Bachelor of Global Studies in Human Rights

at La Trobe University - Melbourne Campus Australia

Rapid evolutions in science and technology mean our advancements sometimes outpace the law. Get the skills to stay ahead.

In La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws(Honours)/Bachelor of Science, you can pursue multiple interests and gain a powerful combination of legal skills and cutting-edge scientific knowledge.

From stem cell research to how personal information is collected, stored and shared, advances in science and technology have real human impacts. This double degree uniquely prepares you to address contemporary challenges from a scientific, legal and ethical perspective.

Benefit from our progressive approach to legal education with a law degree you can shape to your own career goals. You'll get a solid grounding in the basics of law and hone your expertise in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution – skills valued by employers across industries.

Your science degree offers you huge flexibility, with an extensive range of majors to choose from. Follow your interests in emerging areas like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data science or traditional fields including chemistry, botany and genetics. Bring knowledge to life in world-class facilities, including the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), and learn from academics who are leaders in their fields.

Take your skills into the real world while you study. You'll have the opportunity to do placements in a range of legal settings, including community legal centres, law firms, government agencies, and judges and magistrates (subject to availability). On the science side, you could complete a placement with one of our industry partners – previous students have worked with CSIRO, Bayer Crop Science, and various government departments.

You will graduate ready to start your career as an expert legal practitioner, with an advanced understanding of scientific concepts or a science professional with a solid understanding of regulatory environments and how they impact scientific work.

Statistics

Discover how to estimate the present and predict the future with statistical thinking. You'll learn how to design experiments, collect data and summarise information. Develop skills in predicting and planning, and identify trends from masses of information.

The rapid globalisation of our society means international relations are more important – and more complex – than ever. Want to be a leader in this evolving world? Combine a global perspective with in-depth legal expertise.

La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Global Studies is an immersive and flexible double degree giving you the skills and knowledge to succeed.

Become a legal expert with valuable expertise in global affairs. You'll develop your legal knowledge and skills as you build a deep understanding of global issues, diplomacy, politics, and international trade.

Your law degree will introduce you to the fundamentals of legal practice and build your skills in advocacy, negotiation, and dispute resolution – all highly valued by employers across a range of industries.

At the same time, your global studies degree will immerse you in a wide range of global issues, including international relations and geopolitics, contemporary security issues, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and contemporary armed conflict and terrorism. Tailor your studies to your interests with a choice of five curated majors – international relations, conflict and negotiation, Asian politics and security, government and policy, and human rights.

When it comes to learning, there's no substitute for hands-on experience. You'll have the opportunity to take on real-world work placements in settings such as community legal centres, law firms, government agencies, and with judges and magistrates (subject to availability) and bolster your education with a practical global studies placement subject. You could also put your legal skills to the test in law competitions, both locally and internationally.

Italian studies beginners

In the Italian Studies major you will combine the study of the language with the study of Italian culture, literature, cinema, history and translation. The primary focus of this major is on contemporary Italy, but you can explore aspects of early modern, Renaissance and twentieth-century Italy in selected subjects. A major in Italian Studies provides you with the opportunity to develop your written, spoken and comprehension skills in Italian to a high level, while enhancing your critical thinking skills, and becoming proficient at analysing texts and at presenting reasoned arguments. Studying Italian will equip you with valuable communication skills. Recent graduates of Italian studies have found employment in teaching, diplomacy, government, social work, art history and restoration, international business, publishing, journalism, tourism, and translating and interpreting. Students of Italian are encouraged to consider spending one or two semesters studying at an Italian university as part of an approved exchange program. (Please note: overseas programs may be impacted by travel restrictions.) Italian is taught at a number of levels starting from beginners. For those with prior knowledge of and/or qualifications in the language, a placement test and interview may be used to determine the appropriate stream for a student.

Understanding human behaviour is core to running a successful business, an impactful organisation or an effective government. As rapidly changing technology disrupts the way we live, work and study, employers are searching for empathetic and socially minded professionals who can provide insights into our deepest needs and desires, and create new business solutions to match them.

Learn how to innovate business and shape behaviour with La Trobe's accredited Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Psychological Science. Carefully designed to give you sound commercial knowledge and skills, as well as a deep understanding of the human mind, it will help you become a highly valued professional in both the health and business sectors.

Understand what drives our choices, what makes us tick, and how businesses can meet our needs. You'll establish a grounding in psychology, exploring theories on individuals, groups and whole societies. You'll dig deep into how our brains affect our behaviour and how this develops over time. And you'll explore our commercial environment and learn how to create better systems and solutions for the humans and planet it serves.

Grow as a leader and a thinker. Challenge your ideas and preconceptions. Expand your networks and your horizons. You'll prepare for the rapidly evolving world of international business, developing the creative and analytical skills to work across a wide range of industries and the resilience to face real-world challenges.

