Review of Adelaide University (Bachelor of Laws)

I am reviewing Adelaide University in South Australia.

In 2026, the University of Adelaide and UniSA merged to form Adelaide University, creating an exciting new institution that combines the strengths of both universities.

Having studied the Bachelor of Laws at both institutions prior to the merger, I found UniSA's law degree particularly engaging due to its professional approach, practical focus, and supportive teaching staff.

The curriculum provided numerous hands-on learning opportunities, including participating in complex legal negotiations with fellow students and developing advocacy skills through moot court exercises. Presenting submissions and responding to questions from judicial officers in the moot court was particularly valuable, as it closely reflected real-life legal practice. The constructive feedback I received throughout these experiences significantly enhanced my learning and professional development.

From my perspective, this practical approach to legal education was far more beneficial than a purely theoretical model.

The lecturers were approachable, genuine, supportive, and encouraging. They created a positive learning environment.

There were also many industry partnership events that provided valuable networking opportunities and assisted students with their career development. Whilst I personally chose to do my work experience placement with a Supreme Court judge, other students made connections with legal professionals from law firms at industry partnership events, which helped them when applying for clerkships. Many students also chose to participate in a legal clinic experience.

Marking was dependent on the individual lecturers. Some lecturers marked much harder than others, however it was certainly possible for students to achieve High Distinctions. More importantly, the lecturers were genuinely passionate about the subjects they were teaching and this motivated students to do well. My friends and I were able to achieve good grades, participate in uni social events, and get along well with our lecturers who were our respected legal mentors, regardless of the assignment grades which varied between subjects and lecturers.

Class sizes varied across subjects. While class numbers for some lectures were quite large, tutorials were conducted in much smaller groups which worked well.

Since then, my experiences at other universities have demonstrated the benefits of smaller, workshop-style classes, which encourage greater student participation, provide a more favourable student-to-lecturer ratio, and allow for more personalised student support.

I believe Adelaide University now successfully combines the best aspects of its predecessors. The campuses are beautiful, and the facilities are state-of-the-art.

The university features an excellent moot court and offers a wide range of law double-degree options, including Criminology and Criminal Justice, Business, Commerce, Economics, and Psychology. These programs broaden students' career opportunities, and continue to foster valuable professional relationships with lecturers, mentors and industry partners.

The merger of South Australia's two leading universities represents an exciting development for future law students in Adelaide.

Adelaide University has already achieved a ranking of 79th in the latest QS World University Rankings, placing it among the top 1% of universities worldwide.

In its very first year, Adelaide University is already demonstrating strong leadership in higher education. I would highly recommend that prospective law students consider Adelaide University and take advantage of the outstanding academic, practical, and professional opportunities it has to offer.