University: The University of Western Australia

Degree: Bachelor of Commerce, Business Law and Management

School Subjects: Modern History, Politics and Law, Economics, English, Mathematics Applications

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A few years ago, when the time came for me to choose a university pathway, I eventually settled upon studying a Bachelor of Commerce with an assured pathway to a Juris Doctor (i.e. postgraduate law at UWA).

I picked Commerce as I felt as if it would be the most applicable and relevant degree to expand upon my passions in the HASS department and for what I wanted to do later down the track with postgrad studies and future careers.

Looking back, I am very happy with this decision as I truly believe that Commerce is a really good overarching/starting undergraduate degree for anyone to have under their belt and for those who have any level of interest in that area of study.

Business Law

I really, really like Business Law as a major; it is particularly good for students who want to continue on with studying Juris Doctor. You will learn about how to best approach law-based questions, be familiar with how law content is taught, what the assessment structures are, and what will be required of you. Therefore, this major offers a good opportunity for students to confirm whether Juris Doctor is something that they want to do or have an interest in pursuing.

Furthermore, I believe the topics you learn about within this degree are incredibly interesting and highly relevant to today’s workforce. The areas of law researched and the problems looked into are ones that most employers or employees will likely face at some point in their careers (e.g. tax law and company law).

I think the way in which UWA teaches Business Law is also really well done.

I initially thought the degree was going to be entirely theory-based with heaps of writing tasks and long-winded, mundane texts, but it is actually quite the opposite. With Business Law, the emphasis is on how well you can apply theory, case studies, and the relevant law to practical situations. This is usually achieved through group discussions in tutorials. This makes the major feel much more stimulating, confidence-boosting, engaging, and useful.

Management

I think the Management major is a good starting point for anyone who wants to be in some sort of management role in the future. You will be provided with a lot of basic knowledge and insight into a great range of topics, such as what being a manager will entail and what their role is. You are also granted the ability to decide upon which areas of management you want to look into the most, so there is a great deal of flexibility and self-direction.

However, my critique of the Management major is that it is seemingly quite surface-level. As of the stage I am at with this degree currently, I have never really felt as if I have been particularly challenged, stimulated, or as if I am being fully shaped into someone confident enough to jump into the workforce in a commerce role. The major often feels quite introductory and broad in scope. I would thereby personally recommend this major alongside another degree, major, or with postgraduate goals in mind.

General Advice to Prospective Uni Students

Don’t worry too much about what you first choose to study at university. I remember being so incredibly stressed when university enrolment came around in year twelve—I felt like that was the moment that would forever dictate my life’s direction and that I had so many things to consider.

But upon reflection, I couldn’t have been further from the truth. I have now been studying for three years, and I can confidently say that I know more people who have changed what they are studying in some way, shape, or form than people who have maintained the exact same degree structure… and it’s not a close comparison.

You have all the time in the world to figure it all out. Pick something that you are the most passionate about or that sparks your interest the most, and then try it out. The best thing about university is that it is so flexible and tailored to personal experience. It is your own journey, and you will have so much time, so many pathways, and so many opportunities to really figure out what you want to do. You don’t have to get it completely right from the start. Enjoy the process.