Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability

Course information for - 2026 entry Are you an
Domestic

Domestic

Offered at 2 locations Location

Melbourne

North Sydney

Duration: 5 years full-time or equivalent part-time
VTAC code: 1200210971
ATAR: New
Fees (first year)*: $17392 CSP
Start dates: Semester 1 intake: Beginning February 2026
Applications open April 2025
Midyear (Semester 2) intake: Beginning July 2026
Applications open April 2026

Overview

Sustainability is a highly significant and swiftly growing field of practice in a diversity of organisations and workplaces in Australia and worldwide.

Become a lawyer who stands up for people in need and causes that matter. The Bachelor of Laws /Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability is designed to produce well-rounded and articulate graduates ready for legal practice and a defender of communities and the environment. Develop a detailed understanding of the great sustainability challenges of the 21st century and how economic and social prosperity depends on a safe, healthy environment.

Broaden your knowledge and experience across multiple legal disciplines while honing your communication skills, inspiring critical thinking, and perfecting your research expertise to enhance your employability.

Students who have completed 120 credit points of law units with a grade point average of 5.75 and above may apply to complete an honours degree.

95% graduates employed
Top 10 Catholic universities globally
Top 40 young universities worldwide

Professional experience

LAWS213 Community Legal Engagement Pro Bono supports LAWP100 Pro Bono Legal Professional Experience 1, which includes an 80-hour Pro Bono placement requirement for ACU Law students.

Community engagement

Students complete a  community engagement unit LAWS213 Community Legal Engagement Pro Bono.

Accreditation

The Law degree structure and Law unit offerings have been approved by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board and the Legal Profession Admission Board (NSW).

Careers

• Governmental sustainability policy advisor (local, state or national).

• Local, national and international environmental and sustainability NGOs.

• Intergovernmental organisations, including the UN and its specialised organisations.

• Climate and environmental advocate

• State, national and international courts and tribunals.

• Corporate environmental/sustainability officer or advisor.

• Environmental lawyer (if you hold an LLB/JD).

Industry partnerships

The Thomas More Law School works with a variety of industry partners.

Course details

Course structure

To qualify for the award, a student must complete 400 cp consisting of:

View course rules

Available Major(s)

Sustainability
This major focuses on matters that concern us globally. While our communities are often bombarded with information about the environment, we are often expected to understand global environmental crises and trends without contextualisation or adequate analysis. The study of sustainability brings together skills in human geography, climate change and environmental sustainability as well as sociological skills and understandings of social sustainability. The major therefore offers evidence-based knowledge, practical research skills, skills in sociological analysis and policy processes. It will provide attractive and substantial benefits to students interested in these matters and those who enjoy studying in the social sciences. The cross-disciplinary nature of this major gives it an offering that is distinct from doing a stand-alone Sociology major or a Geography, Environment and Sustainability major. It is designed to give key knowledge and skills relevant to many different career areas that are grappling with matters to do with environmental and social sustainability including business, government and community sectors, and teachers.
Read more about this major

Available Minor(s)

Environmental Humanities
Environmental Humanities is a multidisciplinary sequence that studies the way society interacts with the environment. While scientists measure physical aspects of environments and environmental change, humanities scholars focus on the many ways in which people have lived sustainably - or unsustainably - over time; the battle for resources; exploitation of labour, forced labour and slavery; the economics of sustainability; policy and politics around development and sustainability; the ways writers have described and understood the natural world and its land and marine environments, cultures and peoples.
Read more about this minor

Graduate statement

Insight

As a Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability or associated double degree graduate, you possess insight into the great social and environmental challenges faced by humanity and how to respond to these, via a deep awareness of the challenges to sustainability goals, and how insight can work towards reducing the social and environmental impacts of unsustainable policies and practices. This awareness is based on a variety of approaches to knowing and learning inclusive of Indigenous knowledges, reflexive practice, applied critical approaches, and empirical evidence. These degrees initiate your professional role in social and environmental sustainability by applying the insight gained across numerous organisational and institutional settings, thereby actively working towards greater equity, social and environmental justice, and human dignity.

Empathy

As a Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability or associated double degree graduate, you have empathy with the effects of challenges and obstacles to social and environmental sustainability, inclusive of how these challenges are intimately related to human and environmental dignity and socially and environmentally marginalised communities. This empathy is grounded in the specific learnings and applications of a variety of approaches to social and environmental sustainability including the ancient ways of Indigenous care for the country, substantive geographic and sociological frameworks, deep engagement with the environmental humanities, business skills, and legal training. As a graduate empathy is translated into action through application in a variety of professional roles contributing to affecting lasting change.

Imagination

As a Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability or associated double degree graduate, you utilise imagination to develop influential, transformative, and measurable approaches to defining and achieving sustainability goals using a range of technologies to facilitate organisational and institutional engagement with sustainability. You use critical and creative thinking to enhance engagement with, and practice of, social and environmental sustainability. You appreciate the role of innovation in leading change that aspires to actively translate imagination into action around social and environmental sustainability. You implement innovative, evidence-based approaches to sustainability policy and practice to enable informed decision-making across a range of institutional and organisational foci within culturally respectful and community-sensitive frameworks.

Impact

As a Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability or associate double degree graduate you actively apply sustainability skills, knowledges, and empathy to positively impact human and environmental dignity, contributing meaningfully to the common good. Your sustainability skills, knowledge, and empathy are impactful through strategic and innovative methods of application in relevant professional settings. Impact is also established as a graduate, through effective communication that raises awareness about, and develops empathy for, social and environmental sustainability in others around you. As a graduate, your impact is ultimately to lead change that serves to protect and preserve the greater environment and arrest corrosive social, cultural, and communal threats that result from unsustainable policies and practices.

AQF framework

Double Bachelor - Bachelor/Bachelor - AQF Level 7

Entry requirements

Applicants with higher education study

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course.

If you have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above, we’ll assign you with a new selection rank that reflects your study level, duration, and grade point average.

If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.

You can use our credit search tool to see what you might be eligible for. For more information about credit and recognition of prior learning at ACU, follow the link below.

Search our credit database

Learn more about recognition of prior learning

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Overall score: 7.0; Individual score of 6.5 in all tests

Pearson Test of English (PTE): 65 with a minimum of 58 in all four communicative skills

Test of English as a Foreign Language - Academic (TOEFL): Internet-based total of 94: minimum 24 writing, 20 speaking and listening and 19 in reading

ACU English Language Test: A (75-100%)

C1 Advanced: Overall C1 Advanced score 185, Minimum score of 176 in all tests

Adjustment factors

If you’re currently completing Year 12 you may be eligible for adjustment factors that can boost your rank and help you get into your desired course.

Adjustment factors may be applied to your TAC application if you study particular subjects, attend schools geographically close to our campuses or in certain regional areas, apply as an elite athlete or performer or meet certain other criteria.

Learn more about adjustment factors

Inherent requirement

There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.

Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you

Fees

Course costs

Average first year fee*

$17392 CSP

*This is an indicative first-year fee based on the tuition fee rates for a full-time student, using unit enrolment data from domestic students who studied the course in the previous year.

A student’s annual fee will vary depending on factors including:

Number of units studied per year
Choice of major or specialisation
Elective units

The University reviews fees annually.

You can view current course costs and domestic tuition fee rates by unit.

Payment options

You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.

Explore your options

Scholarships

You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.

Search our scholarships

How to apply

Domestic applicants

Apply now

Deferment

Deferment is available for one year. Find out more about deferment: Deferment Information.

Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability

Course information for - 2026 entry Are you an
Domestic

Domestic

Offered at 2 locations Location

Melbourne

North Sydney

Overview