Course Outline Report: LAW400

What is this course about?

Description

Negotiation and Dispute Resolution provides you the opportunity to develop essential skills in negotiation, client management, and professional communication. Through realistic scenarios and group work, you will learn to navigate complex disputes, negotiate effectively, and foster constructive dialogue, while honing your abilities to advocate on behalf of clients. This course empowers you to cultivate valuable practical skills, equipping you for successful careers in law and related fields, where the art of negotiation and dispute resolution plays a pivotal role in achieving favourable outcomes.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity	Hours	Beginning Week	Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials	1hr	Week 1	12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On-Campus Mandatory Contact Point during Weeks 1-2	2hrs	Week 1	2 times
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – Tutorial/Workshop	2hrs	Week 3	3 times
Online
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials	1hr	Week 1	12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On-Campus Mandatory Contact Point during Weeks 1-2	2hrs	Week 1	2 times
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – Tutorial/workshop	2hrs	Week 3	3 times

Course Topics

This course accumulates all of your legal learning and tests it in a simulated legal setting. You will practice:

Client Management Skills – How can you manage client expectations, advocate for them, and get the information you need from them? (Client Management, Advocacy, Providing Advice, Professionalism and Empathy)
Negotiation and Dispute Resolution – What are the processes that can be undertaken to resolve legal disputes? (Suggesting and Conducting Alternate Methods of Dispute Resolution, Professional Communication with Other Firms, Time-Sensitivity, Advocacy)
Collaboration with Others – How can you best collaborate in a productive way with others? (Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Internal Conflict Resolution, Respectful Disagreement, Leadership)

What level is this course?

400 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth 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	Use skills of fact finding and exercise judgement when making decisions about legal options open to a client.	Empowered Ethical Engaged Sustainability-focussed
2	Display ethical conduct by adhering to principles of integrity and professional responsibility in legal practice and decision-making.	Knowledgeable Ethical
3	Utilize critical thinking, analysis, and sound judgment to apply legal knowledge effectively in diverse contexts, generating appropriate and practical responses to complex problems and ethical issues.	Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical
4	Collaborate effectively by actively participating and contributing to group tasks.	Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical
5	Manage client expectations by communicating respectfully and honestly.	Empowered Ethical Engaged
6	Demonstrate effective, persuasive, and contextually appropriate written and oral communication.	Empowered
7	Reflect on and evaluate your personal responses to issues you encounter in a simulated workplace setting.	Empowered Ethical

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

Successful completion of 144 units and enrolled in UB008 or AB310 or AB311 or AR392 or AR396 or AR397

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

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

Early feedback will be provided by course staff in tutorials Weeks 1-4.

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%	Tutorials in Weeks 1-2	Throughout teaching period (refer to Format)	In Class
All	1b	Oral	Group	50%	30mins	Week 10	Online Submission
All	2	Written Piece	Individual	50%	3500 words	Week 13	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check

All - Assessment Task 1a:Mandatory Contact Point Attendance

Goal:

To successfully complete LAW400 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and meet the Bachelor of Laws accreditation requirements at UniSC, students must attend in-person and participate in the Mandatory Contact Point held in Weeks 1-2.

Product:

Activity Participation

Format:

In-person attendance at tutorials.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Professional Induction	2 4

Generic Skills:

All - Assessment Task 1b:Dispute Resolution Presentations

Goal:

To assess your ability to communicate professionally and competently with other lawyers, and achieve a good outcome for your client.

Product:

Oral

Format:

Recorded oral presentations

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Demonstrate your knowledge of negotiation and dispute resolution	1 2 3
2	Communicate clearly and effectively	5 6
3	Collaboration	4

Generic Skills:

Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

All - Assessment Task 2:Agreement and Reflection

Goal:

To assess your skill development, legal understanding, professionalism and group work.

Product:

Written Piece

Format:

A document that outlines the terms of the agreement, including commentary, and a document that outlines a reflection on the utility and effectiveness of dispute resolution processes.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Demonstrate knowledge of negotiation and dispute resolution	1 2 3
2	Reflect on your experience and work ethic within the course	6 7

Generic Skills:

Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, 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

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

This course contains a Mandatory Contact Point, requiring in-person attendance for all cohorts (including Online cohorts) for Weeks 1-2. To successfully complete LAW400 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and meet the Bachelor of Laws accreditation requirements at UniSC, students must attend in-person and participate in the Mandatory Contact Point held in Weeks 1-2. 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 Weeks 1-2. 

This course contains an Aligned Assessment Point and will require some in-person contributions as negotiated with your group.

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