This course involves students and supervising academic staff from the ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy (CLGP) collaborating with students and supervising academic staff at a law school in a developing country. The choice of developing country and the choice of partner law school will be at the discretion of the CLGP and will be a function of CLGP partnerships with developing country law schools, ANU international strategy, relevance to unit learning outcomes, assessments, and safety.
The collaboration will involve research of topics in the chosen developing country, with the topics adopted in coordination with the academic staff of the partner law school. Collaboration will occur in English. Topics will relate to Law and Development, with potential issues including, but not limited to, rule-of-law, justice, access to justice, professional ethics, human rights, gender rights, LGBTQI+ rights, indigenous rights, environmental law, and social justice.
The course aims to:
- give students a clinical experience to see first-hand the legal and social justice issues arising in a developing country;
- guide and support students in identifying, developing and applying practical legal skills in Law and Development;
- develop students' critical understanding of the role of lawyers in providing access to justice in a developing country;
- contextualise the study of law and student learning in the wide range of other law courses;
- encourage, promote and validate student aspirations to promote access to justice and equality before the law specifically in relation to disadvantaged people and communities; and
- encourage students to critically consider the effect of the law and its ability to deliver and or facilitate justice in a developing country.
To develop their knowledge and skills, students will engage in a range of learning activities, including engaging with international fieldwork, keeping a reflective fieldwork journal, undertaking teamwork and research work relevant to an external NGO.
Students must apply to undertake this course. Please go to International Opportunities for application information.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critique, review, analyse, and synthesise advanced knowledge to support law and development and provide solutions to complex legal and justice problems.
- Reflect on the operation of law in different global contexts.
- Work both independently and collaboratively, as required, and evaluate and reflect on feedback to develop goals and career aspirations, emotional intelligence, values and ethical capabilities.
- Apply a reflective and ethical approach to legal research in culturally diverse contexts.
- Recognise and use culturally sensitive and appropriate oral and written communication.
- Identify and evaluate practical ways to promote access to justice and equality before the law.
- Plan and present a research project, with some independence.
Work Integrated Learning
Placements
Clinical courses allow students to engage and collaborate with students and supervising academic staff at a law school in a developing country. Currently, placements are undertaken in Phnom Penh. Students explore rule-of-law, justice, access to justice, professional ethics, human rights, gender rights, LGBTQI+ rights, indigenous rights, environmental law, and social justice and have the unique opportunity to see first-hand the legal and social justice issues arising in a developing country.
Other Information
Enrolment is limited with selection based on a competitive process. Application information can be located on the ANU Law School Website.
Indicative Assessment
- The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the teaching period. More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available in the class summary and on the course Canvas page. (100) [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 in non-standard sessions will be taught semi-intensively with compulsory contact hours of 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. 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.
Click here for the LLB Program course list
Inherent Requirements
To complete this course, students must have the ability to:
- Undertake international travel and reside in a developing country context, including managing in environments with high temperatures, basic accommodation, and limited or no disability access.
- Obtain and maintain any mandatory legal or safety clearances (e.g. Working with Vulnerable People check, WHS compliance, or host-country requirements).
- Communicate effectively in spoken and written English to collaborate with peers and academic staff in cross-cultural settings.
- Engage respectfully and sensitively with people from diverse cultural, religious, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Demonstrate professionalism when working in developing country environments that may present challenging or confronting legal and social justice issues.
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.
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 |
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.
Summer Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1821 | 21 Oct 2026 | TBA | TBA | 24 Mar 2027 | In Person | N/A |