Law courses

Study law and learn how to make a difference in the Australian legal system

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Introduction to Law

Are you passionate about justice and people? A law degree can lead to a range of legal careers, both inside and outside the courtroom.

With your recognised lawyer qualifications you could become a private consultant with a major conglomerate or help not-for-profits navigate confusing legislation. You could even advise government agencies or support small businesses with their hiring practices. A better world starts with a lawful society and you’re one step closer to being part of the bigger picture.

Discover your next steps here at Open Universities Australia, where you can enrol in online courses delivered by leading universities.

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Matthew, law student, standing outside
Matthew studied law with RMIT through Open Universities Australia

Discover law courses

Online law subjects and short courses

University of Tasmania

UndergraduateTAS-LAW182

Indigenous Peoples and the Law

100% online

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

Starts 22 Jul 2024

Enrolments open until 18 Jul

Griffith University

UndergraduateGRF-CCJ103

Law, Crime and Justice

100% online

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

Starts 26 Aug 2024

University of New England

UndergraduateUNE-LSU100

Introduction to Legal Studies

100% online

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

Starts 21 Oct 2024

University of South Australia

UndergraduateUSA-HLTH2030

Health Law, Ethics and Policy

100% online

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

View all subjects

Online law degrees

University of New England

UndergraduateUNE-LLB-DEG

Bachelor of Laws (4 Years)

A quality law degree for anybody and everybody

100% online

4 years full time or part time equivalent

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

Griffith University

Take a step towards becoming a migration specialist

100% online

1 year full time or part time equivalent

University of Southern Queensland

UndergraduateUSQ-BLH-DEG

Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

100% online

1 year full time or part time equivalent

Australian Catholic University

Deepen your migration law knowledge and professional practice

100% online

Approx. 1.5 years full time or part time equivalent

View all bachelor degrees

Discover 87 ways to study law with leading Australian universities.

Explore law courses

Need help choosing the right course?

Our student advisors are here to guide you with expert advice on:

  • Enrolling and planning your studies
  • Finding a study option that suits your needs
  • Understanding your funding options

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Law study FAQs

How long is a law degree in Australia?

It depends what you choose to study.

It takes 3 years of full-time study to earn a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor, plus an additional 6 months of full-time study to earn a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice if you want to practice law in Australia.

If you’d like to specialise in an aspect of law, like commercial law or international law, you can earn a relevant masters degree, which can involve up to two years of additional full-time study.

Of course, when you study online through us, you can complete your qualification at your own pace, a subject or two at a time.

Want to read more about this career before making your decision?

Here’s what you need to do to become a lawyer.

What ATAR score do you need for a law degree?

While achieving an ATAR of 80 or above (on average) is the traditional way to enrol in a law degree, it’s not the only way.

If you don’t have a strong academic history or ATAR score, you can still get into law online through us by studying single undergraduate law subjects that don’t have any entry requirements.

As long as you successfully complete these subjects, you can transition into an accredited law degree with one of our partner universities. You can then decide to keep studying your course online, or move to an on-campus place. Give our student advisors a call to find out more about how this works.

How do I enrol?

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.

How do I know if I’m eligible to apply for a course?

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Chat with us to find out more.

Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

  • You can enrol without entry requirements 
    We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
  • You have total control over how you study
    Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
  • You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
    Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.
  • We’ll help you navigate the university world
    Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

What you'll learn in a law course

In an undergraduate or postgraduate course, you’ll learn how to understand and detangle the complexities of Australia’s legal system.

You’ll explore the court process and how to make persuasive legal arguments, how to read and write legal documents, and how to tackle the ethical issues you may face in your role as a legal professional. You’ll also learn valuable soft skills in analytical thinking and writing, negotiation, interviewing and presentations, which, when combined with your legal acumen, will make you an asset in many industries.

As part of your studies, you’ll explore different aspects of law including:

  • criminal law
  • taxation law
  • family law
  • property law
  • administrative law
  • international law.

Those who already have a degree in another discipline can choose to enrol in a Juris Doctor, which covers the same material at a higher postgraduate skill level. If you already have a law degree and you’d like to specialise in one aspect of law, you can do so through a relevant masters degree.

To practice law in Australia, university graduates are required to complete additional Practical Legal Training (PLT) under the supervision of a law firm, or through an approved PLT course like a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. You can do this through the Leo Cussen Centre for Law or The College of Law.

Why should you study law?

If you like to help others navigate tough situations, then life as a legal eagle may be the right path for you. With a focus on communication and research, a law degree in Australia will teach you how to speak with confidence, read efficiently, write commandingly and find pertinent facts under piles of precedent, preparing you for a career in law, in addition to fields like politics, journalism and human resources.

For those who find their calling in law, you’ll be met with slightly higher employment outcomes than other graduates. The Australian Graduate Survey found that 75% of law graduates were employed full time when the survey was done, 3% higher than the national average.

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We’re here to guide you to the right uni course

A student leaping from one side of a platform to another, with a blue sky in the background.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation helping every Australian to access thousands of university courses.

Over 518,000 students have enrolled in university through us since 1993.

How we can help you

Studying through Open Universities Australia means we take care of the guesswork and administration of university study, so you can focus on learning.

You don't need a strong academic history to go to uni

We make it possible for everyone to start university through single subjects, regardless of ATAR or study experience. These subjects are covered by government loans, and can be used to upskill or gain entry into a qualification.

You have the flexibility to start at multiple points during the year

We’re not restricted by a traditional academic calendar, so you can enrol when it suits your life. You also have total control over how you study. You can scale up (or down) your study load and even pause your course if you need to.

You can rely on us as an unbiased destination for online tertiary education

As a not for profit, we have your best interests at heart. Our advisors are here 7 days a week to guide and support you. It’s our priority to get you qualified with the university of your choice.

Enrol in courses from 25 of Australia's leading universities

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