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Legal Language (LAWS20008)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
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This subject explores the cultural and institutional languages of law. Law talks about itself in the language of rights and duties, authority and justice, property and persons and things. Our examples will focus on the ways in which this language is given institutional form (e.g. in courts or in cases or in specific procedures), and cultural expression (e.g. film and literature). Our guiding questions are: how are the languages of law spoken, by whom, where and with what effects? In sum, what we will study is the authority, procedure and conduct of law.
The subject proceeds by way of close reading of selected cases and judgments chosen to provide a representative sample of the main areas of legal practice and study, such as criminal law and torts, administrative law and native title, constitutional law and evidence, Australian law and international law. Throughout, the justice of the case will be evaluated.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should have an understanding of the foundations of law, how it is expressed and how it is represented in contemporary culture. Specifically, the student will be able to reflect on and evaluate:
- Interdisciplinary approaches to law;
- legal processes, procedures and methods;
- the forms and idioms of legislation, judgment and testimony; The legal and cultural role of the lawyer;
- the legal and cultural expression of rights, duties and the demands of justice; and
- the distinction between private and public, domestic and international law.
In addition, a student will have obtained:
- An appreciation of the distinctiveness of legal practices;
- a knowledge of the basic divisions of legal subject areas;
- in-depth knowledge of at least one case study discussed in the subject;
- the ability to analyse legal problems from a variety of perspectives; and
- the capacity to conduct independent research about law.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject the student should have:
- Capacity for self-directed learning, specifically the ability to plan work and use time effectively;
- cognitive and analytical skills;
- ability to speak about complex ideas in a clear and cogent manner;
- an awareness of diversity and plurality;
- write essays which develop structured argumentation; and
- capacity to judge the worth of their own arguments.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Additional details
- Judgment Report (1,000 words) (25%);
- Research Essay (3,000 words) (75%).
The due dates of the above assessment will be available to students via the LMS subject page.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Peter Rush Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours (one 2-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week) Total time commitment 144 hours Teaching period 4 March 2019 to 2 June 2019 Last self-enrol date 15 March 2019 Census date 31 March 2019 Last date to withdraw without fail 10 May 2019 Assessment period ends 28 June 2019 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
144 hours
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Specialist printed materials will be available from the University Co-Op Bookshop.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Minor Law and Justice - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024