Shape your own future when you choose between a diverse range of commerce majors, including economics, marketing, management and more. You'll also have the opportunity to get out of the classroom and build both your skills and your professional network through an internship, either in Australia or overseas, that's tailored to your career goals.

Graduates will have the prerequisites to apply for honours in psychology, with the potential to pursue postgraduate study and registration as a psychologist.

Through your studies of both humans and their commercial systems, you'll understand how to deliver empathetic insights and how to make a positive difference in both your local community and on the global stage.

Accounting

Accounting is the language of business. It measures business activities, processes data, reports and analyses financial information. Accounting information is vital for business decision making. This major offers you a direct path to becoming a qualified accountant and receiving professional body accreditation. It also opens a range of careers in the world. You will be able to develop accounting technical and professional competencies and apply the knowledge to real world business environment.      

For thousands of years, human societies have grown, prospered and warred through diplomacy and trade. In today’s hyper-connected global markets and diplomatic arenas, we need highly skilled professionals who can navigate this complex global landscape and make the most of evolving business structures.

La Trobe's Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Global Studies gives you the expertise to build a rewarding career in global politics, human rights and international business. Gain strong foundations in international trade and diplomacy, as well as a well-rounded business skillset.

Explore the complex social, commercial and sustainability challenges faced by corporations and diverse communities. Understand how to analyse problems, develop forward-thinking solutions, and negotiate with stakeholders to turn your ideas into action.

Grow as a leader and a thinker. Challenge your ideas and preconceptions. Expand your networks and your horizons. You'll be prepared for the rapidly evolving world of international trade and the complex web of relationships negotiated by governments and multinational organisations every day. Develop the creative and analytical skills to work across a wide range of industries, and build the resilience to face real-world challenges.

We understand that global experiences are vital for your studies. You'll have the opportunity to get out of the classroom and build both your skills and your professional network at one of our overseas partner universities. You'll also have the opportunity to do an internship, either in Australia or overseas, that's tailored to your career goals.

Whatever your ambition, tailor your degree with specially curated majors and minors that allow you to explore the various business, economic, geopolitical and humanitarian forces shaping our world.

Graduate ready for a rewarding career in trade, diplomacy, politics, government, business, economics and finance.

Conflict and negotiation

A major in conflict and negotiation will train you to analyse the causes, conduct and resolution of a wide range of conflicts around the world.

In this major you will explore how military, political, and legal actors negotiate the conduct and settlement of war, deliver social and criminal justice, as well as struggle against state oppression and environmental degradation.

Across a range of global cases, you will learn about how conflicts are waged and develop appropriate responses that negotiate a variety of competing interests.

This major will connect you to experts in peace building, legal systems, political theory, nationalism, social movements, democracy and democratisation, climate change, and the history of Indigenous struggles.

In the era of globalisation, having advanced language skills is becoming increasingly valuable. Organisations need professionals who not only communicate effectively, but also have the multilingual and cross-cultural knowledge that can help them thrive on an international scale.*

La Trobe's Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics introduces you to the foundations of human communication. Learn about the structure and history of languages, while examining how communication skills are acquired and developed. You'll also select from a range of language majors and explore the culture from which your chosen language emerged.

Develop an advanced understanding of linguistics, investigating the sound systems used for communication, how sentences are structured, and the ways we use language and interpret meaning.

Focus on the language you're passionate about by selecting from Chinese, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Japanese or Hindi. You'll also be able to select a starting point that suits your language proficiency, including beginner, intermediate and advanced studies.

From there, you'll investigate a variety of other languages, examining their evolution, structure and use. Explore the nuances of linguistic variation in communities, looking at the social, ethnic and age factors that influence the variation.

Enhance your language proficiency by taking advantage of our study abroad opportunities.* Immerse yourself in your chosen language and build a greater understanding of its everyday application.

Build your communication, team-working, problem-solving and analytical skills, which experts suggest will be highly sought after by the workplaces of tomorrow.**

Through optional minors, you'll also have the chance to explore further languages, including Auslan, or broaden your studies into complementary areas such as psychology, philosophy and history.

Graduate with the advanced languages skills to boost your global career.

Spanish studies intermediate

In the Spanish studies major you will learn the Spanish language and about Spanish and Latin American history and cultures. Spanish is one of the world's major languages and the first language of more than 400 million people. As well as developing your language skills, you can take subjects in Spanish and Latin American culture, linguistics, translation, literature and film. Learning Spanish will give you highly employable communication skills in a competitive globalised labour market. It is also important in international development and diplomatic contexts as an official language of the United Nations and the World Bank. As part of this major, you are encouraged to apply to do in-country study programs in Spanish through the University’s exchange programs. These are available in Spain and in various Latin American countries. (Please note overseas programs may be impacted by travel restrictions.) You can major in Spanish Studies whatever your skill level. Depending on your prior knowledge of and/or qualifications in the Spanish language you will start at Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced level or Extended.

