Can I please have some advice: Commerce/Law or Commerce/Economics? (1 Viewer)

[Equilibrium1]

I received an ATAR high enough to study Law at UNSW. However, I am struggling to decide which degree to choose. My main options are:

1. Bachelor of Commerce/Law - Most likely major in finance.
2. Bachelor of Commerce/Economics - Most likely major in any of the three: finance, economics, econometrics or accounting.

I'm mostly leaning towards the second option because I would like to pursue a more quantitative course. However, I feel really bad declining the opportunity to study Law without giving it a try, especially since so many people would love to study the degree :/

I have done extensive research using the UNSW handbook and I have some questions that may help me decide:

1. Which combined degree will have better job prospects in about 5 years time? Do you think that the legal industry will still be saturated with law graduates?

2. On the handbook, it said that I must have a minimum of 84 UOC for the Economics component and a minimum of 96 UOC for the Commerce component. Does that mean I can only choose 1 economics major and have the other 2 majors from the commerce degree? What if I'd like to study finance/economics/econometrics? Would the combined degree allow me to do this (2 economics majors, 1 commerce major)?

Here's the handbook link:
http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2013/3521.html

If you have any further comments/advice, please let me know. I will also attend the UNSW Info Day, however, I would also like to hear some opinions from BoSer's as well =)

Thank you.

 

[inJust]

First off, I don't think getting an atar high enough means that you should do the course. Do what feels right. I know a friend that did UMAT for fun, got in the 95th or so percentile, got 99.9 ATAR and is still doing Engineering which the cut-off is about 91. Since this decision reallly is going to affect your life greatly, I wouldn't do a course on whim or just because you got the ATAR high enough. I think there's a certain degree of passion that's needed.

1) I actually think commercially, the best double degree to have is Commerce/Engineering, just because of the quantitative, analytical and critical thinking skills you gain from that combination that sets you apart. However, both the aforementioned combinations are pretty much as good. However, I must say that in 5 years, the legal industry will pretty much be still staurated with law graduates. I don't think that will change anytime soon.

2) When you're combining commerce with another degree, you're only able to do ONE major.

 

[Trans4M]

1)The Big 6 Law firms take around 20-50 clerks for clerkship every year and taking the majority of them after they graduate. Mid Tier/Small Tier take about 10 clerks every year. I don't think it will be too saturated as some people studying law do not intend to work at commercial law firms. Some plan to work for NGO or government or take up an academic career.

2)Yeap 2 majors for commerce and 1 major for economics. That said, most of the majors you take in economics can be taken in a commerce degree but not the other way around.

You could give law a go and see how you feel. If you don't like law you can drop the law part. I will warn you in advanced that your first semester of law will be boring as it's a history lesson on how law is developed and how our legal system came into place. However, there are comps ran by the law society such as Mooting, Trial Advocacy (Mock Trials) and Client Interviewing which you can compete in and it's totally free. In second semester you will be studying Torts which will be more interesting. You can compete in Negotiation this semester. Trial Advocacy and Client Interviewing will run over Semester 2 as well. So if you want to have true feel of what law is like you will probably have to take it for a year.

We do have first year law camp which is also run by the student law society. I would recommend going to this as there are people from senior years also going (as camp leader) and you can ask them a lot of questions about law.

The Careers Portfolio of the law society also runs Clerkship Information Sessions, where firms come in over a period of 2-3 weeks to talk about how to get into their firm, and non-corporate career information sessions.

If you wish to discuss it further with someone, I am happy to speak to you. You can PM me or talk to me on Facebook (I Check that more regularly than BoS)

 

[Equilibrium1]

1) I actually think commercially, the best double degree to have is Commerce/Engineering, just because of the quantitative, analytical and critical thinking skills you gain from that combination that sets you apart. However, both the aforementioned combinations are pretty much as good. However, I must say that in 5 years, the legal industry will pretty much be still staurated with law graduates. I don't think that will change anytime soon.

2) When you're combining commerce with another degree, you're only able to do ONE major.

I actually wanted to do Engineering/Commerce earlier this year but since I didn't do 4 Unit Maths or Physics, so I felt that the degree wouldn't be right for me. I like maths but I don't really like physics - So I felt that the commerce/economics double degree would probably be more suitable for me.

Most commerce double degrees require only one major from each degree. However, commerce/economics is an exception because quite a few courses overlap so there is room for three majors. However, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to study 2 economics majors and 1 commerce major, or if I strictly have to study 1 economics major and 2 commerce majors.

Thanks for the help.
=)

 

[Trans4M]

2) When you're combining commerce with another degree, you're only able to do ONE major.

Commerce/Economics is an exception as courses do overlap between the two e.g. ECON1101, ECON1102 and ECON1203.

