LAW4164 International refugee law and practice
Faculty of Law
LAW4164 International refugee law and practice is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- 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 LAW4164
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After LAW4164
No unit lists LAW4164 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
This unit will explore the international protection regime for refugees including state obligations under international refugee law, human rights and the law of the sea. It will compare and contrast key concepts and practices of refugee protection, amongst receiving states. It will then address issues raised by regional responses such as deterrence measures and the externalization of border control policies. This unit will examine the sources of international refugee law and the evolution of the international regime for refugee protection. It will discuss comparative implementation of the refugee definition in Europe and other jurisdictions; modification of the Refugees Convention in domestic legislation; restrictive concepts such as 'internal protection' and 'safe third country' and the development of 'complementary protection' for asylum-seekers. It will then address issues raised by regional responses and creation of 'burden sharing' arrangements between states; procedures for determination of refugee status and proposals to reformulate the refugee protection regime.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Research AssignmentWritten50%
- Written assessmentWritten50%
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
Articulate the background and nature of international refugee law.
- 2
Investigate and apply the international instruments applicable to asylum seekers, including the Refugees Convention.
- 3
Critically evaluate comparative state and regional practices towards refugee applicants.
- 4
Undertake legal research and reasoning to explain legal and policy issues so as to formulate reasoned and appropriate responses to legal problems in international refugee law.
- 5
Strategically apply feedback to improve capabilities and performance of tasks.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 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
- Dr Samantha Currie
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4164?
LAW4164 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4164 offered?
In 2026, LAW4164 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4164?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4164 have an exam?
No. LAW4164 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.