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Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws
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.
Innovation and Transdisciplinary program
Transdisciplinary Electives at UTS
Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree.
All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most.
Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives.
By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline.
If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe.
In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates.
* Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.
Study plan
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 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.
First year
| Autumn session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship and Communication | 54000 | 8 |
| Digital Media Industries | 52680 | 6 |
| Foundations of Law | 70102 | 8 |
| Spring session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Literacies | 54001 | 8 |
| Understanding Digital Audiences | 52681 | 6 |
| Ethics Law and Justice | 70103 | 6 |
| Digital Media Metrics | 52682 | 6 |
Second year
| Autumn session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Communicating Difference | 54002 | 8 |
| User Experience Research | 52683 | 6 |
| Criminal Law and Procedure | 70114 | 8 |
| Spring session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts | 70211 | 8 |
| Digital Activism | 52684 | 6 |
| Torts | 70311 | 8 |
| Working with Data and Code | 52685 | 6 |
Third year
| Autumn session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Constitutional Law | 70616 | 8 |
| Digital Publishing for Apps | 52686 | 6 |
| Civil Practice | 70104 | 6 |
| Spring session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Property and Commercial Law | 70327 | 6 |
| Making Digital Impact | 52687 | 6 |
| Evidence | 70109 | 6 |
Fourth year
| Autumn session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8 | |
| Electives (8cp subjects) | cbk92067 | 24 |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6 | |
| Options (Law UG) | cbk90922 | 30 |
| Administrative Law | 70617 | 8 |
| Public International Law | 70108 | 6 |
| Spring session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Real Property | 70317 | 8 |
| Equity and Trusts | 70517 | 8 |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8 | |
| Electives (8cp subjects) | cbk92067 | 24 |
Fifth year
| Autumn session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Remedies | 71116 | 6 |
| Corporate Law | 70417 | 8 |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8 | |
| Electives (8cp subjects) | cbk92067 | 24 |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6 | |
| Options (Legal Theory UG) | cbk90923 | 6 |
| Spring session | Subject Code | Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects. |
|---|---|---|
| Select 24 credit points from the following: | 24 | |
| Options (Law UG) | cbk90922 | 30 |
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 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.
Course fees
For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:
Local student
All students at UTS pay tuition fees to contribute towards the cost of their studies.
In 2024 all offers made to domestic undergraduate students will be for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP), which means that the Australian government makes a substantial contribution towards the cost of your education, and you pay the balance through student contributions.
The amount you pay depends on your area of study and the number of credit points (cp) in which you enrol. At UTS 48 credit points is considered to be one Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL).
The table to the right shows the amount a student can expect to pay for one year of full-time study (1.0 EFTSL).
Students can choose to pay their student contribution upfront, or if eligible, can defer their fees through HECS-HELP.
In addition to tuition fees, students are required to pay a Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). The purchase of textbooks and other course materials may also result in additional cost.
You can calculate your student contribution as a percentage of the amounts shown on the table. Fee rates are divided into four bands covering broad discipline areas. It is important to note that a particular subject within a course may fall within a different band.
For example, if you are enrolled in a 6-credit point Architecture subject, your contribution would be 6/48 x $9,314 = $1,164.
Student contribution amounts for 2025 commencing students
| 2025 student contribution - Area of Study | Amount for 48 cp |
|---|---|
| Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications and Society and Culture | $16,992 |
| Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science | $13,241 |
| Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual & Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science and Pathology | $9,314 |
| Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing or Foreign Languages and Agriculture | $4,627 |
International student
Tuition fees for international undergraduate students can be found using tuition fees search.
Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.
For this course, the cost per credit point for 2025 is $986. The total credit points are 240.
All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:
- Protocol on refund of fees for international students - contains the refund of fees information for international students.
- Tuition Protection Service - designed to ensure that students receive the tuition they have paid for
In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.
UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage
For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit the international students' fees information page.
Careers
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 structure
Course structure explained
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
| Requirement | Credit Points |
|---|---|
| STM91104 Communication core | 24 |
| MAJ09479 Digital and Social Media | 48 |
| STM90691 Law stream | 144 |
| CBK92067 Electives (8cp subjects) | 24 |
| Total | 240 |
Additional information
Course duration
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.
Full time, on campusAdmission requirements
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: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International studentsVisa 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.
Check to see if there are additional admission requirements for this course.
Additional information relating to this course, including the ATAR profile of domestic students who commenced this course in Autumn 2022, is located under UTS' admissions requirements, alongside information relating to the commencing student cohort who were enrolled in this course past the Autumn 2022 census date.
If you don't meet the admission requirements for this course, there may be alternative pathways to help you gain admission.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course. For more information about inherent requirements and where prospective and current students can get assistance and advice regarding these, see the UTS Inherent requirements page.
Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course.
UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.
For course specific information see the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Communication Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement and the Faculty of Law Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
ATAR and selection ranks
To find out further information regarding ATAR and selection ranks from previous applicants who received an offer to this course, please visit our Admissions Stats Tool
Assumed knowledge
HSC English and computer literacy.
Year 12 adjustment factor scheme
To see a list of courses where HSC subjects provide adjustment factors, please refer to the Year 12 adjustment factors page.
