• Offered by ANU Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law
  • Classification Advanced
  • Course subject Laws
  • Areas of interest Law
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Mode of delivery In Person
This course focuses on the legal framework of economic regulation, or how governments or other actors exercise coercive influence over four principal elements -entry, price, quality and conditions of service, and access obligations or obligations to serve all on reasonable conditions.  These elements are seen not only in establishing regulatory bodies in connection with the privatisation of utilities but increasingly can be seen to characterise the government response in areas where market competition is not considered sufficient to achieve the desired regulatory outcomes.  The control of genetically modified crops or allocation of water, delivery of welfare services, even allocation of domain names or credit ratings may be seen as examples of economic regulation.
This course was developed to introduce those involved or interested in economic regulation to the constitutional and administrative law checks and balances on the exercise of regulatory power, the private law alternatives to regulatory intervention, and the likely effects of regulatory intervention given the underlying legal framework.  Through a focus on the utility regulation the course provides an understanding of the crucial role played by the underlying legal framework in establishing the forms of regulation found in the Australian economy and how the economic justifications for such regulation in turn has helped to shape that legal framework. 

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Develop and demonstrate a sound understanding of basic economic methodology as applied in the law and regulation of economics;
  2. Identify, critically analyse and explain the meaning of concepts such as efficiency, justice, rights, legal rules and institutions and the relationships between them;
  3. Identify and critically evaluate the economic consequences and role of law and legal institutions in that context;
  4. Analyse and critically evaluate specific legal policy issues from a law and economics perspective; and
  5. Plan, design and individually execute a research based project that identifies and critically examines aspects of economic regulation and the legal framework that underlines it.

Indicative Assessment

  1. Class Participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
  2. Research Essay (7000 words) (90) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]

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

Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 26 hours of face to face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours. Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have 3 contact hours per week.


Click here for the LLM Masters Program timetable.

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

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 (7300SEVNL), 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), Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP), Master of International Law (7310XMINTL), Master of Environmental Law (7309XMENVL), Master of Law, Governance & Development (7317XMLGD), Master of International Security Law (7318XMISL), Master of Government and Commercial Law (7313XMGCL); OR Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 level LAWS courses or five 6100 level LAWS courses; OR Graduate Certificate of Law (CLAW) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions; OR Master of Military Law (MMILL); OR Juris Doctor - online (MJDOL) and have completed LAWS8712 Australian Public Law & International Law B. Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Prescribed Texts

The prescribed text for this course is:
  • Robert D. COOTER and Thomas ULEN (2012), Law and Economics, Addison Wesley Longman, 6th edition

Preliminary Reading

Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the course.

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:
3
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
2019 $3840
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2019 $5460
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.

There are no current offerings for this course.

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