If you can't let go of unanswered questions. If you love learning. If you're passionate about the world around you. Then it's time to start your journey at La Trobe.

With our flexible Bachelor of Arts, you can choose from an incredible array of majors and minors. You'll have access to around 50 majors and minors from humanities, social sciences, business, health and science, keeping your career options open. Pursue your passion and your profession.

Shape your own future with this interdisciplinary degree. You'll choose one arts major, then explore your interests or build an essential skill when you choose secondary majors, minors and electives from across the university. You'll graduate with your primary major on your academic transcript, so future employers can recognise your expertise.

Create your own path. Want to major in sociology, with a second major in psychology, then take Chinese as an elective? Go for it. Or perhaps you'd like to pair economics and English. Or crime, justice and legal studies with linguistics. Build your own future – we're here to help you achieve your dream. No matter which path you choose, you'll learn from world-class academics and leading researchers.

In your first year, you'll explore your interests and passions. Try a language; or get a taste for history, English, politics or creative writing. In your second and third years, you'll delve deeper while also choosing electives and minors that broaden your skills and knowledge. You may also choose to develop professional skillsets in areas like psychology, public health, marketing, science, sport management and more.

This flexible degree also offers a range of study options. You can choose to study face-to-face at our Melbourne Campus and enjoy our on-campus facilities, or you can study online – knowing your experience will mirror on-campus students, with tutorials delivered in a synchronous manner. Unlike many other online degrees, at La Trobe you can login to live sessions and engage directly with academics and your fellow students in real time.

Gain real-world experience and build valuable connections that will shape your career. Take on an industry placement at organisations like SBS Radio, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre or the United Nations Association of Australia or travel overseas for an international sustainability experience.* Many of our exchange programs are financially supported. Your dedicated course advisor will help you to find your path and explore new opportunities.

The world is waiting for you. Step into it.

In the Asian Studies major you will examine Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia from interdisciplinary perspectives, including sociology, anthropology, politics, history, linguistics and literary studies. You can choose from a wide range of subjects, taught in English, that explore different aspects of the diverse societies, histories, popular cultures and traditions of the Asian region. You will also have the option to study an Asian language alongside this major. As part of the Asian Studies major, you are encouraged to undertake in-country study via one of the exchange programs with La Trobe’s partner universities in Asia (e.g., China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam).

By learning about Asia, you will be well equipped to interact with Asia and Asian cultures and communities, which is an asset for Australians in the 21st century and can lead to a wide range of employment opportunities.

Whether it’s advocating for a client, supporting community services or writing policy that shapes the nation, studying law empowers you to make an impact.

If you have a Bachelor's degree and want to establish yourself as a forward-thinking legal professional, La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (Graduate Entry) is the perfect place to hone your skills and build a rewarding career at the forefront of Australian legal practice.

You'll learn from expert academics who are leaders in environmental law, international law, intellectual property law and commercial law. Gain a deep understanding of key areas of legal practice and expand your knowledge with our diverse range of electives.

As you study, you'll build your talents in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution, so you'll be ready to apply them in both legal and non-legal settings. If you're keen to test your skills in competitions, you'll have opportunities to compete against fellow students from La Trobe, other Australian universities, and international universities like Harvard University, University of Cambridge and the University of Hong Kong.

You'll also have opportunities for real-world placement experiences – working in community legal centres, law firms and government agencies, and building mentor relationships with judges, magistrates and coroners.

Explore your passions and build a rewarding career.

Today’s workplaces are rapidly evolving. Governments, businesses and law firms need passionate professionals who not only have advanced legal expertise, but also the ability to think critically, analytically and creatively.*

La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Arts lets you enrich your legal education by pursuing your interests and passions. Open doors to a diverse range of rewarding careers, while exploring how to make a difference in your community.

Learn the fundamentals of criminal, constitutional, property and company law. Explore the legal system and understand how it can be used as a powerful and positive force in society. Develop key skills in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution.

You'll also choose from our list of arts majors and explore your area of interest. Broaden your knowledge and experience by studying areas like politics, languages, sociology, history, philosophy and media studies. Learn how to communicate effectively and think critically, analytically and creatively.

You can also choose to complete law electives that complement your arts specialisation. For example, a politics major can be matched with related subjects like public international law and human rights law. While a language or philosophy major could be augmented by subjects in areas like Indigenous Australians and the law, intellectual property law or family, society and law.

Enhance your classroom learning by taking advantage of optional internships, work experience, and our study abroad program*. Gain hands-on experience working with community legal centres, law firms and government agencies. Find out what it takes to interview clients, prepare legal advice and work with senior lawyers to develop legal solutions.

