Program Overview

Get the skills, knowledge and industry you need to launch a legal career in the world of scientific advancement with La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Biomedicine.

In this double degree, you'll develop a solid legal grounding in the fundamentals of legal practice, and hone your skillset in advocacy, negotiation and dispute resolution through intellectual and skills-based training. At the same time, you'll explore how the body works as you build essential knowledge in chemistry, bioscience and health.

By studying La Trobe's Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Biomedicine, you will:

• Explore legal topics such as dispute resolution, evidence and criminal procedure, contract law and company law, and public law
• Develop foundational knowledge in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, human physiology, infectious and non-communicable disease
• Choose a biomedicine major in cancer, heart and brain diseases; immunology and infectious disease; physiology and pharmacology; or molecular and cellular biochemistry
• Get hands-on experience through legal placements in community legal centres, law firms, government agencies and more, and build relationships with judges, magistrates and coroners
• Gain practical biomedical experience with lab work, field work, internship opportunities and overseas exchange opportunities.

Major: Cancer, heart and brain diseases

Interested in the biology of disease and the growing global health crisis? According to the World Health Organization, chronic non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer are collectively responsible for three quarters of deaths worldwide. In the Cancer, Heart and Brain diseases major, you will consider the aetiology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of diseases that contribute significantly to the global disease burden in modern society. This major will harness your experience in molecular biology, anatomy and physiology gained during core Biomedicine 1st and 2nd year subjects, to examine cancer, neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. You will integrate existing knowledge with recent research developments to understand key features of these diseases and their associated challenges.

You will learn to interpret and analyse scientific data and apply scientific reasoning and critical thinking to solve real-world problems, to communicate challenges and potential solutions effectively to a broad range of audiences. Completion of this major will prepare you for a diverse range of career outcomes that contribute to the understanding and management of diseases that significantly impact global health.