C10379v1 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws
Award(s): Bachelor of Laws (LLB)Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) (BComm)
UAC code: 609008 (Autumn session)
CRICOS code: 087783M
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 240
Course EFTSL: 5
Location: City campus
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Admission requirements
Assumed knowledge
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Honours
Professional recognition
Other information
Overview
This course responds to the changing digital communication landscape.
Students gain the professional skills and underpinning legal expertise required for a successful career as a communication professional, or as a lawyer in a communication or related environment. Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Laws, they meet the academic requirements for admission to practise law in NSW. Course content emphasises creative and strategic communication capabilities, technological literacy, and the capacity to operate across diverse platforms and environments, particularly in social media contexts.
Elective and major choices provide opportunities for diverse and complementary skill sets; students who choose the new Legal Futures and Technology major gain an understanding of the systems, apps and platforms that inform future legal practice.
This course prepares students to become technologically literate, culturally sophisticated, innovative and resourceful. Graduates are ready to take an informed approach to digital community strategy and planning based on a comprehensive understanding of the sector's shifting legal terrain.
Career options
Career options include specialist social media lawyer, media lawyer, intellectual property lawyer, solicitor, social media manager, barrister, digital and social media coordinator, digital consultant, communications officer, digital channels strategist, marketing technologist, legal adviser within a government department, lawyer in corporate and commercial sector, librarian, media researcher, project manager, web designer, and other diverse roles particularly in legal and business contexts.
Course intended learning outcomes
| COM.1.1 | Possess a well-developed awareness of professional practice in the context of the communication industries |
| COM.1.2 | Apply theoretically informed understanding of the communication industries in independent and collaborative projects across a range of media |
| COM.2.1 | Possess information literacy skills to locate, gather, organise and synthesise information across diverse platforms to inform the understanding of the communication industries |
| COM.2.2 | Be reflexive critical thinkers and creative practitioners who are intellectually curious, imaginative and innovative; with an ability to evaluate their own and others' work |
| COM.3.1 | Demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of global contexts and openness to cultural exchange |
| COM.3.2 | Employ professional skills responsibly and respectfully in a global environment |
| COM.4.1 | Possess a critical understanding of the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within contemporary Australian politics, history and culture |
| COM.4.2 | Integrate knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities |
| COM.5.1 | Possess the awareness of ethical practice in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society |
| COM.5.2 | Possess the skills to behave ethically in personal and professional contexts |
| COM.6.1 | Possess well-developed skills and proficiencies to communicate and respond effectively and appropriately across different contexts |
| COM.6.2 | Demonstrate digital literacy and production skills across a range of media and media texts |
| LAW.1.1 | A coherent understanding of fundamental areas of legal knowledge, including: the Australian legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge; the broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates, including cultural awareness, social justice and policy; and the principles and values of justice and ethical practices in lawyers' roles |
| LAW.2.1 | A capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, accountability, public service and ethical standards, including: an understanding of approaches to ethical decision-making and professional responsibility; and an ability to recognise, reflect upon and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts in ways that evidence professional judgment, promote justice and serve the community |
| LAW.3.1 | A capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including the ability to: identify and articulate legal issues in context; apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate responses; engage in critical analysis and make a reasoned choice among alternatives; and think creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses |
| LAW.4.1 | Well-developed cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues |
| LAW.5.1 | Effective and appropriate communication skills, including: highly effective use of the English language to convey legal ideas and views to different audiences and environments; an ability to communicate to inform, analyse, report and persuade; an ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message; an ability to assess how messages are received and alter communication strategies accordingly; an ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others; and an ability to generate a sustained and logical argument |
| LAW.6.1 | The ability to implement appropriate self-management and lifelong learning strategies, including: an ability to undertake and initiate self-directed work and learning; well-developed judgment and responsibility as a legal professional in a broader social context; the ability to support personal and professional development by: reflecting on and assessing their own capabilities, wellbeing and performance; making use of feedback as appropriate; identifying and accessing appropriate resources and assistance; and making use of resources and support in developing resilience; a capacity to adapt to and embrace change and a commitment to ongoing learning |
Key
LAW = Law course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
COM = Communication course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
Admission requirements
Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.