Graduate ready to make a positive difference. With combined expertise in law and arts, you can build a career as a solicitor or barrister, in-house counsel or corporate consultant, working in commercial law firms or community legal centres. You could also work in the public service as a government lawyer or support social justice initiatives in the not-for-profit sector.

The Greek Studies major offers you the opportunity to study aspects of Greek language, culture, history and politics from the ancient world to contemporary Greece. In this major you will develop a critical understanding of the evolution of Greek culture in its original homeland and the diaspora, including multicultural Australia. Melbourne’s large Greek community provides you with a stimulating cultural and social environment in which to observe and practice what you learn. You can pair language subjects at a variety of levels with cultural subjects focussed on ancient and modern Greek literature, history and society. The skills obtained in this major will prepare you for a variety of work including teaching, translating, interpreting, health, banking, tourism, and related industries in Australia and overseas. You will also be encouraged to study in Greece or Cyprus through exchange programs or La Trobe’s overseas short study program “Connecting with Language and Culture in Greece.” (Please note: overseas programs may be impacted by travel restrictions.) Depending on your prior knowledge and/or qualifications in the Greek language, you may commence at Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced (post-VCE) or Extended levels.

Explore your passions and build a rewarding career.

Today’s workplaces are rapidly evolving. Governments, businesses and law firms need passionate professionals who not only have advanced legal expertise, but also the ability to think critically, analytically and creatively.*

La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Arts lets you enrich your legal education by pursuing your interests and passions. Open doors to a diverse range of rewarding careers, while exploring how to make a difference in your community.

Learn the fundamentals of criminal, constitutional, property and company law. Explore the legal system and understand how it can be used as a powerful and positive force in society. Develop key skills in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution.

You'll also choose from our list of arts majors and explore your area of interest. Broaden your knowledge and experience by studying areas like politics, languages, sociology, history, philosophy and media studies. Learn how to communicate effectively and think critically, analytically and creatively.

You can also choose to complete law electives that complement your arts specialisation. For example, a politics major can be matched with related subjects like public international law and human rights law. While a language or philosophy major could be augmented by subjects in areas like Indigenous Australians and the law, intellectual property law or family, society and law.

Enhance your classroom learning by taking advantage of optional internships, work experience, and our study abroad program*. Gain hands-on experience working with community legal centres, law firms and government agencies. Find out what it takes to interview clients, prepare legal advice and work with senior lawyers to develop legal solutions.

Graduate ready to make a positive difference. With combined expertise in law and arts, you can build a career as a solicitor or barrister, in-house counsel or corporate consultant, working in commercial law firms or community legal centres. You could also work in the public service as a government lawyer or support social justice initiatives in the not-for-profit sector.

Environmental Humanities is an interdisciplinary major that allows you to explore the relationship between nature and culture, environmental values and ethics, and how humans might respond creatively, collaboratively and ethically to address global environmental crises. The Environmental Humanities, as an area of scholarship, has emerged in response to world-wide environmental crises, and brings together disciplines including Aboriginal studies, history, philosophy, literature, creative arts, geography, politics and law, in conjunction with the natural and social sciences. Rapid environmental change has become a hallmark of our contemporary world. It is accompanied by threats to global ecosystems, species extinction, and unsustainable rates of consumption of the earth’s resources. Scientists may have diagnosed these problems, but their causes are human and their solutions will also be human.

In the Environmental Humanities major, you will be taught to understand the ways in which humans are entangled in environmental change. You will also learn how to respond to climate injustices and the complex social and ecological challenges. You will also be exposed to a variety of approaches that help understand and address environmental and climate change. Throughout the major you will explore historical, cultural, political, creative, philosophical, scientific and legal understandings of environmental change and can tailor your subject selection to focus in greater depth on the historical, legal or creative disciplines. When you graduate you will have a deep and critical understanding of the contexts within which environmental crises have arisen and have the tools to evaluate and respond to environmental issues and create new ways of living with our environment.

Global financial services are evolving. More than ever, firms are searching for highly trained experts who can navigate the complexities of global capital markets and take advantage of new technologies.

La Trobe's Master of Financial Analysis offers you the opportunity to develop specialist expertise in banking, fintech, international business or business research. You'll extend your core investment and financial skills, and enhance your ability to provide financial services and advice.

Develop your core financial and investment expertise in our financial trading room. You'll learn professional investment tools used every day in the financial markets, such as the Bloomberg Information Service, and you'll work with real-time data from international markets and respond to breaking news and events. Examine the latest research by our leading finance academics and learn how to use powerful analytic tools, while taking in guest lectures delivered by industry experts.

Distinguish your expertise by completing a specialisation of your choice. If you want to develop the skills to build quantitative financial models and applications, you might consider the fintech specialisation. If you want to start a career in banking or international finance, you might choose to specialise in banking or international business.