A Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree provides candidates with a law degree that opens doors to a diverse range of professional careers in Australia and around the world.

In addition to equipping you with an understanding of law and the contexts in which it operates, the LLB (Hons) places a significant emphasis on building your high-level research skills through opportunities to conduct independent legal research.

Through the LLB (Hons), you will graduate with an honours-degree, giving you additional advantages in establishing your career or providing a strong foundation for postgraduate study. The program satisfies the academic component to be admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia.

Are you a leader? The Australian National University is a leader too, especially in the fields of philosophy, politics and economics. This progressive and well-regarded degree will arm you with the moral, economic and political perspectives you need to make a real impact.

You will develop exceptional problem solving skills and critical and conceptual thinking, all while gaining a passport to some of the world’s most promising careers.

Employment Opportunities

Law graduates may find work either in areas where a law degree is a professional requirement or more general fields in which law is especially useful.

A Bachelor of Laws would normally be a requirement for the following occupations: a Barrister or Solicitor in professional practice; a Legal Officer in government departments or private enterprise; a Corporate Legal Officer in private industry, commerce and finance; community legal work; law teaching and academic research; a Judge's Associate, and legal journalism.

To practice as a Barrister or Solicitor graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training at an accredited institution.

More general fields of employment include: the Australian Foreign Service; industrial relations; social welfare; government administration; business management; lobbying; media; public relations; law librarianship; court reporting; environmental agencies; technology and communications; and Federal and State police forces. 

Law graduates may find work either in areas where a law degree is a professional requirement or more general fields in which law is especially useful.

A Bachelor of Laws would normally be a requirement for the following occupations: a Barrister or Solicitor in professional practice; a Legal Officer in government departments or private enterprise; a Corporate Legal Officer in private industry, commerce and finance; community legal work; law teaching and academic research; a Judge's Associate, and legal journalism.

To practice as a Barrister or Solicitor graduates must also complete Practical Legal Training at an accredited institution.

More general fields of employment include: the Australian Foreign Service; industrial relations; social welfare; government administration; business management; lobbying; media; public relations; law librarianship; court reporting; environmental agencies; technology and communications; and Federal and State police forces. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Review, analyse, and synthesise knowledge from primary and secondary legal sources to identify and provide solutions to complex legal and justice problems.

2. Interpret and critically evaluate the nature of law and its social and ethical impact on society, at a local, national, and international level.

3. Undertake technical legal research to access a range of legal materials, literature databases, and other online sources, and apply legal or interdisciplinary research methodologies to evaluate and synthesise findings.

4. Communicate to a variety of legal and non-legal audiences in a range of oral and written formats.

5. Develop insight into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ diverse perspectives on laws and society and evaluate their relationship and importance to contemporary Australian law and society.

6. Work both independently and collaboratively as required, and evaluate and reflect on feedback to develop personal, professional and ethical capability across a range of legal disciplines.

1. major philosophical theories and approaches to the evaluation of social institutions;

2. the methods of economics to the study of political institutions and processes;

3. the methods of economics to questions within political philosophy;

4. the assumptions, ‘tools’ and limitations of political economy; and

5. the core arguments and principles of public choice and rational choice theory.

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee entry into the program.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

The University reserves the right to alter or discontinue its programs and change admission requirements as needed.

Domestic applicants

Before applying for a program, you should review the general information about domestic undergraduate admission to ANU programs and how to apply, and the program-specific information below.

• Applicants with recent secondary education are assessed on:
  • completion of Australian Year 12 or equivalent, and the minimum Selection Rank (from their academic qualifications, plus any adjustment factors) requirement for this program; and
  • co-curricular or service requirement (applies to applicants who complete secondary education in the year prior to commencing at ANU); and
  • English language proficiency; and
  • any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with higher education study are assessed on:
  • previous higher education studies; or secondary education results if completed less than one full-time equivalent year (1.0 FTE) of a degree; or the result from a bridging or preparatory course; and
  • English language proficiency; and
  • any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are assessed on:
  • previously completed VET qualifications at AQF level 5 or higher (i.e. a Diploma or above); or secondary education results if the VET qualification is not completed; and
  • English language proficiency; and
  • any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with work and life experience are assessed on:
  • ATAR or equivalent if secondary education was completed; or the Special Adult Entry Scheme (SAES); or work experience; and
  • English language proficiency; and
  • any program-specific requirements listed below.

International applicants

Applicants who complete a recognised secondary/senior secondary/post-secondary/tertiary sequence of study will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. A list of commonly observed international qualifications and corresponding admission requirements can be found here. Applicants must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

Diversity factors & English language proficiency  
As Australia's national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. If required, competitive ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Further information is available for English Language Requirements for Admission

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are additional points added to an applicant's Selection Rank (for example an applicant's ATAR). ANU offers adjustment factors based on performance and equity principles, such as for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Selection Rank adjustments are granted in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustment factors and maximum 10 equity-based adjustment factors) can be awarded. 

