This is the LAWS version of a Special Topics course which challenges and supports later-year students to explore and respond to contemporary topics and to tackle pressing issues through interdisciplinary inquiry. This is co-badged and will be co-taught with students from across the university. By moving Beyond the Chaos of issues, we learn to appreciate multiple perspectives, competing interests, historical factors and the dynamics of the given topic. Each offering of the course will focus on a different contemporary topic of critical importance, and will be convened by experts across ANU.
Students should come to this course with an open mind and a thirst for knowledge. There is no assumed knowledge about the topic required for enrolment in this course. The only requirements are that students be willing to step outside their comfort zone, explore previously unfamiliar materials and work collaboratively with students from other
disciplines. Law students will be expected to consider legal issues and themes within the particular topics chosen for analysis and will be assessed on that basis.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critically reflect on connections between individual experience, inter-disciplinary knowledge (including law) and real-world issues
- Analyse and critically evaluate intersecting scales of action as they contribute to complex social, environmental and technological phenomena
- Develop advanced and collaborative skills of analysis and communication across disciplinary boundaries
- Apply a broad repertoire of skills connecting legal themes and perspectives to a wide range of other disciplinary paradigms across a variety of learning contexts, including formal and informal settings, face-to-face and virtual environments
- Develop, with the support of the convenor, an inter-disciplinary research project that engages in a critical or creative investigation of a relevant topic which includes legal perspectives
Other Information
Enrollment is limited with selection based on a competitive process. For further information on the application process, please see the VC Course offerings.
Successful applicants will be provided with the appropriate permission after the application process has concluded.
Students wishing to undertake this course must complete an Expression of Interest against the Topic in order to receive a permission code. Numbers of Law students will be capped in order to ensure an interdisciplinary balance in the class. On successful completion of this course, the Topic title will be listed on student transcripts.
Indicative Assessment
- Formative task/s (30) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Final assessment/s (70) [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 36 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 three contact hours per week. Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course.
Click here for the LLB Program course list
Inherent Requirements
Will vary depending on the Topic
Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the ANU Law School to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Alternatively, this information will be published in the Program course list when known.
Preliminary Reading
Students should rely on Readings as specified on the WATTLE site for the individual Topic.
Assumed Knowledge
There is no assumed knowledge necessary to study this 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 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $5280 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6360 |
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.