Economics of the Law (ECON30018)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

You’re viewing the 2020 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks
You’re currently viewing the 2020 version of this subject
As part of the University’s response to COVID-19 and the associated Government restrictions and guidelines, most subjects will continue to be delivered online in Winter and Semester 2.
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.

Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.

Overview

Availability
Semester 1
FeesLook up fees

This subject addresses the economic principles underlying various areas of the law and which are relevant to legal practice. Three main issues will be studied. The first is competition law and consumer protection. The second is property rights, including intellectual property. The third main area concerns issues of damages and compensation. The course will develop economic tools to analyse these legal issues. These include incomplete contracting, oligopoly analysis and incomplete information.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Specify a microeconomic policy issue
  • Select and justify appropriate economic theories for analysing the issue
  • Specify benefits and costs expected to result from the policy intervention
  • Identify alternative economic policies for achieving the policy object if appropriate.

Generic skills

  • High level of development: problem solving; application of theory to practice; interpretation and analysis; critical thinking; receptiveness to alternative ideas.
  • Moderate level of development: oral communication; written communication; synthesis of data and other information; evaluation of data and other information; accessing data and other information from a range of sources.
  • Some level of development: collaborative learning; team work; statistical reasoning; use of computer software.

Last updated: 9 April 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ECON20002 Intermediate Microeconomics
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

Please refer to Prerequisites and Corequisites.

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: 9 April 2025

Assessment

Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Assignment 1

  • 800 words
Week 620%

Assignment 2

  • 1200 words
Week 1020%

Final Exam

  • 2 hours
Hurdle requirement: To pass this subject students must pass the end of semester examination.		During the examination period60%

Last updated: 9 April 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    Principal coordinatorRhonda Smith
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hoursOne 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial per week
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020
    Last self-enrol date13 March 2020
    Census date30 April 2020
    Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020
    Assessment period ends 3 July 2020

    Semester 1 contact information

    rhondals@unimelb.edu.au

Time commitment details

170 Hours

Last updated: 9 April 2025

Further information

Last updated: 9 April 2025