Availabilities:

2021 unit offering information will be available in September 2020

Unit description

Identifies and evaluates some of the theoretical frameworks that inform legal knowledge and legal practice. Analyses a number of philosophical perspectives having implications for law, legal institutions and legal practices. Enables us to better appreciate the ethical and socio-political consequences of our practice as lawyers.

Unit content

Topic 1: Philosophical pursuits and the law 
Topic 2: Ethical and political frameworks
Topic 3: Traditional common law theory
Topic 4: Traditional jurisprudence: Legal positivism 
Topic 5: Traditional jurisprudence: Natural law 
Topic 6: Legal realism and Critical Legal Studies
Topic 7: Law and social theory
Topic 8: Poststructuralism, postmodernism and deconstruction
Topic 9: Feminism, race and colonialism
Topic 10: Historical and anthropological jurisprudence
Topic 11: Ecological jurisprudence
Topic 12: The concerns of legal theory

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1identify the central concerns of both traditional jurisprudence and contemporary legal theory;Intellectual rigourEthical practiceLifelong learning
2critically reflect upon the philosophical assumptions that inform the teaching, learning and practice of Anglo-Australian law;Intellectual rigourLifelong learning
3critically appraise the relationship between theory and practice, in particular, the relationship between ideas about law and specific social, cultural, political and legal practices;Intellectual rigourLifelong learning
4identify and evaluate the ethical frameworks within which our practice, both as lawyers and non-lawyers, operates.Ethical practiceLifelong learning

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. identify the central concerns of both traditional jurisprudence and contemporary legal theory;
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA3: Ethical practice
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
  2. critically reflect upon the philosophical assumptions that inform the teaching, learning and practice of Anglo-Australian law;
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
  3. critically appraise the relationship between theory and practice, in particular, the relationship between ideas about law and specific social, cultural, political and legal practices;
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
  4. identify and evaluate the ethical frameworks within which our practice, both as lawyers and non-lawyers, operates.
    • GA3: Ethical practice
    • GA5: Lifelong learning

Teaching and assessment

Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2021 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 1

Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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