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Digital Consumer Protection Law (LAWS90165)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
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.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
June
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | June - Online |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Digital technology is changing markets and the way in which consumers interact with them. This subject investigates the challenges raised by this transformation for policies and laws that aim to protect consumers in their market dealings and for the values that underpin these regimes. It will do this through a series of case studies critically examining different features of the consumer-market exchange in a digital age and the responses by governments to date. Through the lens of these case studies, students will:
- critically consider the adequacy of traditional policy and law in responding to the challenges raised by digital technology in the consumer market;
- explore what additional types of interventions and strategies might be used in responding to the distinctive characteristics of the digital consumer market; and
- investigate and evaluate the responses of different jurisdictions, including, as relevant, Australia, India, China, ASEAN, European Union, Canada and the United States in addressing effective consumer protection in a digital age.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students will:
- have an advanced and integrated understanding of the challenges raised by digital technologies for consumer protection;
- be able to critically examine and analyse the application of existing consumer protection law and policy in responding to digital technologies in the consumer market;
- have advanced skills in identifying, comparing and critically analysing strategies in a range of jurisdictions for responding to the changing nature of the consumer market prompted by new digital technologies;
- have an advanced understating of both law and policy, along with the characteristics of new technological advances, that allows the sophisticated response to the complex questions raised by these developments for consumer protection.
- have the advanced and integrated skills to be an informed and engaged participant in important debates about the role of consumer protection in the digital consumer market; and
- have an advanced capacity to use the knowledge and skills students have gained in the subject in a way that demonstrates effective autonomy, judgment, adaptability and responsibility as an expert learner and practitioner in the field of global consumer law.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
It is recommended that students have completed Australian Consumer Law or Consumer Protection (online) prior to enrolling in this subject, or have relevant industry or work experience in consumer protection policy or law.
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
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: 3 November 2022
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
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation through leading the discussion on an assigned topic | Throughout the teaching period | 20% |
Option 1: Take-home exam
| 17 - 20 July) | 80% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic agreed with the subject coordinator
| 26 August | 80% |
Attendance Hurdle requirement: A minimum 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
- Class participation through leading the discussion on an assigned topic (20%); and either
- A research paper (7000 words), on a topic agreed with the subject coordinator (80%); or
- A take home exam (6000 words)(80%)
A minimum 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- June - Online
Coordinator Jeannie Paterson Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 4 May 2020 Pre teaching requirements The pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 1 June 2020 to 5 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 8 May 2020 Census date 2 June 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 17 July 2020 Assessment period ends 26 August 2020 June contact information
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Printed and online materials may be provided by Melbourne Law School.
- Links to additional information
- 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.
- 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: 3 November 2022