• Offered by ANU Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law
  • Course subject Laws
  • Areas of interest Law
  • Academic career UGRD
  • Course convener
    • Dr Jonathan Liljeblad
  • Mode of delivery Online or In Person
  • Co-taught Course
  • Offered in Spring Session 2022
    See Future Offerings

This course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of international human rights law and practice. Topics to be covered include:

  • historical development of international human rights law;
  • international humanitarian law (the law of armed conflict) and its relationship with the international law of human rights;
  • human rights ‘enforcement' mechanisms: the UN Human Rights Council, the human rights treaty bodies and human rights regional mechanisms;
  • the rights of women and the rights of indigenous peoples;
  • threats to rights, particularly counter-terrorism measures;
  • application of international human rights law in Australia, including refugee issues; and
  • the future development of rights, including collective rights and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBT) rights. 

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Outline, summarise and/or synthesise a coherent and advanced knowledge of the underlying principles and significant norms of the international law of human rights;
  2. Analyse critically these norms and the flawed mechanisms for their implementation;
  3. Analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge to identify and provide solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence;
  4. Advocate effectively the progressive development of the international law of human rights;
  5. Outline, summarise and/or synthesise a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas appropriately for a variety of audiences;
  6. Define, plan and conduct legal research on international human rights law with some independence.

Other Information

Classes may be offered in non-standard sessions and be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (a minimum of 36 hours). Please refer to the LLB timetable for dates. Please contact the ANU College of Law Student Administration Services to request a permission code to enrol in classes offered in non-standard sessions.

Indicative Assessment

  1. Research paper (3000 words) (60) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
  2. Class presentation (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
  3. Class participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
  4. or (null) [LO null]
  5. Research paper or research class presentation (2,400 words for the paper) (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
  6. Take-home exam (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]

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 during semester periods are expected to have 3 contact hours per week (a minimum of 36 hours). Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course.

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must be studying a: Bachelor of Laws (ALLB, BLLBA), have completed or be completing five 1000 level LAWS courses and have completed LAWS2250 International Law; OR Juris Doctor (MJD), have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses and have completed LAWS2250/LAWS6250 International Law. You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed LAWS8234 International Human Rights Law.

Prescribed Texts

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.  

Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees

Student Contribution Band:
34
Unit value:
6 units

If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found 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
2022 $4740
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2022 $5700
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.

Spring Session

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
6497 28 Nov 2022 29 Nov 2022 09 Dec 2022 03 Jan 2023 Online View

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions