UnitLevel 4Undergraduate

LAW4193 Biotechnology and the law

Faculty of Law

LAW4193 Biotechnology and the law is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law. It isn't offered in 2026. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2026
Not offered
Assessment
Exam 60%
and 1 other task
Workload
144 hours
per semester

This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before LAW4193

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

After LAW4193

No unit lists LAW4193 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.

Enrolment rules

You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study

Overview

The Unit explores the intersection of biotechnology and law. Possible social, cultural, economic and political concerns about the application of biotechnology techniques and the use of their products in various sectors, medical, agricultural and industrial, and the consequential demands on the law will be central to the unit. The unit focuses on Australian law but where useful, the approach taken in overseas jurisdictions is included. Topics include consideration of the difficulties in regulating science generally; examination of national and state regulatory systems for research and development using controversial biotechnology techniques, including genetic modification and cloning; analysis of the more significant legal concerns regarding access to genetic resources; evaluation of approaches to the regulation of end products of biotechnology.

Offerings in 2026

The 2026 handbook lists no offerings for LAW4193.

Assessment

  • Written assignmentWritten
    40%
  • Take home examExamination
    60%

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. 1

    Gain coherent and advanced knowledge of the principles and concepts underpinning the application of traditional legal rules, and the development of new legal rules, to socio-economic issues raised by biotechnology;

  2. 2

    Have the skills and knowledge to provide basic advice to scientists and those wanting to commercially exploit biotechnology and its outcomes on their rights and responsibilities in law;

  3. 3

    Demonstrate an understanding of the development of legal rules and institutions tailored to biotechnology (e.g., Australian Gene Technology Regulator; legislation governing human embryo research and cloning; regulatory approaches to genetics research and commercialisation);

  4. 4

    Demonstrate an understanding of, and the ability to critically analyse and evaluate, the interests and forces that influence and shape the development and application of the law to biotechnology;

  5. 5

    Have the skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesis the above knowledge to identify and provide solutions to complex problems arising out of the practice or development of, or activities pertaining to, biotechnology;

  6. 6

    Further develop their writing skills; and

  7. 7

    Enhance their skills of statutory interpretation in the context of technical and complex legislation.

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.

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for LAW4193?

LAW4193 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

When is LAW4193 offered?

LAW4193 has no offerings listed in the 2026 handbook.

How much work is LAW4193?

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

Does LAW4193 have an exam?

Yes. The exam is worth 60% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
4
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Law
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Available