Course Outline

LAW108 Law and Society

Course Coordinator:Dale Mitchell (dmitchell@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus.

Please go to usc.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

Law is more than just legislation or the decisions of judges. Law, as a concept, is framed by differing ideas about what it is, what it ought to be, and when it should punish or be disobeyed. These questions of legal power and authority are central to understanding and critiquing how law functions in our world. This course introduces jurisprudence – the study of which will allow you to think critically about law, its role in society, and the inability to separate law from its context. 

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Seminar – On-Campus Mandatory Contact Point during O-Week (centrally timetabled) 2hrs Orientation week Once Only
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On-Campus Tutorials 2hrs Week 2 10 times
Online
Seminar – On-Campus Mandatory Contact Point during O-Week (centrally timetabled) 2hrs Orientation week Once Only
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online Tutorials 2hrs Week 2 10 times

Course Topics

Law is not value neutral. Law is intertwined with values, ethics, and perspectives. This course introduces jurisprudential theories and debates which consider the nature of law - what it is, what it ought to be, and the impacts it has on our world. This includes a consideration of:

  • What is 'law'? From where does law gain its authority? (Legal Positivism, Natural Law, Law and Power).
  • What is the role of the judge? How do judges make decisions? (Legal Formalism, Legal Realism)
  • What dominant ideas and values underpin our legal system? (Liberalism, Capitalism, Anthropocentrism). 
  • How can alternative perspectives on law and society challenge or change how we think about law? (Legal Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, Queer Legal Theory)
  • What are the emergent challenges in law and society, and how might jurisprudence help us to understand and navigate them? (Themes will vary on every course offering, however this may include Ecological Jurisprudence, Disability Jurisprudence, and Law and Technology).

As the course content will differ year to year, some course topics may include references to adult themes, violence, or otherwise sensitive content.

Mature Content

Violence, Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

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 Link jurisprudential theories and themes to contemporary legal issues. Empowered
Engaged
2 Recognise legal challenges arising from changing social, technological, cultural and environmental norms. Ethical
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
3 Understand and navigate key jurisprudence texts and traditions. Knowledgeable
Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
Communication
Information literacy
4 Apply theories of judgment and legal research skills to present articulate and well-reasoned arguments and opinions. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
5 Review and critique selected legal scholarship, with reference to jurisprudential theories and perspectives. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
6 Develop and demonstrate effective presentation skills, including proper referencing and citation techniques, to communicate legal information accurately and professionally. Empowered

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 UB008 or AD001 or AR013 or AR390 or AR391 or AR392 or AR396 or AR397 or AB310 or AB311

Co-requisites

(LAW100 and LAW105) OR (LAW101)

Anti-requisites

LAW102

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

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

Feedback will be provided throughout the course through the tutorial program. In LAW108, this is supplemented through the practice of peer discussion and feedback in addition to the support provided by teaching staff within the classroom. The tutorial program actively supports and engages with the assessment in this course, assisting in scaffolding students towards success.

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 1a Activity Participation Individual 0%
2 Hours
Refer to Format In Class
All 1b Activity Participation Individual 10%
Tutorials
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) In Class
All 2 Journal Individual 20%
800 words
Week 5 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Written Piece Individual 40%
1500 Words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 4 Essay Individual 30%
2000 Words maximum
Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1a:Mandatory Contact Point Attendance
Goal:
To successfully complete LAW108 Law and Society and meet the Bachelor of Laws accreditation requirements at UniSC, students must attend in-person and participate in the Mandatory Contact Point held in Orientation Week.
Product: Activity Participation
Format:
In-person attendance during scheduled orientation week activities.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Participation and attendance at prescribed mandatory activities
6
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 1b:Tutorial Participation - Exploring Legal Realities
Goal:
The goal of this task is to assess your ability to comprehend, engage and discuss questions related to jurisprudence, law and society.
Product: Activity Participation
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.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Ability to synthesis and explain legal theories and jurisprudential concepts.
1 2 4 5
2
Communication skills appropriate for the audience.
6
3
Supportive and collaborative professional etiquette.
4 6
4
Identification of relevant facts and legal issues.
1 2 4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Reading Diary - Comprehending Legal Realities
Goal:
The goal of the ‘Comprehending Legal Realities’ task is for you to demonstrate your understanding of key readings in the course, and to reflect on their value in understanding law and society.
Product: Journal
Format:
Task 2 builds upon the discussions in tutorials by requiring you to provide a summary and reflection of two course readings. You will be provided with a prompts to respond to as evidence of your reflection and engagement with the text.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Understanding and comprehension of the course reading.
3
2
Evaluation and analysis of material, including evaluating and making judgments about the material being discussed.
1 4 5
3
Use of course materials and academic research to justify opinions.
1 4 5
4
Demonstration of academic writing skills.
4 6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Research Note – Questioning Legal Realities
Goal:
The goal of the 'Questioning Legal Realities' task is to sharpen your skills in legal comprehension, analysis, and critique. This task tests your capacity to apply and unpick the underlying assumptions behind arguments, and to deploy jurisprudential lenses as a means of re-examining the world.

This is an Aligned Assessment Point.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
Task 3 provides an opportunity to flex the skills developed throughout the tutorial program by critiquing select legal scholarship. This task challenges you to demonstrate your comprehension of the piece through a summary of the paper, and crafting responses which identify the underlying assumptions and theoretical frameworks which influence its analysis.
 
Further guidance regarding this task, including the list of articles from which to choose and specific matters to be addressed in the Research Note, will be provided on the course site.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identification and understanding of legal arguments and the values which sustain them
1 3
2
Evaluation of arguments using jurisprudential theories and perspectives
2 5
3
Application of legal and jurisprudential knowledge to justify opinions and critique
4 5
4
Demonstration of academic writing and research skills
6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 4:Essay – Critiquing Legal Realities
Goal:
The goal of the ‘Challenging Legal Realities’ is to craft a compelling, persuasive and scholarly sound response to a provocative question. This task tests your academic writing and legal research skills, and also builds upon the activities completed throughout the tutorial program.
Product: Essay
Format:
Task 3 requires you to harness the knowledge and experience gained throughout this course to craft a legal research essay. You will be required to formulate a thesis in response to a provocation, and to undertake academic research to craft arguments which support your position. 
 
This is captured in the form of an essay. This essay should have a maximum length of 2,000 words, and footnote references in accordance with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. A bibliography is required for this task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Knowledge and understanding of the topic
1 2 3
2
Creation of a compelling thesis
2
3
Application of knowledge to justify opinions and critique
3 4 5
4
Demonstration of analytical and critical thinking skills through the curation of arguments
2 4
5
Demonstration of academic writing and research skills, including referencing
6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

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

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Jonathan Crowe 2024 Legal Theory Fourth edition Thomson Reuters

Specific requirements

This course contains a Mandatory Contact Point, requiring in-person attendance for all cohorts (including Online cohorts). To successfully complete LAW108 Law and Society and meet the Bachelor of Laws accreditation requirements at UniSC, students must attend in-person and participate in the Mandatory Contact Point held in Orientation Week. Failure to attend the Mandatory Contact Point will mean that students are not able to pass the course. 

Online options will be offered for all in-semester classes, in-person attendance is only required for Orientation Week.

This course contains an Aligned Assessment Point.

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

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:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

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