• Offered by Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law
  • Course subject Laws
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Course convener
    • Robert McLaughlin
  • Mode of delivery In Person
  • Offered in Autumn Session 2015
    See Future Offerings

National Security Law is a burgeoning field of concern for Government, security agencies, civil rights monitors and the Australian public.

As both the nature of threats (represented by, for example, the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US, or the rise of cyber security as a major national security concern) and the concept of 'security' (such as biosecurity) have evolved, legal responses have similarly evolved.

This course offers a broad brush across a number of issues concerning national security law. The course will commence with a series of building blocks (heads of power, conceptions of security, historical background). This will then allow more detailed exploration of a series of institutional issues (such as the legislative arrangements for important national security institutions and the 'security law' making and monitoring process", practical issues (such as use of force and use of classified information in prosecutions) and thematic issues (such as the national security - civil rights balancing debate).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

A participant who completes this course should be able to:

  • formulate an understanding of what the concept of 'national security' means in an Australian context;
  • explain the main features of the way in which Australian national security institutions are organised, and in particular the legal basis on which they operate;
  • explain the main features of framework of Australian national security law, how this legal framework developed and how it currently operates; and
  • examine, and critically analyse, practical and thematic issues arising from the way in which national security institutions and laws have developed and currently operate in Australia

Indicative Assessment

Class participation  - 10%

Statutory interpretation/analysis exercise - 25%

Research essay - 65%

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

Intensive delivery over four days (26 hours); preparation and prereading for two days (10 hours); Plus time for assessment tasks

Click here for current timetable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must be studying a: Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM), Master of Laws specialising in International Law (7300XSINTL), Master of Laws specialising in Law, Governance and Development (7300SLGD), Master of Laws specialising in Environmental Law (7300SENVL), Master of Laws specialising in Government and Commercial Law (7300SGCL), Master of Laws specialising in International Security Law (7300SISL), Master of Laws in Migration (NLLML), Master of Laws in International Law (NLLIL), Master of Laws in Environmental Law (NLLEN), Master of Laws in Law, Governance & Development (NLLGD), Master of Laws in International Security Law (NLLSL), Master of Laws in Government and Regulation (NLLGR), Master of Laws (Legal Practice) (7312XLLMLP), Master of Diplomacy/Master of Laws (7883SINTL, 7883XLLM), Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP). OR Must be studying a Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five LAWS1000 or LAWS6100 level courses and LAWS1205 or LAWS6105 Australian Public Law and LAWS1206 or LAWS6106 Criminal Law and Procedure.

Prescribed Texts

There will be a reading list provided.

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Student Contribution Band:
1
Unit value:
6 units

If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.  Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2015 $2958
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2015 $4146
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.

Autumn Session

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
1622 28 May 2015 28 May 2015 05 Jun 2015 14 Jul 2015 In Person N/A

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