The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: Academic IELTS: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL: paper based: 550-583 overall with TWE of 4.5, internet based: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64; or CAE: 176-184.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International students
Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
Assumed knowledge
HSC English and computer literacy.
Course duration and attendance
The course is offered on a five-year, full-time basis. Students are required to attend approximately 17 hours of seminars and lectures a week, and may be required to attend evening classes for the law component.
Course structure
The course comprises 240 credit points and allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) and Bachelor of Laws. The study components for course completion are as follows.
The law component of 144 credit points is made up of:
- 108 credit points of compulsory core law subjects
- 30 credit points of law options, including either:
- 30 credit points of law options, or
- 30 credit points of legal futures and technology options
- a 6-credit-point legal theory option.
The communication component of 96 credit points is made up of:
- 24 credit points of compulsory subjects
- 48 credit points of subjects from the Digital and Social Media major, and
- 24 credit points of electives from cross-disciplinary subjects.
For a current listing of subjects in each course refer to the study package directory.
Industrial training/professional practice
To practise as a lawyer in NSW, students need to successfully complete an accredited legal academic qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT), which UTS offers through its PLT program.
Students enrolled in this course may complete their practical legal training by undertaking a postgraduate course in PLT, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Course completion requirements
| STM91104 Communication core | 24cp | |
| MAJ10050 Digital and Social Media | 48cp | |
| STM90691 Law stream | 144cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Total | 240cp |
Course diagram
Course program
The standard program shown is for a full-time student with law options.
All options shown are law options and are to be drawn from those on offer in CBK90922.
Students wishing to study the new major MAJ09443 Legal Futures and Technology need to study 76106 Technology Law, Policy and Ethics (Capstone 1) in the Autumn session of their final year and 76107 Applied Project in Law, Innovation and Technology (Capstone 2) in their final Spring session.
| Autumn commencing | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54000 Citizenship and Communication | 8cp | |
| 54060 Understanding Digital Audiences | 8cp | |
| 70102 Foundations of Law | 8cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 54001 Digital Literacies | 8cp | |
| 54061 Digital Media: Marketing, Metrics and Data | 8cp | |
| 70103 Ethics Law and Justice | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54002 Communicating Difference | 8cp | |
| 54062 Digital Experience Design | 8cp | |
| 70114 Criminal Law and Procedure | 8cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| 54063 Code as Literacy, Commodity, Infrastructure | 8cp | |
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| 54064 Digital Publishing for Apps | 8cp | |
| 70104 Civil Practice | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70327 Introduction to Property and Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| 54065 Digital Futures | 8cp | |
| 70109 Evidence | 6cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90922 Options (Law UG) | 30cp | |
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70108 Public International Law | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 71116 Remedies | 6cp | |
| 70417 Corporate Law | 8cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90923 Options (Legal Theory UG) | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| Select 24 credit points from the following: | 24cp | |
| CBK90922 Options (Law UG) | 30cp | |
Honours
Students can graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) if they complete subjects 76090 Research Methodology and 76040 Research Thesis within the course. The degree may be awarded with first or second class honours, which does not require an additional honours year. The rules concerning the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) can be found in undergraduate course information.
Students who meet these criteria for honours are eligible for transfer into the appropriate undergraduate honours exit course on completion of all coursework. This transfer is managed by the Haymarket Student Centre and occurs just prior to graduation.
Students who undertake the Legal Futures and Technology major and who meet the criteria for honours can choose to undertake honours as part of their degree.
The Bachelor of Communication (Honours) (C09047) is offered on a one-year, full-time basis.
Professional recognition
This course satisfies the requirements for admission to the Supreme Court of NSW as a lawyer, provided students complete a practical legal training program, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Other information
Further information is available from:
UTS Student Centre
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS