I've come into a problem (BALLB) (1 Viewer)

[andyfg88]

Hi everyone!

So after transferring from another university and another degree (Arts at La Trobe). I've been offered a spot at MQ to do Arts/Law. I was just about to do my 3rd year of Arts and have the degree completed.

MQ has credited me with a total of 44 credits (26 at 100 level and 18 at 200). I've been exempted from a majority of my major (sociology) and all i have to do is 4 more sociology units at 300 level to satisfy the major - this is basically the exact same position I would have been at La Trobe, completing my final year.

Here is my issue though: I've enrolled into the remaining 4 SOC subjects this year, I'm doing 2, 300 level soc subjects alongside LAW 115 and (BUSL100 - planet unit) for this semester. Next semester I'll be doing LAW 109 and another two 300 level SOC subjects.

So there's my Arts portion of the double degree completed right?

But basically because I've never done any law subjects before and the arts part will be complete, I'll still be on track to finish the entire degree in 5 years! And I'll be rendered a part time student because of the lack of Arts subjects. So in my second year I'll only be doing 4 subjects, 2 each semester.

Since I can't justify doing 2 subjects each semester, I'd like to know what my options are.

• Can I "graduate" from my arts degree and then have them move to me to post-grad law - 3 years (300299 CSP)?

• Can I simply accelerate my degree and merge 200 units with 300 units, doing them simultaniously - what about the prerequisites?
• Do I have to drop the law degree in order to graduate from Arts and then reapply for just Law?
• Will I have to transfer universities?

Basically I'm completely confused and lost, any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Lou283]

I don't know if there is some rule when it comes to law specifically but in general as long as you meet the pre-reqs for 200 and 300 level units you can do them whenever you want. I just did a 200 level unit in 1st year for example and am doing several 300 levels alongside 200 level units for my 2nd year. Like I said that is the general at MQ I don't know if there are rules specifically for law that stop you doing that.

 

[andyfg88]

I don't know if there is some rule when it comes to law specifically but in general as long as you meet the pre-reqs for 200 and 300 level units you can do them whenever you want. I just did a 200 level unit in 1st year for example and am doing several 300 levels alongside 200 level units for my 2nd year. Like I said that is the general at MQ I don't know if there are rules specifically for law that stop you doing that.

Hmm well see that's what I was trying to do when I discovered this problem.

The LAW units at 300 level have prerequisites for 200 level (naturally), but the thing is subjects are only offered once a year, either sem 1 or sem 2.
Which prevents me from doing them together.

Here's an example, suppose I'm doing the following subjects at 200 level and in Semester 1:

LAW208 - Law, Lawyers and Society
LAW214 - Jurisprudence

Now there's room there to add a 3rd year level subject right? - wrong. I can't do any of the third year level subjects without completing those two second year subjects first.

So the next thing you would think I could do is just do the remaining 200 level subjects in the first semester so that by second semester I can start 300...

Well the remaining 200 subjects are LAW203 and LAW204 and they are only offered in the second half of the year!

And I can't pick up any 300 level until I've completed at least two 200 level. So then you assume that you can just start to do 300 level subjects in the second semester because by then you would have finished the two 200 level subjects (prerequistes) needed for the 300 level.

But you can't because the only 300 year level subject you can do in semster two is LAW315 (Constitutional Law and Administration II) which has a prerequisite of LAW314 (LAW315: Constitutional Law and Administration I).

See the problem? It's a mess.

 

[Azure]

To be honest with you, I'd speak to an academic advisor to get solid advice since this seems like a pretty big deal.

 

[andyfg88]

To be honest with you, I'd speak to an academic advisor to get solid advice since this seems like a pretty big deal.

Yeah I know that's probably what I'll have to be doing - I just wish I came across this yesterday when I was sitting with them - argh! And I also thought I'd give this place a go first before resorting to that, I mean sure I can't be the only one who's ever come across this problem.

What are the chances do you think that they'll make me do the Law units over 5 years?

 

[Lou283]

yeh I would see an academic advisor and explain this. There are circumstances which allow you to get special permission to do units if you are doing the unit that is a pre-req at the same time.

 

[andyfg88]

Thanks for your help everyone. I guess I'll just have to wait until Monday to see an Academic advisor... geeze, what a mess. I can't believe they only offer subjects once a year for Law.

 

[AsyLum]

You can do above and beyond the required units for a degree you know...just because there is a minimum limit, does not mean that you can't keep doing subjects. Just don't complete your last 'Arts' major unit till the final year of your law degree.

 

[andyfg88]

You can do above and beyond the required units for a degree you know...just because there is a minimum limit, does not mean that you can't keep doing subjects. Just don't complete your last 'Arts' major unit till the final year of your law degree.

Hmm I think you may have misunderstood me, or perhaps I misunderstood you?

I don't want to do anymore arts subjects. I want to finish the law part as soon as possible. Since my art portion has almost reached its end, it has freed up a lot more room to do more law subjects. The issue is that prerequisites restrict me, and the fact that the university only offers each law unit once a year and not twice like other universities or with other degrees.

 

[AsyLum]

Oh I see, sorry didn't pick up on that.

Academic advisor would be the best bet, and maybe do a Grad Law

 

[andyfg88]

Oh I see, sorry didn't pick up on that.

Academic advisor would be the best bet, and maybe do a Grad Law

All good I'm not sure if MQ has graduate law for 3 years, and not only that I'd like to know if I can just graduate the Arts part of my Combined Arts/Law degree.. so that I can actually apply for Grad Law.