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Bachelor of International and Global Studies and Bachelor of Laws

The information on this page applies to future students. Current students should refer to their faculty handbooks for course information.

The Bachelor of International and Global Studies and Bachelor of Laws is designed to consolidate the strength of the international focus and global perspective of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Sydney Law School respectively. The Bachelor of International and Global Studies offers you a broad perspective on major contemporary international and global issues, drawing on a range of disciplinary perspectives, including politics, economics, anthropology, sociology and cultural and linguistic studies. You will complete the equivalent of the first year of the Bachelor of Laws over the course of your three years of the Bachelor of International and Global Studies. In the fourth year, you will undertake the remaining compulsory law units of study followed by elective units in the fifth year.

Majors

Units of study

Unit of Study information on faculty page

Full units of study list

Further course information

Study plan

In this five year degree, candidates spend the first three years undertaking a combination of social science and law units of study, to the value of 48 credit points in each year, and complete a core major from a social science subject area. It is important to plan a major in first year because most second year units of study, which allow students to specialise in an area of interest, have junior unit of study prerequisites. In the fourth year, you will study a fixed curriculum, comprising units of study in a range of areas of law including administrative law, federal constitutional law, and property and commercial law. The fifth year will allow you to choose elective units of study from the Sydney Law School allowing you to specialise in a particular area of the law.

Progression rules

Candidates in a Combined Law program must successfully complete LAWS1006 Foundations of Law before enrolling in any other Bachelor of Laws units of study. Candidates are required to complete the Bachelor of Laws units of study in the order listed in the Sydney Law School Undergraduate Table. Except with the permission of the Dean of the Sydney Law School candidates must complete the requirements for the Bachelor of International and Global Studies before proceeding to Year Four of the Bachelor of Laws. Students who wish to complete an Honours year as part of the Bachelor of International and Global Studies should be aware of the prerequsiites for honours, usually completion of 48 senior credit points in the chosen subject area with a Credit average. Candidates who qualify to undertake Honours may elect to enrol in the honours program by suspending candidature from the Bachelor of Laws degree for one year, with the permission of the Faculty of Law; or by undertaking the honours course after completion of both degrees in the combined program. Candidates are required to attend all lectures, tutorials and performance-related activities prescribed for their units of study.

What is a major?

A major is usually a two-year defined sequence of study, generally comprising specified units of study in a particular subject area. Majors are included on students' testamurs. The Bachelor of International Global Studies requires that students complete a core major. The major consists of at least 36 credit points (cp) in senior (2000/3000-level) units of study (6cp each) from a single subject area of study. Senior units of study can only be used to meet the requirements for one major. Units cannot be 'double counted' or 'counted twice'. The exact requirements for majors may differ between subject areas. Most majors require the completion of at least two junior (1000-level) prerequisite units of study (6cp each). These junior units may be prerequisites for the major itself and/or for senior units within the major's subject area. Junior units may be used as prerequisites for majors or senior elective units in more than one subject area.

The International and Global Studies core major must be chosen from:
Anthropology; American studies; Arab World, Islam and the Middle East; Asian studies; European studies; Government and International Relations; Political Economy; Sociology.

What is an elective?

An elective is a unit of study within a degree, usually an option within a course. Electives allow more detailed study of a particular subject. Electives can be selected from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Sydney Law School. Sydney Law School offers one of Australia's most diverse undergraduate elective programs in law. Students must complete eight elective units of study in their final year. A maximum of 42 credit points are taken from Table 1, and a minimum of 6 credit points are taken from Table 2 electives.

Course opportunities

Eligible students may apply to take part in an international exchange program for one or two semesters. Study undertaken at a partner institution is counted towards the award of the degree.

Course outcomes and further study

Graduate opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of International and Global Studies will be equipped to operate effectively as members of the world community with skills in analysis, evaluation and communication. They will compete successfully in the global marketplace in advisory, management, and research positions in government, non-government, and international agencies in both the private and public sector in Australia and beyond. Graduates of the combined course who wish to become legal practitioners complete an accredited program of practical legal training following completion of award requirements. Our graduates are proficient in research and inquiry, and demonstrate personal and intellectual autonomy, and ethical, social and professional understanding, qualities sought after by leading employers all over the world.

Course accreditation

The Sydney Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Sydney Juris Doctor (JD) are accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) and meets the academic requirements to practise law in the State of New South Wales. In relation to professional recognition and course accreditation for interstate and overseas, please see our detailed information sydney.edu.au/law/fstudent/jd/professional_recognition.shtml

Further study

Eligible candidates may enrol for an honours year in Economics or for the integrated honours of the Bachelor of Laws. You may also go on to further postgraduate study in either discipline. Sydney Law School is an international leader in postgraduate legal education and, in addition to the Master of Laws, offers master's degrees and graduate diplomas in 16 specialist areas. These include: taxation; business; commercial and corporate law; labour relations; health; the environment; international law; criminology and jurisprudence. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers a rich postgraduate program comprising advanced learning and professional courses. Master's degrees include capstone projects ranging from internships with government and non-government organisations in Australia and overseas, to opportunities for independent research projects which prepare students for higher degrees by research in the social sciences.

