University of Sydney Handbooks - 2020 Archive

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Business Law

Studying Business Law enables students to undertake an in-depth specialisation in key areas impacting business practice – including corporate law, securities market regulation, banking and finance, taxation, employment, insolvency, franchising, intellectual property, environmental law, corporate crime, trade practices and consumer law. Specialist units are designed to provide the basis of a professional capability in the area far beyond the general introduction.

Options for studying Business Law

Business Law is available as Table A major and minor options in the Bachelor of Commerce, the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws, the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce and the Bachelor of Advanced Computing and Bachelor of Commerce.

The Business Law major and minor are also available to students not enrolled in a Commerce degree through the shared pool (Table S) - see the Interdisciplinary Studies Handbook for details.

Please note. Students cannot complete both a major and a minor in Business Law for their degree.

Pathways through the major and minor

The requirements for a major/minor in Business Law are spread out over three years of the degree (four years if students are completing a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies degree).

(i) Business Law major
  • To achieve a major in Business Law, students must complete 48 credit points comprising:
  • 12 credit points of 1000-level core units of study;
  • 18 credit points of 2000-level selective units of study;
  • 6 credit points of 3000-level core units of study; and
  • 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units of study.

A sample pathway for the Business Law major (over three years of a degree) is listed below.

Note: All units listed are worth 6 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Please Note. This sample progression is meant as an example only. Depending on unit prerequisites, students may be able to complete these units in a different sequence to that displayed in this table.

Year Session Units of study
First Semester 1 Core: CLAW1001 Foundations of Business Law *
Semester 2 Core: CLAW1003 Company Law *
Second Semester 1 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for major
Semester 2 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for major
Third Semester 1 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for major Selective: 3000-level unit listed for major
Semester 2 Core: CLAW3600 Business Law in Practice ** Selective: 3000-level unit listed for major

* Students who wish to combine a Business Law minor with the Professional Accounting program must complete CLAW1001 and CLAW1003, which will satisfy the requirements of the Professional Accounting Program unit CLAW2214.

** Capstone unit for the major – completed in the final semester of study for that major. This unit of study must be completed at the University of Sydney Business School.

For details of the core and selective units of study required for the major or minor please refer to the Business Law section of the Table A unit of study table in this handbook.


Students can also refer to the University's Current Students website for progression examples for specific major/minor combinations for their degree.

(ii) Business Law minor

To achieve a minor in Business Law, students must complete 36 credit points comprising:

  • 12 credit points of 1000-level core units of study;
  • 18 credit points of 2000-level selective units of study; and
  • 6 credit points of 3000-level selective units of study.

A sample pathway for the Business Law minor (over three years of a degree) is listed below.

Note: All units listed are worth 6 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Please Note. This sample progression is meant as an example only. Depending on unit prerequisites, students may be able to complete these units in a different sequence to that displayed in this table.

Year Session Units of study
First Semester 1 Core: CLAW1001 Foundations of Business Law *
Semester 2 Core: CLAW1003 Company Law *
Second Semester 1 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for minor
Semester 2 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for minor
Third Semester 1 Selective: 2000-level unit listed for minor 
Semester 2 Selective: 3000-level unit listed for minor 

* Students who wish to combine a Business Law minor with the Professional Accounting program must complete CLAW1001 and CLAW1003, which will satisfy the requirements of the Professional Accounting Program unit CLAW2214.

For details of the core and selective units of study required for the major or minor please refer to the Business Law section of the Table A unit of study table in this handbook.


Students can also refer to the University's Current Students website for progression examples for specific major/minor combinations for their degree.

Bachelor of Advanced Studies with Honours in Business Law

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced studies who complete a major in Business Law with a weighted average mark of 70% (within the first three years of their degree) may be eligible to complete honours in Business Law as their fourth year of study in this combined degree program. Students will need to have completed any requirements of their degree not satisfied with the completion of honours (including both majors, all core units, all Open Learning Environment units, and any elective units as necessary to ensure they meet degree requirements) by the end of their third year of study to proceed to honours in their fourth year of study. The available units of study for Honours in Business Law are listed in Table A Honours units of study.

For details of the requirements for admission, completion and the criteria for the awarding of honours, please refer to the Degree and Faculty resolutions.


A sample pathway for the Honours in Business Law (final year of the combined Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies OR Bachelor of Advanced Studies) is listed below.

Note: All units listed are worth 6 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Year Session Units of study
Fourth / First Semester 1 Core: BUSS4001 Business Honours Research Methods (12 credit points) Core: BUSS4712 Business Law Honours A Core: BUSS4713 Business Law Honours B
Semester 2 Core: BUSS4104 Business Honours Thesis (24 credit points)

For details of the units of study required for honours please refer to the Business Law Honours section of Table A in this handbook.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the Business Law major students will be able to:

No. Mid-Level Learning Outcomes
1 Identify legal issues and legal risks that arise in a business context.
2 Locate and evaluate legal material and information from various sources to form a convincing argument in order to influence business processes and policy.
3 Communicate to a professional standard, orally and in written form, by using legal terminology and correct referencing style to support a reasoned argument.
4 Appropriately apply legal knowledge while considering diverse regulatory requirements to make sound business decisions.
5 Analyse and resolve business legal problems by applying relevant law and legal concepts.
6 Apply legal knowledge with an awareness of cultural diversity as well as social and ethical responsibility.

Further information

For further information regarding study in business law at the University of Sydney, please refer to the Discipline of Business Law.