Your Practical Guide to Studying Business Law

Business law plays a vital role in helping organisations operate successfully while complying with legal standards. Whether you're looking to launch a career in this field or enhance your existing business expertise with relevant legal knowledge, this guide will help you explore what studying business law is all about and how it can benefit your career.

Read further to discover what business law entails, why it’s worth studying and what knowledge and skills you can expect to gain from a business law course. We also highlight some of the leading institutions in Australia offering postgraduate programs in this field and outline potential career opportunities you can explore.

What is business law?

Business law, also commonly known as commercial law, refers to the regulations governing the management of business activities and transactions. It provides a structured legal framework to ensure fair and lawful operations within the business world. This branch of law plays a crucial role in guiding businesses in various aspects of commerce, including contract negotiation, intellectual property (IP) protection and dispute resolution. Some of the key areas in business law include the following:

• Contract law: Governs the formation of legally binding agreements between parties in commercial transactions, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly outlined and enforceable.
• IP law: Protects the original creations and innovations of businesses and their exclusive rights for commercial use through legal methods like copyrights, patents and trademarks.
• Employment law: Regulates the relationship between employers and employees, covering issues like worker rights and safe workplace conditions.
• Competition and consumer law: Promotes fair trading and safeguards consumers by preventing anti-competitive behaviour, regulating pricing and ensuring product safety and transparency.
• Corporate law: Regulates the formation, governance and dissolution of organisations, covering areas like mergers and acquisitions, director duties and shareholder rights.
• Tax law: Defines the legal obligations of businesses related to tax, ensuring companies comply with fiscal regulations to avoid tax penalties.

Why is business law important in the business world?

Business law protects the rights of business owners, employees, shareholders and customers. By establishing a clear standard for all businesses to adhere to, it ultimately fosters a trustworthy commercial environment, which is essential for long-term economic growth.

Understanding business law can help empower organisations and aspiring entrepreneurs to establish their businesses, manage risks effectively and pursue business opportunities in a lawful way. Below are several reasons why following the law is compulsory for businesses:

• Enables businesses to create clear and legally sound contracts to avoid future conflicts
• Offers structured methods to resolve disagreements and disputes
• Protects the interests of shareholders by enforcing transparency in corporate governance
• Safeguards employees’ rights to fair wages, safe working environments and protection from wrongful termination
• Guarantees customers’ rights to safe products and honest advertising
• Protects original innovations and assets with exclusive rights for commercial gain
• Promotes trust among consumers and investors
• Avoids costly legal consequences for non-compliance

Why study business law?

 

Studying business law provides a blend of legal and commercial insight, equipping you with a solid foundation in both fields. It can sharpen your decision-making abilities and strengthen your skills to manage risk. During your studies, you can build versatile skills that are valued across various roles and industries. Acquiring a qualification in this field can also offer you diverse career opportunities and help you become more competitive in the job market. Learn more below:

Gain a strong foundation in law and business

Studying business law helps you gain knowledge and insight into regulatory frameworks like corporate law, contract law and global business law. It also helps you bridge the gap between legal theory and business practice, allowing you to see how laws play a major role in regulating the business world. With this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to navigate legal environments in your business role more effectively.

Enhance decision-making skills

Making strategic business decisions often involves evaluating a wide range of factors, including legal considerations that can optimise outcomes. Studying business law can provide you with the legal insights needed to examine the implications of contracts, partnerships and other business initiatives. Understanding these legalities can help you make informed and lawful business decisions that support long-term organisational success.

Manage and reduce legal risks

In business, legal mistakes can be very costly. Having a solid grasp of business law can help you identify potential legal issues early in various business environments. This enables you to draft legally sound contracts and implement risk mitigation strategies, which can help your organisation avoid legal penalties and reputational damage.

Develop transferable skills

Besides enhancing your commercial acumen, studying business law can help you improve essential skills like critical thinking, analytical reasoning and problem-solving. You can also enhance your communication skills, which are crucial for effective negotiations and stakeholder management. These versatile skills are highly valued across diverse industries, giving you the flexibility to explore a wide range of jobs or even switch to a new sector.

Access a wide range of career opportunities

A qualification in business law can open doors to various roles where you can apply legal insight in business strategy. With this background, you can be well-equipped to contribute to areas like corporate governance, compliance, consulting and risk management. As a graduate, you can also explore roles that are in high demand. For example, SEEK projects a job growth of 32.2 per cent for business consultants in the next five years. This demonstrates the increasing need for professionals who can help businesses improve their operations, including navigating regulatory landscapes.

Provide a competitive edge

In today’s competitive job market, knowledge of both business and law can help elevate your professional profile. While many candidates may share similar business qualifications, having a solid understanding of legal principles related to business can showcase a broader skill set to employers, helping you to stand out. A business law degree can demonstrate that you’re well-equipped to handle complex and multifaceted business challenges.

Who should study business law?

Studying business law can be ideal for individuals who have an interest in combining both business acumen and legal insight in their career. If you enjoy tackling business challenges using analytical thinking and ethical consideration, this field can align well with your professional goals.

Even if you’re working in a non-legal sector, such as finance, marketing and management, enrolling in a business law course is a great way for you to build and apply legal knowledge that can be relevant to your role. Many universities offer programs designed for both legal and non-legal professionals, making it easier to gain a deeper understanding of the legal frameworks that influence commercial activity.

If you’re not sure whether you should study business law, take the quiz below to help determine if it fits your career path.

 

 

What do you learn in a business law course?

A business law course offers a comprehensive exploration of the legal systems and principles that shape how businesses operate. It aims to equip students with the knowledge to understand, interpret and apply laws that influence decision-making, risk management and commercial practices within businesses. The curriculum typically covers a wide range of legal areas essential to business operations. Some examples of units you may take on include:

Graduate Diploma in Business Law – University of Sydney

• Legal Reasoning and the Common Law System
• Taxation of Partnerships and Trusts
• Insolvency Law
• Taxation and Regulation of Superannuation

Graduate Certificate in Business Law – Southern Cross University 

• Advanced Contract Law
• Consumer Law
• Tax Law
• Law of Corporate Governance

Many elective units across business law courses also focus on international regulations, providing you with a broader understanding of how legal frameworks operate across borders. Here are a few examples of internationally-focused units you may study:

Master of Business Law – University of Sydney

• International Commercial Arbitration
• Chinese Laws and Chinese Legal Systems
• UK International Taxation
• Transfer Pricing in International Tax

Master of International Commercial and Business Law – University of Technology Sydney 

• International Trade Law
• Business and Law in China
• International Commercial Transactions
• Special Topics in International Law and Cultural Heritage

What you learn in business law also depends on the course level, with more advanced programs diving deeper into legal principles.

At the undergraduate level, a bachelor’s degree introduces you to the foundational relationship between law and business. Key learning outcomes typically include:

• Understanding core legal and business principles, including the Australian legal system
• Conducting basic legal research and interpreting legislation
• Using legal reasoning and problem-solving skills to evaluate and address business law issues

A graduate certificate develops your legal literacy and is typically available for professionals from both legal and non-legal backgrounds. You may gain competencies in:

• Examining key principles of business law in corporate governance
• Identifying legal risks and obligations across areas like contracts, intellectual property and consumer law
• Analysing legislation, case law and regulatory frameworks affecting Australian businesses

A graduate diploma offers a deeper dive into business law, ideal for professionals aiming to expand their legal expertise. You may develop capabilities in:

• Applying advanced knowledge and understanding of business law in both local and global commercial environments
• Using advanced research methods in business law to take on major projects focused on national and international business regulations
• Delivering legal insights clearly and effectively in written and verbal communication to diverse audiences

A master’s degree provides a more advanced and comprehensive learning experience than a graduate certificate or diploma, integrating business strategy with legal expertise. Through this qualification, you’ll typically develop skills such as:

• Critically analysing complex legal principles relevant to business operations and commerce
• Understanding and interpreting legal risks to implement informed corporate decisions that can help prevent potential litigation
• Exhibiting autonomy, judgement, adaptability and responsibility in applying advanced business law expertise professionally

If you’re enrolling without a prior legal background, some courses may require you to complete an introductory law unit either before or alongside your other units. This unit typically covers essential legal concepts, terminology and the structure of the legal system, providing you with the fundamental knowledge needed to engage with more advanced legal topics such as international trade regulation, capital gains tax and insolvency law.

Beyond theoretical learning, some programs also incorporate practical components to help you apply your knowledge in real-world contexts. For example, the University of Sydney’s Master of Business Law offers you the option to complete an independent research project in an area of your choosing as one of your elective units. Not only does this give you the opportunity to explore a legal issue of your interest in depth, but it can also develop advanced research and analytical skills, which are often highly valued in legal and business environments.

What skills can you gain from studying business law?

Studying business law can equip you with a combination of hard skills, such as legal literacy, legal research and risk management, and soft skills like problem-solving, communication and attention to detail. These capabilities can help you navigate complex business challenges that require legal insight. Find out what these skills entail below:

Hard skills

Legal literacy: Pursuing a business law course can deepen your understanding of key legal areas such as taxation, contract law, employment law and corporate governance. You can learn how to interpret complex statutes, case law and regulations relevant to business.

Legal research: You can develop the ability to analyse legal materials critically to determine how laws apply in real-world business scenarios. This skill helps you locate and leverage relevant regulations that support business decisions.

Risk management: Studying business law can help you understand various regulatory requirements organisations have to adhere to. With this knowledge, you’ll be more equipped to detect potential legal risks in business activities and formulate strategies to reduce them.

Soft skills

Problem-solving: During your studies, you’ll likely apply legal reasoning to address business issues regularly. This usually involves evaluating risks, assessing legal implications and crafting legally sound solutions that align with business goals.

Communication: Studying business law can help you improve your ability to articulate legal concepts to both legal and non-legal audiences. Besides oral communication, you can refine your written communication skills by learning how to draft legal documents and reports with clarity.

Attention to detail: Engaging with various legal sources can train you to identify inconsistencies and errors in contracts, policies and other legal documentation. This can improve your accuracy in legal analysis and strengthen your capability to uphold compliance standards.

How to study business law in Australia

Australia offers a diverse range of structured learning pathways for students and professionals looking to understand the legal frameworks that govern business operations. Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your expertise, there are multiple entry points into business law depending on your career aspirations. Many students typically begin with a bachelor’s degree in business law, which introduces foundational legal principles and systems. This undergraduate qualification can help you build the knowledge needed to pursue entry-level roles or prepare for postgraduate study in business law.

If you’re a working professional holding a degree in another field, you can explore postgraduate options like graduate certificates and graduate diplomas to help you gain formal legal knowledge without the need for a full law degree. Many of these programs welcome applicants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, making them ideal for professionals who deal with compliance and legal risks in their role.

If you want to dive further into business law or your career goal is to lead in corporate governance or regulatory affairs, obtaining a master’s degree in business law may be the most suitable option for you. This qualification can help you develop advanced skills in legal analysis and application. Gaining legal expertise through this degree can help enhance your career prospects, whether you're advancing in your current field or making a career change.

Reputable universities offering postgraduate business law courses in Australia

Among the leading universities in Australia offering postgraduate business law courses are the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, Monash University, the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Western Australia, the University of Southern Queensland and Southern Cross University. These universities are ranked according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject: Business and Management Studies in 2025. They offer high-quality education in postgraduate business law, helping you develop the legal insight and practical skills needed to thrive in your career.

Discover these university courses below:

University of Melbourne

Master of Commercial Law

This course is suited for lawyers and professionals seeking to broaden their expertise in commercial law across both domestic and international contexts. Offering a diverse selection of units, you can customise your studies with options like finance, competition law, dispute resolution, tax and intellectual property. If you don’t have a legal background, you’re required to complete the Fundamentals of the Common Law unit.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 12 months

Indicative total fee (2026): $49,984

University of Sydney

Graduate Diploma in Business Law

This graduate diploma at the University of Sydney is tailored for both lawyers and non-lawyers. In this course, you’ll learn about the growing significance of legal knowledge and business law proficiency among professionals across business sectors like finance, commerce and corporate. If you don’t hold a law degree from a common law jurisdiction, you’re required to complete the Legal Reasoning and the Common Law System unit either before or alongside your other law units.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 6 months

Indicative total fee (2026): $20,350

Master of Business Law

Tailored for business professionals and graduates seeking specialist legal expertise without pursuing legal practice, this course offers you access to a wide range of units from Sydney Law School. Areas of study include commercial law, securities and finance law, international business law, corporate taxation, and both domestic and international taxation. This program also provides a master's qualification that’s designed to complement and build on the completion of professional accountancy credentials, allowing you to navigate financial and legal landscapes effectively.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 12 months

Indicative total fee (2026): $40,700

Monash University

Master of Professional Accounting and Business Law

In this double degree, you can develop expertise in key areas of accounting, such as financial accounting, forensic accounting and auditing, while also deepening your understanding of the legal frameworks that influence how businesses operate. You’ll explore how the law intersects with corporate governance, human resources, financial regulation and workplace relations. Targeted to non-law and non-accounting graduates, this course is ideal for those working in compliance, risk management and regulatory roles who want to enhance their legal and accounting knowledge.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 30 months

Average indicative first-year fee (2025): $37,100

University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Master of International Commercial and Business Law

Available to both law and non-law students, this course aims to hone your expertise in business and commercial law in an international context. During your studies, you can tailor your learning by selecting from a diverse range of electives aligned with your career goals, with areas including marketing, insolvency, company and securities law, corporate governance, international trade law and financial reporting and management. It’s important to note that this degree does not qualify you to be a lawyer.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 12 months

Indicative total tuition fee (2025): $34,250

University of Western Australia (UWA)

Master of Resources and International Commercial Law

In this course, you’ll explore legal issues across the mining, energy and resources sectors. Available to both law and non-law students, this program is ideal for those looking to deepen their expertise or pursue a new career in the natural resources industry. Some of the topics covered include international investment in mineral resources, oil and gas law, mining law and climate change.

Delivery: Face-to-face

Duration: 12 months

Indicative annual fee (2026): $35,400

University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ)

Master of Laws (Commercial Law)

This law specialisation can help you gain a comprehensive understanding of key legal areas like international business law, taxation law, commercial litigation and mediation. As a student, you’ll also receive the necessary training to help you become a Nationally Accredited Mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation Standards, supporting your progression towards registration with an Australian Recognised Mediator Body.

Delivery: Online

Duration: 12 months

Indicative annual fee (2025): $33,520

Southern Cross University (SCU)

Graduate Certificate in Business Law

This course offers you a comprehensive introduction to the legal institutions and processes that shape the evolution of Australian law. You can build essential skills in identifying, interpreting and applying legal principles in relation to business, while building a strong foundation in specific areas like tax, intellectual property, global business and corporate governance law.

Delivery: Online

Duration: 8 months

Indicative total fee (2026): $13,000

Master of Business Law

This master’s course is the first of its kind to be delivered entirely online, offering flexibility for working professionals. Throughout this program, you can develop advanced legal capabilities to make strategic business decisions confidently. You can also further customise your learning experience by choosing six electives in key areas of business law, such as property law, taxation, contract law, competition law, consumer law and corporate governance.

Delivery: Online

Duration: 16 months

Indicative total fee (2026): $26,000

Master of Laws (Business Law)

Designed for individuals with a legal background, this course delves into diverse fields of both traditional and emerging areas of corporate and commercial law. Alongside foundational business law subjects, you can develop specialised expertise in fields such as global business law, competition law and IP. The curriculum aims to sharpen your analytical and critical thinking abilities while deepening your legal knowledge to enhance your professional practice.

Delivery: Online

Duration: 16 months

Indicative total fee for eight units (2025): $25,000

Career opportunities in business law

 

A qualification in business law can unlock a wide range of career opportunities across the corporate landscape, where legal expertise is either essential or highly advantageous. Roles such as commercial manager, procurement manager, governance manager, risk analyst, policy adviser, business consultant and compliance officer rely on a strong understanding of legal frameworks to guide strategic decisions and ensure regulatory compliance.

Learn more about what these jobs typically involve and how much they earn annually on average, according to SEEK:

1. Commercial manager
   A commercial manager plays an important role in improving an organisation’s financial growth by creating, negotiating and securing contracts with clients, suppliers and other key stakeholders. Knowledge of business law is essential for developing well-structured contracts and mitigating contractual risks. In this role, you typically assess commercial performance, implement risk management strategies and manage the financial and strategic aspects of projects.

   Average salary: $150,000 to $170,000 per year.

2. Procurement manager
   A procurement manager helps an organisation source the goods, products or services it needs to operate effectively. Your responsibilities may include ensuring timely and cost-effective acquisitions, preparing forecasts and budgets, identifying the best vendors, negotiating favourable contracts and maintaining strong working relationships with suppliers. Having expertise in business law enhances your ability to manage procurement activities and ensure that all purchasing decisions and contracts comply with relevant regulations, reducing legal risks for your company.

   Average salary: $130,000 to $150,000 per year.

3. Governance manager
   A governance manager often works together with the leadership team to administer best practices across core governance functions like corporate conduct and compliance. In this position, you ensure that organisational policies are aligned with relevant laws, which may involve developing governance policies and procedures. A strong understanding of business law is crucial as it provides the foundational knowledge and tools needed to design and enforce governance frameworks, upholding integrity and accountability in the workplace.

   Average salary: $125,000 to $145,000 per year.

4. Risk analyst
   As a risk analyst, you leverage your data analysis and statistical skills to find potential risks that can impact a company’s financial and operational performance. By forecasting future trends based on internal data and economic conditions, you can help businesses make more informed decisions that maximise profitability and minimise disruptions. With business law knowledge, you’ll also be able to offer businesses crucial insight to anticipate legal risks, navigate regulatory challenges and avoid legal consequences.

   Average salary: $105,000 to $125,000 per year.

5. Policy advisor
   As a policy advisor, you provide expert guidance on various policies, helping organisations implement meaningful changes that can improve operations and performance. Some of your key responsibilities may involve working with policy analysts to develop policies, staying updated with legislation reforms and examining the outcomes of policy implementations. This role requires a strong foundation in business law as it allows you to analyse legal implications of policies, interpret complex legislation for non-legal stakeholders and recommend strategies that balance legal risk with organisational goals.

   Average salary: $105,000 to $125,000 per year.

6. Business consultant
   As a business consultant, you provide professional advice to help organisations enhance efficiency and achieve stronger business outcomes. This often begins with engaging clients to understand and identify their organisational challenges, which may involve analysing their current business practices for inefficiencies and growth opportunities. This can help you develop improvement plans to address them. With business law expertise, you’ll be able to offer informed strategic advice, especially on the legal implications of business decisions.

   Average salary: $100,000 to $120,000 per year.

7. Compliance officer
   As a compliance officer, you play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of an organisation by ensuring that its operations align with appropriate laws and regulations. Your responsibilities typically involve conducting audits and internal risk assessments, preparing compliance reports and implementing procedures to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements across departments in various areas like environmental compliance, consumer protection and workplace safety. Business law expertise is essential for this role as it equips you with the knowledge needed to help an organisation consistently comply with regulatory requirements.

   Average salary: $80,000 to $100,000 per year.

Is a business law degree worth it?

A business law degree can be worth it if you want to pursue a career that combines business acumen with legal insight, especially if you don’t have a formal background in law. Even if you don’t plan on practising law, developing a strong grasp of legal principles can help you manage legal risks, navigate complex legal frameworks and make informed financial and legal decisions in business.

Whether you’re a recent graduate building a legal foundation for your career in business or a working professional looking to complement your existing expertise with legal knowledge, studying business law can help elevate your career trajectory towards success.

Explore your path in business law with postgraduate study

Complementing your business acumen with legal expertise can be a powerful way to elevate your professional capabilities. By having a solid grasp of business law, you’ll be better equipped to make smarter decisions and develop strategies that align with regulatory standards. Postgraduate study in this field offers a structured and practical way to build the legal expertise you need. Take the first step and discover a wide range of postgraduate business law courses in Australia today.