About honours

The Bachelor of International and Global Studies honours year is both a preparation for postgraduate study and a capstone to an undergraduate degree. Students must obtain the permission of the Sydney Law School to either suspend their candidature for the Bachelor of Laws degree, while undertaking the honours year, or undertake honours following the completion of both degrees. The Bachelor of International and Global Studies honours year comprises seminar classes and work toward a short thesis on an independent research project under the supervision of an academic staff member who is an expert in the field of your research. For detailed advice see the Bachelor of International and Global Studies (Honours) . Honours in the Bachelor of Laws is integrated in the final year of the course and students eligible to undertake honours will enrol in two specified six credit point units of study and undertake a dissertation.

Admission

Admission requirements

Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents), tertiary study or an approved preparation program. English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English. Special admission pathways are open for educationally disadvantaged applicants and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking.


If you do not obtain the ATAR cut-off into Combined Law at Sydney you may like to consider the option of transferring. You can enrol in another degree, in any subject and at any university, including Sydney, and once you near the completion of your first year, you apply through UAC for a transfer place into Combined Law.

Admission requirements for transferring students are based on your ATAR (50 per cent) and Tertiary Grade Point Average (50 per cent), or the Tertiary Grade Point Average (100%), depending which is higher. Entry to Combined Law is extremely competitive and experience shows that as a guide an ATAR above 97 and/or a Tertiary Grade Point Average at a Distinction level are necessary for a competitive application to transfer into Combined Law.

Assumed knowledge

Depends on subjects selected. Most subject areas in International and Global Studies require no previous knowledge. Please see the Faculty of Arts Handbook for details. For Law: none. However, a high level of English proficiency is expected. At HSC level, candidates should undertake the highest unit of English they can manage.

How to apply

Domestic students

How to apply

Applications for the University's undergraduate courses are made though the Universities Admission Centre (UAC). On-time applications for the March Semester close on the last working day of September. On-time applications for the July Semester close in May. Please note: not all courses are offered in the July semester intake.

Further requirements

Please visit:
http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts/coursework/combined_degrees/b_international_global_studies_b_laws.shtml

International students

How to apply

Overseas applicants may apply (i) directly to the University's International Office, (ii) through a University overseas representative (education agent), or (iii) through the Universities Admissions Centre, for students applying on the basis of a current Australian Year 12 secondary school examination, or studying either an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3.

Further admission requirements

Please visit:
http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_undergraduate/admissions/entry_requirements/index.shtml
and
http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_undergraduate/admissions/entry_requirements/academic.shtml

Fee disclaimer

Domestic students

Indicative Undergraduate Student Contribution Amount

This student contribution amount for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the fees that are payable by you in the calendar year you commence your course, commencing in 2012 for a standard annual full time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The exact student contribution that you pay will depend on the specific units of study in which you ultimately enrol. If you are a Commonwealth supported student and was enrolled in a University course before 1 January 2011 your student contribution may differ.

For further information about how to calculate your specific total student contribution, please refer to the University's Future Student's online webpages at http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/domestic_undergraduate/costs/calculating_costs.shtml

Annual review

Importantly, student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the University, and are likely to increase each year of your period of study (subject to a Commonwealth specified cap), effective at the start of each calendar year.

Additional incidental fees

For some courses there are incidental fees additional to the student contribution. Some of those fees are significant, for example, faculty-specific materials, tools, protected clothing, and equipment. For further information about these additional incidental fees, please visit the University's Future Student's online webpage at http://sydney.edu.au/future_students

Potential for inaccuracy

Whilst every reasonable effort has been made to include correct and up to date information here, you are also advised to consult directly with the Student Centre for domestic students or the International Office for international students so that they can provide you with specific and up to date information about those fees.

International students

Indicative international tuition fees for undergraduate students

This international tuition fee is an indication only of the fees that are payable by you in the calendar year you commence your course, commencing in 2012 for a standard annual full time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The exact tuition fees that you pay will depend on the specific units of study in which you ultimately enrol.

For further information about how to calculate your specific total tuition fees, please refer to the University's webpage at http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_undergraduate/costs_scholarships/index.shtml

Annual review

Importantly, tuition fees are subject to annual review, and are likely to increase each year of your period of study, effective at the start of each calendar year.

Additional incidental fees and health insurance

For some courses there are incidental fees additional to the tuition fees. Some of those fees are significant, for example, faculty-specific materials, tools, protected clothing, and equipment. For further information about these additional incidental fees, please visit the University's Future Student's online webpage at http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_undergraduate

In addition to the fees indicated here for the course of study, International Students studying on an Australian Student Visa must have appropriate health insurance for the duration of their studies on a Student Visa through an approved provider of the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) scheme. This is a requirement of the Australian Government, unless otherwise exempted by the Government.

Potential for inaccuracy

Whilst every reasonable effort has been made to include correct and up to date information here, you are also advised to consult directly with the Student Centre for domestic students or the International Office for international students so that they can provide you with specific and up to date information about those fees.

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