Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws

Course overview

The Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws is a five-year, full-time combined degree jointly offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the University of Sydney Law School. The Bachelor of Laws is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW and therefore satisfies the academic qualification prerequisite for admission as a lawyer in New South Wales.

During the first three years of the course, students concurrently complete compulsory law units of study (equating to Year 1 of the Bachelor of Laws) and a program in Economics comprised of foundational studies in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics and an 'embedded' major in:

• Econometrics
• Economics
• Environmental, Agricultural and Resource Economics; or
• Financial Economics

Students who meet the entry and progression criteria may elect to complete the Advanced Economics program, which serves as a pathway to Honours in Economics.

Students also complete units from the Open Learning Environment and elective units from a broad range of subject areas, including business, STEM, social sciences and humanities.

The final two years of the course consist of compulsory and elective law units (Years 2 and 3 of the Bachelor of Laws).

Degree structure and requirements

For detailed information on degree rules, please refer to the course resolutions.

Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws

To qualify for the award of the combined Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws, a candidate must complete 240 credit points, including:

• a program (72 credit points) in Economics or Advanced Economics;
• for students not enrolled in the Dalyell stream: 6 credit points of Open Learning Environment units from Table O; or
• for students enrolled in the Dalyell stream: 12 credit points from Table D;
• a minimum of 12 credit points of elective units from the Table A Subject Areas, Table S, Table O, or Table D (for students enrolled in the Dalyell stream); and
• 144 credit points of Law units from the University of Sydney Law School Undergraduate tables, of which 48 credit points are Combined Law compulsory units for Years 1, 2 and 3 of the combined degree and are credited towards the requirements for both the Bachelor of Economics and the Bachelor of Laws.

Upon qualifying for the Bachelor of Economics (end of Year 3), students apply to transfer to the standalone Bachelor of Laws to complete the final two years of the course.

Mathematics assumed knowledge

Mathematics is an essential tool in the study of economics. Students admitted to a Bachelor of Economics course are assumed to have prior knowledge of mathematics equivalent to a minimum result of Band 4 in the NSW Higher School Certificate course, Mathematics Advanced. Students who do not possess the assumed knowledge are strongly advised to enrol in ECON1003 Quantitative Methods in Economics in their first semester of study. The unit may be counted as an elective towards the requirements of the degree.

Degree planning

The degree plan below is intended as a guide only but indicates the recommended sequence of units of study. A degree planning tool is available to assist enrolled students in mapping out their studies against course requirements. Additional degree planning resources are also available.

Advanced Economics program

The Advanced Economics program is primarily designed to prepare students to undertake an honours year in Economics but is available to all eligible students, regardless of whether they intend to complete the honours year. The objective of the program is to equip students for the diverse range of careers which value research skills in economics – for understanding economic and social phenomena, analysing economic data, and exploring alternative choices in addressing key challenges. The program emphasises the greater mathematical and statistical rigour needed by researchers to analyse economic phenomena using advanced economic theory and applied data analysis techniques. This preparation broadens the range of issues that can be studied and enables deeper economic analysis and contributions to economic thought.

The structure of the Advanced Economics program does not allow a choice of units of study, with the exception of a choice between applied micro- and macroeconometrics in Year 3. The embedded major is Economics.

Admission and progression

All Bachelor of Economics (and associated combined degree) students may elect to undertake the Advanced Economics program; however, to progress through the program, students must achieve a specified minimum result in most units of study.

Completion of the Advanced Economics program does not guarantee admission to the honours year in Economics. Admission criteria for the honours year can be found on the Economics and Econometrics subject area pages. Completion of the Advanced Economics program is not a requirement for admission to the honours year in Econometrics; however, students intending to undertake honours in Econometrics should complete at least the advanced Year 2 units in micro- and macroeconomics.

Honours in Economics

Students who intend to undertake Honours in Economics or Econometrics may either:

(i) suspend candidature in the Bachelor of Laws for one year and apply for admission to the Bachelor of Economics (Honours) upon completion of the Bachelor of Economics; or

(ii) apply for admission to the Bachelor of Economics (Honours) upon completion of the Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws.

Information on the preparation required for admission to Honours can be found on the Bachelor of Economics (Honours) page.

Table D - Dalyell stream

The Dalyell stream is a targeted stream for high achievers. Students who participate in the Dalyell stream are known as ‘Dalyell Scholars’ and have access to curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Dalyell Scholars are required to complete 12 credit points of Dalyell stream units. Dalyell stream units emphasise the development of vision, depth of understanding, adaptability, breadth of perspective, societal contribution, and a high level of capability in operating across disciplinary and cultural boundaries. Dalyell Scholars may take Dalyell stream units offered by any faculty.

Additionally, with the permission of the Dalyell Program Director, students have access to enrichment and accelerated units of study that can be completed as electives.

Table O - Open Learning Environment (OLE)

Students are required to complete 6 credit points in units of study from the Open Learning Environment, unless they are enrolled in the Dalyell stream.

Electives

Students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credit points of elective units of study from Table A (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), Table S (shared pool), Table O (OLE), or Table D (for students enrolled in the Dalyell stream).

Contacts and further information

- School of Economics
- Email: economics.enquiries@sydney.edu.au