Useful links
Unit of study_
LAWS1006: Foundations of Law
2024 unit information
This unit of study provides a foundational core for the study of law. The aim is to provide a practical overview of the Australian legal system, an introduction to the skills of legal reasoning and analysis which are necessary to complete your law degree, and an opportunity for critical engagement in debate about the role of law in our lives. The course will introduce students to issues such as: (i) the development of judge made and statute law, with a particular focus on English and Australian legal history; (ii) the relationship between courts and parliament; (iii) the role and function of courts, tribunals and other forms of dispute resolution; (iv) understanding and interrogating principles of judicial reasoning and statutory interpretation; (v) the relationship between law, government and politics; (vi) what are rights in Australian law, where do they come from and where are they going; (vii) the development and relevance of international law. The course focus may be subject to change.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
|
None |
|---|---|
|
Corequisites:
?
|
None |
| Prohibitions:
?
|
LAWS5000 |
| Assumed knowledge:
?
|
None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. identify and describe to an advanced level, the key elements of the Australian legal system
- LO2. differentiate between various sources of law and articulate their interrelationship
- LO3. engage critically with legal materials including cases, statutes and commentary
- LO4. apply critical analysis and legal reasoning to write about legal material effectively
- LO5. evaluate the complexity involved in balancing power among parliament, courts, and the executive
- LO6. research and critique the persisting tension between rules and discretion in law
- LO7. refine and advance oral communication skills within a legal context
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
