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LAWS2248 Selected Topics in Australian-United States Comparative Law (Alabama)

Later Year Course

Offered By Law School
Academic Career Undergraduate
Course Subject Laws
Offered in Summer Session, 2012 and Summer Session, 2013
Unit Value 6 units
Course Description

The course will be taught jointly by a visiting ANU academic and an academic from the University of Alabama Law School. (While the specific subject area of the course will varies from year to year, depending on the particular field of interest of the ANU/UA visitors, it will involve a comparative study of Australian and US approaches to the particular subject matter. Assessment details, teaching methods and type of course materials will vary from year to year depending on the subject matter and personnel involved in each offering of the course, but will be specified prior to student enrolment in the course.)

In 2012, the course will involve a comparative study of Australian and US approaches to Environmental Law and Climate Law.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:

  • identify similarities and differences between environmental law in Australia and the US;
  • show familiarity with fundamental terminology, rationale, theories and approaches of Australian and United States environmental law;
  • demonstrate an understanding of the core components of environmental law and climate law and the legal tools used to advance environmental protection while facilitating infrastructure development and resource use in both nations;
  • explain the interaction between different policy and legal instruments and between various jurisdictions within Australian and United States environmental and planning law;
  • explain the interaction between different policy and legal instruments within Australian and United States domestic climate law; and
  • demonstrate an ability to apply the principles of environmental law and the emerging principles of climate law from relevant cases and statutes in Australia and the US to a given set of hypothetical facts, and to present an argument.
Indicative Assessment

This course will require participation in seminar activities at the University of Alabama throughout the intensive teaching period.  The course will be primarily assessed by a 5,000-6,000 word comparative research essay due after the end of the course.  Further details of the final assessment will be provided on the course home page by the first week of the course.

Workload

Taught at the University of Alabama Law School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in January-February. This course is run in an intensive format with approximately 9 hours of lectures/seminars per week.

Areas of Interest Law
Requisite Statement

Completed or completing five LAWS courses at 1000 level.

Enrolment in this summer course is restricted to the students who have been accepted in the 5-week intensive ANU/US Joint Teaching Program. Priority will generally be given to later year students (12 or less semester courses left to complete). Subject to this priority, students will be selected on a first-come first-served basis, as enrolment will be strictly limited (10 students in 2010). Where appropriate, academic merit may be taken into account.

Prescribed Texts

Bates, G. Environmental Law in Australia, 7th edition, Lexis Nexis, and US textbook - to be advised. A supplementary reading guide will be available on the course web page.

Other Information

To derive maximum benefit from the course, it is suggested that students undertake it in the latter part of their studies, when they have achieved a reasonable degree of familiarity with law in general and with the particular subject area of the course in any given year.

Academic Contact James Prest

The information published on the Study at ANU 2012 website applies to the 2012 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2011 website.

Updated:   13 Nov 2015 / Responsible Officer:   The Registrar / Page Contact:   Student Business Solutions