LAWS8153 Intro To Legal Reasoning and Research

Offered By	Law
Academic Career	Graduate Coursework
Course Subject	Laws
Offered in	Summer Session, 2010
Unit Value	6 units
Course Description	This course is designed to assist students who do not have a law degree or similar qualification to get an initial understanding of legal principles and legal methods, and to equip them with the legal skills needed for their study in law. Lawyers are not permitted to take this course. The legal thinking component of the course will be focused mainly on: The common law system and its special features Legal thinking The nature and role of precedent Legislation Nature and ambit of legislation Interpretive rules The Australian Constitutional order International law (including relevance for domestic law) The research and other skill-based component will cover: Introduction to the library (electronic resources, research techniques, borrowing arrangements, librarians, etc) Legal writing (including style, referencing etc) Legal problem solving, drawing on case discussions.
Learning Outcomes	An understanding and appreciation of law language A comprehension of the role of law and how it achieves that role An ability to use these outcomes in the courses you will undertake in the law program Sympathy with, even if not full acceptance of, the way the law works and an ability to apply that to the problems set
Indicative Assessment	Students must rely on the Approved Assessment which will be posted to the course homepage on the ANU Law website, prior to the commencement of the course. The course will be assessed on a pass/fail basis (CRS (Course Requirements Satisfied) standard, or N fail). Where the CRS standard is not initially achieved, a degree of remedial assistance will be available to students who still wish to pursue their graduate legal studies.
Workload	26 Contact Hours (Intensive Delivery) Click here for the 2010 timetable
Course Classification(s)	TransitionalTransitional courses are designed for students from a broad range of backgrounds and learning achievements, which provide for the acquisition of generic skills; or an informed understanding of contemporary issues; or fundamental knowledge for transition to Advanced or Specialist courses.
Areas of Interest	Law
Assumed Knowledge and Required Skills	A good grasp of the English language Capacity to think clearly and to indicate when an issue is not understood A sense of purpose for entering the graduate law program
Requisite Statement	This course is compulsory for new students who do not have a law degree or appropriate similar qualification and who wish to enrol in either the Government and Commercial Law stream or the general program (without a specialisation).
Prescribed Texts	The primary texts are Laying Down the Law, Cook, Creyke, Geddes, Hamer, LexisNexis, 7th ed, 2009, and Tradition and Change in Australian Law, Parkinson, Thomson, 3rd ed, 2005
Preliminary Reading	A quick perusal of the first three chapters in either or both books would be helpful
Indicative Reading List	See the Course Outline when circulated
Technology Requirements	Some familiarity with personal computers for the research/skills section of the course
Programs	Graduate Diploma in Government and Commercial Law, Master of Legal Studies, and Master of Government and Commercial Law
Other Information	Click here for fee and census date information
Academic Contact	Peter Bailey and Graduate Administrator

The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.