enhance your legal knowledge, analytical thinking, practical skills and research capabilities for careers across law, business and government. Complete practical legal training to pursue legal practice, or apply your skills across a range of professional roles.
Lawyer
Advise clients on legal rights, prepare legal documents, negotiate settlements and represent clients in court. Research legislation and provide practical solutions across a range of legal matters.
- $105k
Typical Australian annual salary
- 11.7%
Projected job growth in 5 years
- 3.6/5
Job satisfaction
Policy adviser
Research, develop and evaluate policies that help governments and organisations respond to legal, regulatory and community issues through evidence-based advice.
- $120k
Typical Australian annual salary
- 8.7%
Projected job growth in 5 years
- 4.6/5
Job satisfaction
Other jobs
- Barrister
- Corporate lawyer
- Law academic
- Government lawyer
- Public administrator
- Law reform officer
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
FAQs
Yes – every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning (WIL) in their degree. Each year, more than 30,000+ students complete a placement or internship with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, EY and the National Australia Bank. You can access WIL through placements, industry projects, field-based experiences, simulations and global programs, helping you apply your skills and graduate with the experience and confidence employers value.
DeakinTALENT is Deakin's award-winning career service, and you can access it for life – not just while you're studying. From personalised career coaching sessions and AI-enhanced resume support to a jobs and internships board with employment opportunities, it’s designed to give you the career management skills and connections you need to stand out. Every Deakin degree is built with input from employers, so your course is designed around real workplace needs, now and into the future.
Entry requirements and the minimum ATAR vary by degree and are detailed on the degree page, but if your ATAR is below the cut-off, you still have options. Use the pathway finder tool to find the opportunities available to you, including associate degrees and Deakin Guaranteed ATAR, which offers eligible students a guaranteed entry score that's on average 10 points below the lowest selection rank. If you don't have an ATAR, Deakin Uni Ready is a free, supported program designed to build your skills and confidence and open doors to degrees in arts, health, science and business. Access programs and equity schemes are also available.
At Deakin, employability isn't an add-on – it's built in. Our degrees are designed with industry input, so your skills are aligned to what employers actually need. Every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning through opportunities such as placements, internships and industry projects, helping you build your professional network and practical experience before you even graduate. It's an approach that works: nine out of 10 Deakin graduates get a job within four to six months of finishing their degree.
Yes. Most eligible undergraduate students are offered a Commonwealth Supported Place meaning the government subsidises part of your tuition fees. If eligible, you can pay your student contribution using a HECS-HELP loan that you only start repaying once your income is above the repayment threshold. Deakin has scholarships that cater to our diverse student community, ranging from $5,000 per year for high ATAR achievers to $10,000 per year for students facing financial or personal hardship. The University also offers support services including financial counselling, budgeting help and access to short-term, interest-free loans to help you stay on track.
Deakin is the #1 Victorian university for student support and that starts the moment you accept your offer. Orientation is designed to help you feel welcome and get to know your community of classmates and teachers from day one. Across all campuses, there's a vibrant student community with clubs, events and opportunities to build real friendships. Deakin offers a range of services to help students stay healthy and safe, including sport and fitness facilities, free counselling, on-campus medical services and around-the-clock security.
Yes, and it's straightforward. You can transfer to Deakin in a few steps and apply for credit through recognition of prior learning (RPL), so you won't necessarily repeat subjects you've already completed. If you're coming from a TAFE partner, you may get guaranteed entry into second year with guaranteed RPL. Deakin's three-trimester system also means you may be able to start mid-year rather than waiting until March.
Most Deakin courses run across three trimesters per year instead of the traditional two semesters. Trimester 1 begins around March, Trimester 2 around July and Trimester 3 around November, each with roughly 12 weeks of teaching followed by an exam period. This means you can usually start your degree at three different points in the year and have more flexibility to manage your study load. Check the intakes by location section on the course page for details.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Bachelor of Laws (Honours)?
Commencing on completion of your Bachelor of Laws, this one-year course combines advanced law units, training in legal research methods and a 10,000-word thesis to be completed under the supervision of a Deakin Law School academic. Graduate ready for a PhD or masters degree or to pursue your law career.
Undertake your research journey and extend your specialist legal knowledge
Expand your skill set
Select advanced electives that complement your research interests or broaden your legal scope.
Learn research methods
Complete two research training units to build the foundations for your thesis.
Formulate your research question and investigate
Select your topic and refine it into a valid research question, research and write up your thesis guided by your supervisor.
Course structure
To complete the Bachelor of Laws (Honours), you must pass 8 credit points.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
4 credit points of course elective units^ can be chosen from:
^ As noted above, it is expected that students enrolling in this course will receive RPL for law elective subjects that they have already undertaken (and so will not have to undertake these electives when enrolled in Honours). Applications for RPL will be assessed by reference to the list of core electives below. Likewise, any students not granted RPL (or who are not granted RPL for the full four electives) will have to undertake course electives from the above list
What to expect while studying
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
This course will be available to both new applicants and Deakin students currently enrolled in M312 Bachelor of Laws or combined Law degrees and who meet the entry requirements for M412.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – Please note that due to Australian Government regulations, student visas to enter Australia cannot be issued to students who enrol in Deakin online courses.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| Apply advanced legal research methodologies and legal reasoning to identify and address legal issues with reference to relevant theoretical approaches, and social, political, and global contexts. |
| Employ advanced legal writing skills to effectively communicate legal arguments and the conclusions that follow |
| Utilise a variety of resources in order to formulate and execute a research strategy and plan |
| Critically evaluate and synthesise legal and other relevant sources to identify and articulate a research question that is suitable for research at an advanced level, and apply high-level legal reasoning to explore such policy, theoretical and legal questions as arise. |
| Apply rigorous legal analysis to formulate and articulate well-reasoned and nuanced responses to the legal problem under consideration |
| This CLO is not explicitly assessed |
| This CLO is not explicitly assessed |
| Evaluate and compare different approaches and solutions to legal problems in Australian and international jurisdictions and incorporate consideration of ethical perspectives where appropriate |
- Award granted
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- M412
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$18,025
for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.
All applications are considered by the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Course Director. As part of this process, the Course Director will also assess each application for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).