Bachelor of Laws and Creative Writing
Southern Cross University
About
This unique four-year combined degree in laws and creative writing provides you with clear professional pathways as both legal and writing practitioner.
You'll gain fluency in written and oral expression, reading and research skills, and above all, writing across a range of genres, both professional and imaginative – complementing the rigor, research and writing skills developed by studying the law.Such skills are invaluable to today’s media companies, advertising agencies, film companies and many other organisations.
The University has strong links to the writing and publishing industry and is a partner in the Byron Writers Festival and other literary events, with diverse work placement opportunities for students.Career options include intellectual property, commercial or academic publishing, corporate communications, and legal work in a range of creative industries, government departments and professional practices.The Bachelor of Laws fulfils the academic requirements for admission to the legal profession in Australia.
Professional admission authorities also require law graduates of all universities to complete practical legal training or similar to practise as a lawyer.
Structure
Core Units
| Title | Level of learning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| LEGL1001 - Legal Research and Writing | Introductory | |
| LEGL1005 - Legal Process | Introductory | |
| WRIT1003 - Written Communication | Introductory | |
| WRIT1001 - Introduction to Written Texts | Introductory | |
| LAWS2002 - Contract Law I | Introductory | |
| LAWS2008 - Australian Criminal Law I | Introductory | |
| LAWS2003 - Contract Law II | Intermediate | |
| LAWS2009 - Australian Criminal Law II | Intermediate | |
| WRIT2004 - Short Story Writing | Intermediate | |
| LAWS2011 - Statutory Interpretation | Advanced | |
| LAWS2007 - Corporations Law | Intermediate | |
| LAWS2016 - Evidence | Advanced | |
| LAWS2013 - Civil Litigation and Procedure | Intermediate | |
| WRIT1002 - Introduction to Creative Writing | Introductory | |
| LAWS2015 - Torts | Intermediate | |
| LAWS2005 - Constitutional Law | Intermediate | |
| WRIT2002 - The Nature of Narrative: Self, Time, Place and the Environment | Intermediate | |
| LAWS2012 - Property Principles | Introductory | |
| LAWS2017 - Principles of Equity | Advanced | |
| LAWS2006 - Administrative Law | Advanced | |
| LAWS3003 - Professional Conduct | Advanced | |
| LAWS2034 - The Rhetoric of Law | Introductory | |
| LAWS2041 - Legal Fictions: Writing the Law | Advanced |
Electives
Choose six (6) units from the following Law Electives
Choose three (3) units from the following Creative Writing Electives
Entry requirements
To be eligible to receive the Bachelor of Laws and Creative Writing, students must complete 32 units (384 credit points), comprising:
- 23 core units (276 credit points); and
- 6 Law electives (72 credit points); and
- 3 Creative Writing electives (36 credit points).
Learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a course. These outcomes are aligned with the <a href="/staff/teaching-and-learning/graduate-attributes/">graduate attributes</a>.
| Graduate Attribute | Course Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Intellectual rigour | Demonstrate the intellectual and practical skills needed to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues.Creatively and critically analyse a broad range of socio-cultural issues relevant to arts practices, using persuasive argumentation that is historically informed. |
| Creativity | Apply legal reasoning, critical analysis and research to generate appropriate responses to legal problems.Demonstrate an understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making and an ability to recognise, reflect upon, and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts. Challenge and reinvent pre-existing methodologies relevant to national and global arts industries |
| Ethical practice | Demonstrate an ability to recognise and reflect upon the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and in service to the community.Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between law and sustainability. Demonstrate an understanding of cross-cultural difference and the presence of ethical standards in the arts and social sciences |
| Knowledge of a discipline | Demonstrate an understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge that includes the fundamental areas of law, the Australian legal system, and underlying principles and concepts, including international and comparative contexts, and the broader contexts within which legal issues arise.Demonstrate a broad knowledge of arts industries/creative practices and their associated social and theoretical contexts. |
| Lifelong learning | Demonstrate an understanding of the international and comparative contexts in which legal issues arise. Access, manage and evaluate sources of information relevant to legal research and practice.Learn and work independently. Reflect on and assess their own capabilities and performance, and seek and make use of feedback as appropriate, to determine personal and professional development needs and achievements. |
| Communication and social skills | Communicate in ways that are effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences. Collaborate effectively and constructively with others. |
| Cultural competence | Apply an understanding of Australian Indigenous perspectives to all aspects of legal professional practice.Demonstrate critical multi-cultural perspectives, and an ability to reflect upon indigenous/non-indigenous and local/international methods of cultural production. |
Institution
