UnitLevel 1Undergraduate

LAW1112 Public law and statutory interpretation

Faculty of Law

LAW1112 Public law and statutory interpretation is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2021 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 9 units.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2021
Semester 1, Semester 2
Clayton
Assessment
Exam 50%
and 2 other tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Enrolment rules

Prerequisite: For students who commenced their LLB (Hons) course in 2015 or later:
Students in LLB(Hons)/BE(Hons) (L3002): LAW1111 Foundations of Law
All other single or double degree LLB(Hons) students: LAW1111 Foundations of Law,  LAW1114 Criminal Law 1

Overview

The unit will introduce the basic principles of public law, government and statutory interpretation in Australian law. The unit will investigate the range of legal devices whereby Australia is governed, and will introduce key ideas pertaining to public legal entities, including the Crown. Fundamental principles of public law will be considered, together with the broader contexts in which they arise and operate. So will fundamental, constitutional relationships between each of Parliament, the executive and the judiciary. The unit will also deal with statutory interpretation in depth, beginning with the fundamental constitutional principle of parliamentary supremacy, and exploring how the rules and principles of statutory interpretation flow from an understanding of the constitutional relationship between Parliament and the judiciary.

Offerings in 2021

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterClaytonOn campus
Second semesterClaytonOn campus

Assessment

  • Legislative Research QuizOther
    10%
  • Written assessment taskOther
    40%
  • Final examExam
    50%

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Explain the legal principles and institutional arrangements that underpin government in Australia

  2. 2

    Demonstrate an awareness of the principles and values that have shaped the Australian system of government, including representative democracy, the rule of law and human rights

  3. 3

    Critically examine the framework of Australian government with reference to a range of broader perspectives

  4. 4

    Demonstrate an understanding of constitutionalism and the rule of law as values and modes of government that shape the broader political and institutional context within which particular legal issues arise

  5. 5

    Articulate and critically examine the purposes and scope of the fundamental constitutional rules that govern the relationships between Parliament, the executive and the judiciary

  6. 6

    Select, interpret and apply relevant rules and principles of statutory interpretation in order to reach a considered view on the legal meaning, or likely legal meaning, of a doubtful legislative provision

  7. 7

    Give a reasoned opinion as to the appropriate meaning of a legislative provision which takes adequate account of the law of statutory interpretation

  8. 8

    Demonstrate the intellectual and practical skills needed to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues.

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
Associate Professor Maria O'Sullivan
Dr Katie O'Bryan

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for LAW1112?

LAW1112 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

What can I take after LAW1112?

LAW1112 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 9 units, including LAW4158, LAW4219, LAW4332, LAW4522, LAW4678 and LAW4691.

When is LAW1112 offered?

In 2021, LAW1112 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton.

How much work is LAW1112?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does LAW1112 have an exam?

Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
1
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Law
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Not available