 

[Omnipotence]

We do have first year law camp which is also run by the student law society. I would recommend going to this as there are people from senior years also going (as camp leader) and you can ask them a lot of questions about law.

Prepare to see naked people running around lol.

 

[Equilibrium1]

2)Yeap 2 majors for commerce and 1 major for economics. That said, most of the majors you take in economics can be taken in a commerce degree but not the other way around.

Do you know why the combined degree doesn't allow the student to study 2 economics majors and 1 commerce major? It seems almost weird doing the 'business economics' major under the Commerce degree when you can just do the 'economics' major under the economics degree with the exact same subjects...

If you don't mind me asking, what are your majors under the Commerce degree (Trans4M and Omnipotence)?

 

[inJust]

Commerce/Economics is an exception as courses do overlap between the two e.g. ECON1101, ECON1102 and ECON1203.

My bad. Sorry Michael.

 

[Trans4M]

Do you know why the combined degree doesn't allow the student to study 2 economics majors and 1 commerce major? It seems almost weird doing the 'business economics' major under the Commerce degree when you can just do the 'economics' major under the economics degree with the exact same subjects...

If you don't mind me asking, what are your majors under the Commerce degree (Trans4M and Omnipotence)?

I am guessing it's because the Commerce degree is the main degree (You get into the course by getting the cut off for commerce). The commerce degree is more flexible and with more majors. I am not too sure of the exact reason to be honest.

My major is Finance. I originally wanted to major in accounting but I enjoyed FINS1613 more than ACCT1511 when I did them together in semester 2.

Prepare to see naked people running around lol.

running around naked was nothing compared to what happened in my year lol

 

[Equilibrium1]

I am guessing it's because the Commerce degree is the main degree (You get into the course by getting the cut off for commerce). The commerce degree is more flexible and with more majors. I am not too sure of the exact reason to be honest.

My major is Finance. I originally wanted to major in accounting but I enjoyed FINS1613 more than ACCT1511 when I did them together in semester 2.

Do you think the combined degree will be flexible enough for me to study 2 economics majors and 1 commerce major? Is it worth asking the appropriate people in the ASB faculty? I may end up preferring 2 commerce majors, however, I just want to cover all possibilities.

I've always wondered, in the UNSW handbook, it says that a distinction average is needed to apply for finance honours. Is this a distinction average for your commerce AND law courses or just your courses related to the finance major?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Trans4M]

Do you think the combined degree will be flexible enough for me to study 2 economics majors and 1 commerce major? Is it worth asking the appropriate people in the ASB faculty? I may end up preferring 2 commerce majors, however, I just want to cover all possibilities.

I've always wondered, in the UNSW handbook, it says that a distinction average is needed to apply for finance honours. Is this a distinction average for your commerce AND law courses or just your courses related to the finance major?

Thanks for all your help!

Yeap definately ask ASB. You will have to wait till after the Christmas break though, I think they might be off this week and next week already. If not you can pop by on Info Day and give the ASB reception a visit and ask.

I can't remember between accounting and finance, but of the two only look at the related subjects' average. Some majors look at your overall wam while some look at only the related courses. I forgot which majors look at which one. I will have through the handbook to see

You're welcome

EDIT:

Found it. http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/plans/2013/FINSAH3502.html Scroll down to entry requirement. It's only 75% average in finance courses for finance honours

 

[Equilibrium1]

Is the finance major more qualitative or quantitative? Does it involve a lot of group work? Also, do you find that you have to sacrifice a lot of your finance studying for your law courses?

Sorry for all the questions :/

 

[Trans4M]

Is the finance major more qualitative or quantitative? Does it involve a lot of group work? Also, do you find that you have to sacrifice a lot of your finance studying for your law courses?

Sorry for all the questions :/

Some finance courses are quantitative while some are qualitative. I only did 3 Finance courses so far. 2 of them are pretty quantitative (FINS1613, FINS2624) and the other is like half quant half qual (FINS1612).

Some courses do involve group work while some don't at all. So far I only had one group assignment in finance (FINS2624) but you can choose to do it on your own. It's not a huge project, just getting you to apply what you have learnt so far.

Might be just me but I think I found a good balance between studying for Finance and studying for law. At UNSW the law final exams are open book meaning you can bring in your notes. We are tested on our application of the law rather than forced to memorise. I study for my law exams by just doing past papers to see how I would apply my notes and of course reading my notes so I know where to look at when I need a certain section.

 

[Equilibrium1]

Thankyou Trans4M for all your help, I really appreciate it.
I'll definitely attend the UNSW Info Day and try to obtain as much information as possible.

Thank you once again.

 

[Trans4M]

You're welcome

 

[Omnipotence]

If you don't mind me asking, what are your majors under the Commerce degree (Trans4M and Omnipotence)?

I'm majoring in Finance, loved the quantitative elements which give me a break all of that reading and writing haha.