Bachelor of Laws
at James Cook University, Queensland.
An accredited LLB degree covering the Priestley 11 areas of law (contracts, torts, criminal, constitutional, administrative, equity and trusts, property, civil procedure, evidence, ethics and corporations). Often combined with another bachelor degree.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the James Cook University Bachelor of Laws. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official QTAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
First year of the LLB introduces the legal system, legal method, foundations of public law and contracts. You learn how to read a case, build a legal argument and apply statutory interpretation. Many JCU students study the LLB combined with another bachelor such as arts, business, science or psychology. Mid years cover the Priestley 11 areas required for admission: contracts, torts, criminal law, constitutional law, administrative law, equity and trusts, property, civil procedure, evidence, ethics and corporations law. Reading loads of 100 to 300 pages of case law a week are normal. JCU brings a regional, Indigenous-justice and tropical-environmental-law flavour to many electives. Final year features advanced electives (environmental law, native title, international law, human rights), a research capstone option and a clinical placement at a community legal centre. After graduation, students complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) and apply for admission through the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.
Example first-year subjects
- Legal Method and Reasoning
- Foundations of Law
- Contracts
- Torts
- Public Law and Statutory Interpretation
- Criminal Law and Procedure
How you will be assessed
- End-of-semester exams (often 70 to 100 per cent of the mark)
- Hypothetical case-analysis problem questions
- Research essays (2500 to 5000 words)
- Moot competitions and oral advocacy
- Take-home seen-question exams
- Group negotiation and mediation exercises
- Clinical placement reflective journals
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as solicitors and barristers after completing practical legal training and admission to the relevant state Supreme Court.
- Common destinations include top-tier and mid-tier law firms, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and state legal aid commissions.
- Many alumni move into in-house counsel roles, policy work in government or the judiciary as associates and tipstaves.
Professional accreditation
- Priestley 11 compliant
- Recognised for admission by the relevant state Legal Profession Admission Board
Typical first jobs
- Graduate solicitor at regional and mid-tier Queensland law firms
- Associate to a Supreme, District or Federal Court judge
- Government lawyer at the Queensland Crown Law office
- Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions or Legal Aid lawyer
- In-house counsel at a corporate, council or resource company
- Native title, environmental or community legal centre lawyer
- Policy lawyer in state or Commonwealth government
Graduate starting salary
$60,000 - $70,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
After the LLB, graduates complete Practical Legal Training (PLT, around six months full-time or equivalent) and apply for admission as a lawyer through the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board. Postgrad options include the Master of Laws (LLM), specialist LLMs in environmental, international or human-rights law, the JD for non-LLB graduates, and PhD pathways. JCU graduates are well placed for regional, Indigenous-justice and environmental-law careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Strong readers comfortable with 100-plus pages of case law a week
- Precise writers who can build a tight legal argument
- Patient students who can hold detail in their head
- Confident speakers willing to moot and present
- People drawn to regional, environmental or Indigenous-justice law
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike heavy reading and writing
- Those who hate final-exam pressure
- People wanting a science or maths-heavy course
- Students who avoid public speaking and oral assessment
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the James Cook University handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/jcu/bachelor-of-laws.