The Bachelor of Justice and Society requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law.

Students wishing to continue to Honours may do so in Legal Studies, or one of the other disciplines that offer major sequences within this degree.  Students should ensure that they meet the individual admission requirements or their selected area of specialisation.

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements. 

Course aims

This course is designed to give students the intellectual tools to research and evaluate the way the legal system works in practice in society.

Students develop:

  • an understanding of concepts central to the structure and functioning of a just society, such as rights, laws, freedom, power and rules
  • an overview of how modern society works, as well as different conceptions of justice
  • skills to research and analyse social issues and assess proposals for social change
  • a specific understanding of social policy, including how public policy is developed, implemented, reviewed and reformed within society. 

Learning outcomes

Upon graduating, students will:

  • have acquired high levels of knowledge and skills relevant to and applicable in many occupations
  • understand concepts central to the structure and functioning of a just society, such as rights, laws, freedom, power and rules
  • understand the function of justice representatives in contemporary society
  • have the ability to reason and argue clearly
  • understand complex positions and their implications
  • have the ability to recognise and resolve issues involving values
  • have the skills to research and analyse social issues and assess proposals for social change
  • have the skills required to understand and constructively critique contemporary life. 

Program of study

To qualify for The Bachelor of Justice and Society, a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic.

As part of the 108 units, students must complete 36 units of core topics, 18 units of Legal Studies topics, one 36 unit major from the BA major sequences listed below, and elective topics according to the following program of study. 

A major sequence consists of 9 units of year 1 topics, 9 units of year 2 topics, 9 units of year 3 topics plus an additional 9 units of year 2 or 3 topics according to the requirements for the specific major sequence.

The elective topics may be selected from any offered by the University, provided topic prerequisites are met. Overall, students must complete a maximum of 9 units of upper level electives in the degree.

Students wishing to continue to Honours should complete a major (36 units) in their chosen sequence, and ensure they meet any other admission requirements.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Core - Year 1 topics

18 units comprising:

 COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication (4.5 units)*
 JUSS1000  An Introduction to Justice and Society  (4.5 units)
 LEGL1101  Australian Justice System  (4.5 units)
 LEGL1102  Contentious Justice Issues  (4.5 units)

plus 9 units of year 1 topics from each of two of the BA majors listed below (to make a total of 18 units),

*Under certain conditions the core topic COMS1001 may be replaced with an alternative topic. See COMS1001 for further details.

Core - Year 2 topics

9 units comprising:

 LEGL2110  Access to Justice: Policy and Reform  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2116  Young People and the Law  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 2 - Legal Studies topics

Select 9 units from the topics listed:

 LEGL2111  Legal Writing and Research Skills  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2112  Gender Policy and Law  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2113  Protecting Children  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2114  Regulating Small Business  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2115  Theory and Practice of Mediation  (4.5 units)
 LEGL2117  Legal Fictions: Race, Crime and Sovereignty  (4.5 units)

plus 9 units ofyear 2 topics from one of the BA majors selected in Year 1;

plus 9 units of electives. Electives may be chosen from any year 2 or 3 topic offered by the University, provided topic prerequisites are met.

Core - Year 3 topics

 JUSS3333  Seminar in Justice Policy  (4.5 units)
 LEGL3113  Socio-Legal Research Methods  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 3 - Legal Studies topics

Select 9 units from the topics listed below or from the year 2 Legal Studies topics listed above:

 BIOL7731 Evidence Evaluation (4.5 units)
 JUSS3300  Justice Policy Work Integrated Learning  (4.5 units)
 LEGL3111  Comparative Law, Culture and Society  (4.5 units)
 LEGL3112  Regulating Technology  (4.5 units)

plus 9 units of year 3 topics from the selected BA major;

plus an additional 9 units from the year 2 or 3 topics from the selected BA major.

Combined Degrees

The Bachelor of Justice and Society may also be studied in a combined degrees program with a: