Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
LAWS104 Foundations of Law and Legal Research
Teaching organisation
4 hours per week for twelve weeks or equivalent.Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit introduces students to contemporary issues in law through a series of focused topic-specific workshops on a selected issue. Up to three topics of focus will be selected each semester. These may include such areas of the law as:
- Law of the United Nations;
- Family Law;
- Immigration Law;
- Environmental Law.
Students will additionally complete workshops designed to advance their legal research, writing and analytical skills, and then apply these skills to their chosen research topic in order to articulate a legal issue, analyse and apply relevant law and reach appropriate conclusions.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Critically discuss and appreciate contemporary legal issues arising in highly dynamic areas of the law |
| LO2 | Identify and critically apply domestic and international law relevant and applicable to a selected topic of focus |
| LO3 | Further develop legal research skills using a library and electronic resources to comprehensively describe the law in a selected topic of focus |
| LO4 | Communicate effectively to others the outcome of legal analysis and research |
Content
Topics will include:
- Core legal and policy concepts in selected areas of law
- Contemporary issues in the selected areas of laws:
- Law of the United Nations;
- Family Law;
- Immigration Law;
- Environmental Law
- Domestic and international legal research tools and skills
- Effective legal writing and communication skills
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Mode: Lectures, tutorials, electronic consultation, library tasks and presentations or Online lectures and activities.
Duration: 3 hours per week over 12 weeks or equivalent. Students are expected to spend 150 hours in total for this unit.
This level two elective unit allows students to demonstrate advanced knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law building on knowledge developed in the compulsory units.
Our strategy is to encourage students to creatively engage with unit content and to apply Priestley knowledge in a specialist area of law.
The unit is designed to be delivered in intensive, weekly mode or online mode. We have taken a multimodal learning approach to provide accessibility and flexibility to our students and a student-focused approach that increases depth of learning and engagement through actively utilising Canvas.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy is designed to assess knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law, and to apply knowledge developed in the compulsory law units to a specialist area of law.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each of the learning outcomes listed. Theses may include but are not limited to essays, exams, problem questions, participation and presentations.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Research essay: students are required to demonstrate their ability to research assigned topic and critically evaluate the relevant legal systems and laws | 50% | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
Final Assignment: students are required to answer hypothetical problems and short answer questions that will be based on the material presented in lectures and tutorials. | 50% | LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
This will change depending on the nature of the contemporary legal issues addressed.