You may be considered for adjustment factors if you have:

• applied for an eligible ANU Bachelor degree program
• undertaken Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate
• achieved an ATAR or equivalent at or above 70
• not previously attempted tertiary study.

Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) flexible double degree component requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

96 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

LAWS1201 Foundations of Australian Law

LAWS1202 Lawyers, Justice and Ethics

LAWS1203 Torts

LAWS1204 Contracts

LAWS1205 Australian Public Law

LAWS1206 Criminal Law and Procedure

LAWS2201 Administrative Law

LAWS2202 Commonwealth Constitutional Law

LAWS2203 Corporations Law

LAWS2204 Property

LAWS2205 Equity and Trusts

LAWS2207 Evidence

LAWS2244 Litigation and Dispute Management

LAWS2248 Legal Research and Writing (available 2022)

LAWS2249 Legal Theory

LAWS2250 International Law

48 units from completion of 4000-level LAWS-coded courses including at least 6 units from completion of courses on the following list:

LAWS4010 Jessup Moot

LAWS4213 Contemporary Issues in Constitutional Law

LAWS4220 Human Rights Law in Australia

LAWS4230 Law Internship

LAWS4231 Law and Art: Representation and Critique (if the optional 4000 word research essay is completed)

LAWS4254 Restitution (if the optional 4000 word research essay is completed)

LAWS4256 Law and Sexualities

LAWS4258 International Organisations (Geneva)

LAWS4262 Advanced Administrative Law

LAWS4286 Literature, Law and Human Rights (if the optional 4000 word research essay is completed)

LAWS4218 Feminist and Critical Legal Theory

LAWS4290 High Court of Australia

LAWS4300 Supervised Research Paper

LAWS4315 Law and Development in the Contemporary South Pacific

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

HONS4300 Final Honours Grade will be used to record the class of honours. The final honour mark will be calculated using the formula S (mark x units) / S units, giving NCN and WN a nominal mark of zero. All LAWS-coded courses will be included in the calculation. 

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

48 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

ECON2101 Microeconomics 2

ECON3056 PPE Integration 3: Classic Literature in PPE

PHIL1005 Logic and Critical Thinking

PHIL2116 PPE Integration 2

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS1008 PPE Integration 1

POLS1009 Research and Writing in Political Science

6 units from completion of the following courses:

PHIL1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction

PHIL1008 Introduction to Ethics

Note: A minimum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list, which must also be counted towards completion of any other requirements for the Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics ( these courses are included in the following lists. )

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An Introduction to Game Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program A

ASIA2090 Study Tour: The Political Economy of Myanmar

EURO3002 Comparative European Politics

POLS2043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying

POLS2063 Contemporary Political Theory

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions

POLS2120 Foundations of Political Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2126 Democracy and Dictatorship

POLS2127 U.S. Politics

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

POLS3022 Washington DC Internship

POLS3029 Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective

POLS3031 Comparative Judicial Politics

POLS3039 Political Leadership and Executive Government

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

PHIL2016 Philosophy of Language

PHIL2020 Theories of Social Justice

PHIL2057 Philosophy of Science

PHIL2080 Logic

PHIL2082 Sex and Death: The Philosophy of Biology

PHIL2101 Democracy, Difference and Desire

PHIL2113 Global Justice

PHIL2121 Philosophical Logic

PHIL2122 Philosophy and Public Policy

PHIL2124 Philosophy of Cognitive Science

PHIL2125 Rationality and Social Cooperation

PHIL2126 Science in Society: Ethics, Public Policy and Scientific Practice

PHIL2290 Philosophy, AI and Society

PHIL3073 Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy

PHIL3075 The Philosophy of Gender: Knowledge, Power, Bodies

PHIL3076 Philosophy of the Life Sciences

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

CRIM2000 The Illicit Economy

ECHI1006 The Australian Economy: Past and Present

ECHI3008 History of Economic Thought (P)

ECHI3009 World Economy Since 1800

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

ECON2013 Behavioral Economics

ECON2014 Managerial Economics

ECON2016 Economics II (H)

ECON2026 Money and Banking

ECON2091 The Economy, Politics and the State

ECON2102 Macroeconomics 2 (P)

ECON2120 Law and Economics (P)

ECON2125 Optimisation for Economics and Financial Economics

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An Introduction to Game Theory

ECON3100 Economics 3 (H)

ECON3101 Microeconomics 3

ECON3102 Macroeconomics 3

EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models

INDG3003 The Indigenous Economy

6 units from the completion of 2000- and 3000-level courses from the following subject areas and courses:

ECON Economics

PHIL Philosophy

POLS Political Science

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program A

Specialisations

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Specialisations

Study Options