Although the ideas of cyber warfare and of computer network attack are very new, there is growing awareness of the significant issues they raise in the modern world.
The Australian Government is not alone in acknowledging the threat of cyber attacks and the need to develop cyber security capability. Accordingly, there is a strong interest, particularly among Canberra communities, in anticipating potential legal issues that might arise in cyber warfare and in consolidating knowledge as to the applicability of existing rules of international law in this particular context.
An internationally renowned international humanitarian law and weapons law scholar who has recently participated in a central role in the preparation of the Tallinn Manual on the Law of Cyber Warfare, Dr Bill Boothby has kindly agreed to visit Australia to teach this course.
The course which will identify and assess the extent to which norms of existing law can properly be applied to the peculiarities of cyber operations.
The course will draw on elements of general international law, the international law that governs the recourse to armed force and international humanitarian law, all in the specific context of cyber warfare.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of various international law rules that apply to cyber warfare;
- Demonstrate cognitive skills to critically analyse the hypothetical cyber warfare scenarios;
- Critically analyse and evaluate international law issues arising from the employment of cyber operations; and
- Plan and execute complex legal research with independence in order to produce original scholarship with respect to legal issues arising in the context of cyber warfare.
Indicative Assessment
- Class participation, including presenting/discussing group solutions to set vignettes (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Oral Presentation at end of course (25) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Two essays (2,500 words each) (65) [LO 1,2,3,4]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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
Prescribed Texts
Tallinn Manual on the Law of Cyber Warfare (Cambridge University Press).
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.
An e-brick will be available on the Wattle course site.
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 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
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.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Spring Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9522 | 26 Oct 2020 | 26 Oct 2020 | 06 Nov 2020 | 18 Dec 2020 | Online | View |