Scholarships and prizes
Scholarships
For Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws students
For Law and Communication - 2 students
- ARC Linkage Project in digital-twin driven prognostics for the mining industry
- Crescent Leadership Scholarship
- Ericsson Technology Scholarship
- Global Exchange Scholarship
- International Research Training Program Scholarship (IRTP)
- Mentoring of Women in Engineering and IT Scholarship
- RACE for 2030 CRC Industry PhD Scholarship
- Rosemary Johnston HDR Scholarship
- Ross Milbourne Elite Athlete Scholarship
- Telstra Enterprise Certitude Scholarship
- Thrive: Next Generation Graduates - PhD – Social Science and Policy
- UTS Diploma to Degree Pathway Scholarship
- UTS Diploma to Degree Scholarship for High School Graduates
- UTS Housing Resident Networker Scholarship
- UTS Scholarship for European Undergraduate Students
- UTS Undergraduate Tuition Fee Scholarship
- UTS-Vietnam Government Project 89 PhD Scholarship
- Wikipedia and Australian history and events
Only for international students
- Australia Awards Scholarships (Australian Government Scholarships)
- Diploma to Degree Scholarship
- Scholarship for Gaokao Students from People’s Republic of China
- Undergraduate Academic Excellence International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Excellence International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship
- UTS Academic Merit International Scholarship – South Asia
- UTS Chinese Undergraduate Tuition Fee Scholarship
- UTS College to UTS Pathways Scholarship
- UTS Diploma to Degree Pathway Scholarship (China)
- UTS GCE A Level and International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholarship
- UTS Humanitarian Scholarship
- UTS MACC Undergraduate Scholarship
- UTS Study Abroad Excellence Scholarship
- UTS Vice-Chancellor’s International Undergraduate Scholarship
For all domestic students
- Elite Athlete Program
- Endeavour Cheung Kong Student Exchange Program Scholarships
- Equal Access Scholarship (Institution Equity Scholarship)
- Law Dean’s Scholarship
- Lawrence Vidoni Memorial Scholarship
- New Colombo Plan Mobility Program
- New Colombo Plan Scholarships Program
- Ross Milbourne Research Scholarship in Economics
- Scape Accommodation Scholarship
- Tertiary Access Payment (TAP)
- The Gradwell Brungs Scholarship
- The Wanago Access Scholarship for Young Women
- Vice-Chancellor's Merit Scholarship
- Vice-Chancellor's Outstanding Achievement Scholarship
Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students
- Bruce and Carol Kendall Undergraduate Memorial Scholarship
- Indigenous Education Costs Scholarship
- Indigenous Relocation and Accommodation Scholarship
- Jumbunna Accommodation Scholarship
- Jumbunna Commencement Scholarship
- Jumbunna Honours Scholarship
- LEVO Indigenous Technology Scholarship
- The GO Foundation Indigenous Scholarship
- Transgrid Indigenous Scholarship for Engineering and Information Technology
- UTS Council Indigenous Scholarship
Prizes and awards
For Law and Communication - 2 students
- AJ Park Prize
- Alan Chappel Engineering Innovation Prize
- Allens Prize
- Ashurst Litigation Prize
- Australian Insurance Law Association Prize
- Australian Steel Institute (ASI) Undergraduate Design Award
- Banking Law Prize
- Best Capstone Poster Prize
- Blackstone Waterhouse Prize
- City of Sydney Law Society Practical Legal Training Award
- Clyde & Co Prize
- CommBank & Telstra UTS Best Venture Prize
- Competition Law Prize
- Dame Mary Gilmore Memorial Prize in Journalism
- David & Catherine Barker Mooting Prize
- David Toolan Memorial Prize
- Dean's Merit List for Academic Excellence (Business)
- Dean’s Capstone Presentation Prize
- dwp Design Excellence Prize
- Engineering Undergraduate Achievement Prize
- Ernst & Young Prize
- Fragar Prize in Environmental Planning and Development Law
- Gareth Ivory Memorial Prize in Journalism
- George J Haggarty Civil Engineering Prize
- Guy Morrison Prize for Excellence
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Employment Law
- Harmers Workplace Lawyers Prize for Labour Law
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Henry Davis York Prize
- Industrial Relations Society of NSW Prize for Excellence in Industrial Relations Undergraduate Study
- Information Technology Undergraduate Achievement Prize
- Jack Kaganer Prize
- King & Wood Mallesons Award
- King Living Foundation 1st Year Achievement Prize
- Lance Jolly Prize
- Law Partners Personal Injury Lawyers Prize
- Law Society of New South Wales Prize
- Legal Futures & Technology Major Law Prize
- Maurice Blackburn Prize
- MinterEllison Prize
- New South Wales Bar Association Prize
- Norton Rose Fulbright Prize
- Peter Egri Memorial Prize
- Philippa Williams Ethics and Justice Prize
- Refugee Law and Practice Prize
- Robert Greenwood QC Memorial Prize
- SIEMENS ‘CONTROL SYSTEMS’ PRIZE
- Sir Owen Dixon Chambers Prize
- Teachers Mutual Bank Rural Student Placement Prize
- The Carla Zampatti Foundation Design Award
- The Hon Michael Kirby – Voiceless Prize for Animal Law
- The Hon. Helen Sham-Ho Law Undergraduate Prize
- The Lawrie Fitzgerald Memorial Prize in Innovation and Creativity
- The Sanjin Mujic Memorial Award
- The Toby’s Estate Closed Loop Design Prize
- The Victor E Shalala Memorial Achievement Award
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Advanced Commercial Law
- Thomson Reuters Prize for Media Law
- Trevor Buchner Design Prize
- UTS Anthology Writing Prize
- UTS Insearch International Student Prize in Accounting
- UTS Insearch International Student Prize in Business
- UTS Insearch International Student Prize in International Business
- Veronica Pike Prize
- Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation Regional Journalism Prize
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).
Download a course guide
UTS: Handbook
See the Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.
Information for international students
Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help you get the most out of your study at UTS.
Part of The Faculty of Law
