LAW4155 International human rights
Faculty of Law
LAW4155 International human rights is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2026 in Summer A and Summer B at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Summer A, Summer B
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW4155
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After LAW4155
No unit lists LAW4155 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study
Overview
This unit is a general introduction to international human rights law. It is concerned with human rights standards as they exist in international law and the international mechanisms for enforcing these standards. The unit will consider a selection of specific human rights, limitations to human rights (e.g. derogation in time of emergency) and some major contemporary international human rights issues.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Summer semester A | Clayton | On campus, block |
| Summer semester B | Clayton | On campus, block |
Assessment
- Critical analysis assessmentWritten40%
- Written assessmentWritten60%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Analyse key international human rights standards and evaluate relevant mechanisms for redressing violations of human rights.
- 2
Explain and critically discuss the content of various human rights, by reference to the law of the UN treaty monitoring committees and other human rights courts.
- 3
Investigate and critically evaluate some of the philosophical bases of, and problems with, international human rights law in light of contemporary human rights issues.
- 4
Communicate effectively about human rights law and 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.
Please note that Workshops are not recorded. You are expected to attend and participate in at least 80% of classes in law units. All the evidence suggests that student academic success is impacted by class attendance and participation.
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 Heli Askola
- Professor Melissa Castan
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4155?
LAW4155 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4155 offered?
In 2026, LAW4155 runs in Summer A and Summer B at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4155?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4155 have an exam?
No. LAW4155 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.