Law & Justice
Undergraduate Law & Justice brochure
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Law & Justice
Our Law and Justice courses will open career doors to and beyond the courtroom, and equip you with a practical legal education to pursue social justice and make a difference in this world.
Students have the opportunity to specialise across an extensive range of contemporary issues such as family law, mediation, youth awareness, the psychology of criminal behaviour, offender management and effective forensic investigation.
Our students help pursue social justice with the Criminal Justice Review Project
Our Criminology, Law and Forensic Investigation students work with ECU academics and criminal barristers on the Criminal Justice Review Project to develop skills in case file management, investigative techniques and research.
Fresh evidence recently uncovered by our Law students may lead to a second appeal for Perth man Arthur Greer, following his 1992 arrest for the murder of Mosman Park school girl, Sharon Mason. Law students involved in the Criminal Justice Review Project ('Innocence' Project) have been investigating his case for the past two years.
The Criminal Justice Review Project pursues the exoneration of those who have been wrongly convicted. It normally considers requests from applicants to review a case when conviction has occurred, the appeal period has expired and DNA testing or other procedures may provide new evidence that leads to exoneration.
Case reviews are driven by students, under the careful guidance of senior legal practitioners and scholars. Students and scholars are drawn from a variety of disciplines such as law, criminology, forensic science and forensic psychology. These multi-disciplinary teams work collaboratively on a pro-bono basis.
Our Law students get hands-on experience in moot court
In 2010, a team of our Bachelor of Laws students participated in the annual Malcolm McCusker Criminal Law Moot at the WA Police Academy moot court.
The competition is an internal law moot (a simulated court proceeding) run by the Law Student Body and the North Law Society, and judged by Academic Competitions Coordinator and ECU lecturer, Mr Michael Crowley.
The 2010 moot involved the review of a trial judge's directions to the jury. Competing teams made submissions both for and against the judge’s directions, providing our Law students with a great opportunity to cultivate their skills.
Intrigued by TV shows like Silent Witness, Law & Order and CSI?
If you've ever imagined yourself in a scene from Silent Witness, Law and Order or CSI and in pursuit of justice, consider a career in solving crimes. Our Bachelor of Forensic Investigation differs from other forensic courses by combining applied science with relevant Law and Justice units.
Graduates will be able to collect, analyse and interpret forensic data and present that evidence in court.
Our Law and Justice courses connect theory and practice
Our Law and Justice students are given a broad range of opportunities to gain practical experience by working with trained professionals and engaging with the community. Students participate in client interviewing, competitions, moots, legal research and writing clinics.
Our Law students add an important practical component to their studies by assisting with real-life case studies under the supervision of legal practitioners at the on-campus Joondalup Community Legal Centre (JCLC). The centre provides legal information and advice for the community in the areas of family and criminal law, domestic violence, tenancy, elder abuse and some areas of civil law.
Our Criminology and Justice students gain practical experience through a practicum unit offered in their third year of study. This practicum placement provides students an opportunity to work in an area of the criminal justice system. Previously, students have been placed in a wide range of areas, including Community Corrections, Youth Justice, WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and the Corruption and Crime Commission.
"If you're considering ECU, my advice is, grab the opportunity with both hands and run with it. You won't be disappointed!"
"I have felt a sense of belonging at ECU since my first day; lecturers and tutors are welcoming and keen to share their knowledge and expertise. As a mature-age student I was a little apprehensive about being the odd one out in class, but I’ve made a point of participating in events and embracing uni life. Instead of being a barrier, my life experience has proved to be an asset to my study experience. In 2007 I won the Nicholson Shield for 'Negotiating' and the D.P. Murphy medal for 'Best Orator'. In the same year I was part of a team that represented ECU at the ALSA Conference in Canberra in a series of negotiating competitions. In 2008 I was a finalist in the Tottle Shield mooting competition. In 2009 I was selected to be part of an ECU team for the LAW ASIA Competition in Ho Chi Minh City. The experience of participating with 16 other universities from the Asian region, together with a field of international judges, was tremendous and unforgettable."
Grant Narbey
Bachelor of Laws student
WA's first online Law degree
We are the only WA university to offer an accredited online Bachelor of Laws degree, giving you the freedom to pursue your passion wherever you are!
The new delivery mode means studying law is now accessible to students from regional and remote communities without the need to relocate. It also provides an alternate study mode for students with work and other commitments who are unable to attend on-campus lectures.
But studying online doesn't mean you have to miss out on the university experience. Off-campus (online) students have access to interactive learning spaces, recorded lectures and online discussion groups.
Actively engaged with industry
Our lecturers and tutors are committed to creating challenging classroom environments by drawing on their industry experience.
Our Law and Justice staff are actively engaged with industry and the community, developing significant relationships with bodies such as the Law Society, the Western Australian Dispute Resolutions Association (WADRA), and the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre.
Our Law and Justice courses are relevant and practical, with course content developed in consultation with key stakeholders including members of the Judiciary, the legal profession, the Department of Corrections, the Department of the Attorney-General, WA Police and Legal Aid.
"ECU's Law degree bridges the gap between theory and practice"
Practical skills are incorporated into the course from the very start. In my first year I was conducting mediations and negotiations and by my third year I was interviewing clients, under supervision, at the on-campus Joondalup Community Legal Centre. In my second year I was fortunate to receive ECU sponsorship to attend and compete in a National Mooting Competition. We won first prize for best written submissions and brought back to WA the Clayton Utz Cup. Before graduating I was selected for a Judges Associateship with the Supreme Court of WA and I already have a job lined up with Perth's top independent commercial law firm, Jackson McDonald, after my Associateship."
Katie McKenzie
Law graduate
Beyond the Courtroom
If you have an interest in law or justice, you don’t necessarily have to aim for a career in the courtroom. Your desire to make a difference in this world will serve you well in a career in youth justice, social work, corrections, forensic investigation, law enforcement, customs and business, to name a few.