Course Outline
LAW101 Foundations of Australian Law A
Course Coordinator:Alex Pelizzon (apelizzon@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
2026Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course introduces you to the Australian legal system and the skills required to study law. This course will involve three modules: foundational legal skills and institutions, case law and legislation. You will study legal institutions and method to develop critical skills in finding, interpreting and applying the key sources of law: legislation and common law. You will also start to develop your legal writing and referencing skills which will be crucial for your study of law.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Online learning materials - 1 hour each week, weeks 1-13. | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial/workshop - 2 hours each week, weeks 1-13 | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
| Seminar – Synchronous all-of-cohort seminar | 1hr | Week 1 | Once Only |
Course Topics
Legal Research
Legal Problem Solving
Legal Referencing
Legal Concepts
Legal Institutions
Doctrine of Precedent
Statutory Interpretation
What level is this course?
100 Level (Introductory)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
| 1 | Explain fundamental concepts underpinning the Australian legal system, its history and operation. | Knowledgeable |
| 2 | Locate, read, analyse and interpret legislation and cases and apply the relevant rules of law to a simple problem. |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
| 3 | Apply skills of critical thinking to consider particular issues in the operation of the legal system. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
| 4 | Analyse a research question to determine the legal materials you need; locate those materials using appropriate techniques and correctly cite sources. |
Empowered Ethical |
| 5 | Use written skills to communicate legal concepts effectively using correct spelling and grammar. | Empowered |
| 6 | Demonstrate oral communication skills to communicate legal concepts effectively including responding to questions, explaining concepts, and considering alternate positions. |
Empowered Engaged |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in any Law Program or AR013
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
This course will include early review that provides formative feedback on academic progress. In weeks 3 & 4, you will have an opportunity to learn and practise using legal research databases which will assist you with the knowledge you need to complete Task 2. You will receive regular feedback on your learning progress through your participation in tutorial activities.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Activity Participation | Individual | 10% | 2 Hour Tutorials |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
| All | 2a | Plan | Individual | 20% | 6 page limit on template provided |
Week 6 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2b | Artefact - Professional | Individual | 30% | 1500 words |
Week 10 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 40% | 3 Hours |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Tutorial Participation | ||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to assess your ability to identify and respond to foundational questions about law, legal interpretation and the Australian legal system. |
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| Product: | Activity Participation | |||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||
| Format: | Oral responses to questions within the tutorial time or written responses to the tutorial activities each week if unable to attend the tutorial. Students will need to complete participation for 10 tutorials, with each tutorial being worth 1% of the mark. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation |
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| All - Assessment Task 2a:Research Task | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to set conduct research into case law and legislation pertaining to a legal problem. |
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| Product: | Plan | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Research plan on template provided on Canvas |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2b:Problem Solving Task | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this assignment is to develop your ability to analyse, synthesise and interpret legal sources and apply legal knowledge to a legal problem. |
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| Product: | Artefact - Professional | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Written legal advice |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Invigilated Final Examination | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of the examination is to assess your understanding of the legal concepts that have been introduced in this course, as well as your ability to apply that understanding to hypothetical fact situations. |
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| Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | This assessment task is an online, open-book and invigilated exam. You will be required to attend a live Zoom session throughout the duration of the exam and need access to a working computer, a stable internet connection, and a webcam. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving |
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Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Required | R CREYKE; D HAMER; P O?MARA; B SMITH; T TAYLOR. | 2020 | LAYING DOWN THE LAW, 11TH EDITION. | 11th ed | LexisNexis |
Specific requirements
Not applicable
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconductAssessment: Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
- In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au