LAW1111 Foundations of law
Faculty of Law
LAW1111 Foundations of law is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 4 units, leading on to 18 units in all.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 45%
- and 3 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW1111
No prerequisites or corequisites.
After LAW1111
4 units list LAW1111 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Overview
The unit examines the foundation and structure of the institutions and processes of the Australian legal system, including legal practice as a distinctive element within the Australian legal process. It introduces the sources of authoritative law - statutes, delegated legislation and judicial precedents. A case series is used to demonstrate the evolution of the common law within the constraints of the doctrine and practice of precedent. The unit provides foundational knowledge and skills in the interpretation of judicial precedents and legislation and their application in legal problem-solving. Students develop fundamental skills in legal research and legal writing.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus, block |
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus, block |
Assessment
- In Class TestQuiz / Test20%
- Library research online quizQuiz / Test5%
- Written assignmentWritten30%
- Take-home examExamination45%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Explain how the institutions of the Australian legal system shape the content and administration of the law
- 2
Reflect on the role and responsibilities of lawyers in the administration of justice
- 3
Demonstrate a developing awareness of the role of law in facilitating the formation, operation and regulation of private legal entities, and the commercial significance of law's role in this respect
- 4
Locate efficiently the current law on a legal issue using library resources and critically evaluate the relevance, quality, authority and currency of the materials that they find
- 5
Find the statutes and related extrinsic materials relevant to answering a legal question
- 6
Extract and formulate legal propositions from judicial decisions, and assess their scope, legal validity and weight
- 7
Interpret, analyse, synthesise and apply the law when located, to solve a legal problem
- 8
Make a legal argument, or provide an opinion, and to do so clearly, accurately and concisely
- 9
Design and implement an efficient research strategy to answer a legal research question, using the most appropriate online and paper-based research tools
- 10
Identify the hallmarks of good legal writing, and use them to edit and improve their own writing.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Mrs Sally Andersen
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW1111?
LAW1111 has no prerequisites.
What can I take after LAW1111?
LAW1111 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 4 units, including LAW1112, LAW1113, LAW1114 and LAW2101. Those lead on to 18 units in all.
When is LAW1111 offered?
In 2025, LAW1111 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is LAW1111?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW1111 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 45% of the final mark, alongside 3 other tasks.