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Gold Coast
Term1,3
Term1,3
Online
Term1,3,5
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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

Anti-requisites

Not available for students admitted to an LLB course.

Unit aim

Introduces students to the concept of law and to the Australian legal system. Discusses basic concepts such as federalism, parliamentary sovereignty, separation of powers, rule of law, statutory interpretation, the doctrine of precedent and procedural fairness. Explores issues related to Indigenous Australian peoples and to effective equality before the law for all Australians.

Unit content

Module 1: Law in context

Module 2: Laws and legal systems in Australia

Module 3: Institutional structures

Module 4: Judge-made law

Module 5: Legislation

Module 6: Law in practice

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1 demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts of the Australian legal system, including federalism, parliamentary sovereignty, separation of powers, rule of law, statutory interpretation, the doctrine of precedent and procedural fairness
2 recognise the historical, social and political context of the foundations of the Australian legal system and evaluate whether the system achieves equality before the law for disadvantaged groups
3 identify how the law is made and the institutions and processes that influence change
4 identify how law enforcement operates in practice and the role of legal and paralegal professional roles.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts of the Australian legal system, including federalism, parliamentary sovereignty, separation of powers, rule of law, statutory interpretation, the doctrine of precedent and procedural fairness
  2. recognise the historical, social and political context of the foundations of the Australian legal system and evaluate whether the system achieves equality before the law for disadvantaged groups
  3. identify how the law is made and the institutions and processes that influence change
  4. identify how law enforcement operates in practice and the role of legal and paralegal professional roles.

Prescribed texts

  • Sanson, M & Anthony, T, 2022, Connecting with Law, 5th edn, Oxford University Press, Docklands, Victoria. ISBN: 9780190333782.

  • Sanson, M & Anthony, T, 2022, Connecting with Law, 5th edn, Oxford University Press, Docklands, Victoria. ISBN: 9780190333782.

  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.