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International Law and Children's Rights (LAWS70120)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
October
Lecturer
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | October |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Issues concerning children, whether they arise at the international, regional or local level, are increasingly being examined from a human rights perspective. Much of the momentum for this movement has been generated by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989, and has been ratified by every state in the world except the United States and South Sudan. This subject is designed to provide students with an understanding of the CRC and the idea of a human rights-based approach to matters involving children. It will be of interest to anyone who works in areas that impact on children, either directly or indirectly, at the international, regional or local level. The lecturer has extensive networks with civil society, international bodies and government agencies that he draws on to provide an appropriate blend of academic and practical content.
The subject consists of two parts. Part one involves a general discussion of:
- The notion of children’s rights
- The international framework for the protection of children’s rights, with particular emphasis on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
- The factors that impact on the implementation of the Convention, both in Australia and overseas.
Part two involves an examination of specific issues relevant to children and how the Convention and a rights-based analysis can be used to respond to these issues. The issues will be drawn from areas such as:
- Sexual exploitation, including trafficking, prostitution and pornography
- Child labour
- Juvenile justice
- Child refugees
- Violence against children
- Children in armed conflict
- HIV/AIDS and children
- Child poverty and homelessness.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have an advanced and integrated understanding of the relevant international laws, processes and systems relating to children's rights and their status under both international and domestic law
- Be able to critically examine, analyse, interpret and assess the effectiveness of these legal rules, processes and systems
- Be an engaged participant in debate regarding emerging and contemporary issues in the field of children's rights, in areas such as child labour, the alleviation of child poverty, the sexual exploitation of children, the impact of armed conflict on children and violence against children
- Have a sophisticated appreciation of the factors and processes driving engagement and implementation of children's rights
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to generate critical and creative ideas relating to the concept of children's rights and its application to a range of issues concerning children
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to independently examine, research and analyse existing and emerging legal issues relating children's rights
- Have the communication skills to clearly articulate and convey complex information regarding children's rights to relevant specialist and non-specialist audiences
- Be able demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and learner in the field of children's rights.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 15 - 18 December 2023 | 100% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 17 January 2024 | 100% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Students must choose assessment from the options listed above. If an option contains parts, all parts must be completed if that option is chosen.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- October
Principal coordinator John Tobin Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students are expected to attend all sessions whether participating on-campus or remotely. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 20 September 2023 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 18 October 2023 to 24 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 25 September 2023 Census date 19 October 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 8 December 2023 Assessment period ends 17 January 2024 October contact information
Lecturer
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted 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.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- 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.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-masters@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: 31 January 2024