The content of this course may vary from year to year. Please see Other Information below for details of any special courses currently on offer.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Synthesise and apply knowledge and ideas within the chosen special topic
2. Review case law, legislation and scholarly writing as it pertains to the chosen special topic
3. Incorporate social, comparative or interdisciplinary approaches into legal analysis of the special topic
4. Research and synthesise legal materials and other relevant sources to present a cohesive argument that addresses a legal question arising from the special topic
5. Debate and reflect on theoretical, policy and practical issues relating to the special topic

Field Trips

No field trips.

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional class costs.

Examination Material or equipment

No additional examination materials or equipment are required.

Required Resources

Set readings will include texts from First Nations scholars from Australia, North America and elsewhere on law, politics, democracy and Indigenous settler state relations. A reading list will be made available on Canvas two weeks prior to the course commencement date.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Task submission times refer to Canberra time (AEST/AEDT).

• Extensions, late submission and penalties: https://law.anu.edu.au/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties
• Extenuating circumstances: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/extenuating-circumstances-application
• Deferred examination: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/deferred-examinations
• Penalties for excess word length: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties
• Distribution of grades policy: https://law.anu.edu.au/grading
• Assessment Reviews and Appeals: https://law.anu.edu.au/assessment-review-and-appeals

Further information about the course is available from the course Canvas page. Students are required to access the Canvas site regularly throughout the course for any announcements relating to the course.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The ANU Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as providing clear guidance on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies.

The following resources may also be useful:

• The ANU Library's Libguide is a valuable resource for gaining a comprehensive understanding of AI's role in academia.
• The ANU Academic Skills site provides useful information to ensure that you leverage AI responsibly and effectively.
• The ANU Law School Academic Integrity and Misconduct site provides content related to legal implications, ethical guidelines, and considerations when dealing with AI in the context of law.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	First Nations People and Legal and Political Thought Our course begins by situating First Peoples in Western legal and political thought. Guest lecturer, Assoc. Professor Jonathan Liljeblad, will discuss ‘A Framework for Understanding Indigenous International Political and Legal Theories’. Indigenous peoples are becoming increasingly active as international actors, engaging global systems of international politics and law. In doing so, they seek to build transnational coalitions to advance Indigenous agendas. However, Indigenous peoples are diverse, with a wide range of political and legal perspectives. As a result, there is a challenge in understanding Indigenous peoples as a global movement in international politics and law. The presentation provides a framework to help students understand the complexities of Indigenous political and legal theory, with the goal of facilitating student engagement with a global Indigenous movement while still respecting the existence of Indigenous peoples as distinct entities. In this class we discuss how First Nations peoples have been framed in Western legal and political thought. To justify colonisation and territorial acquisition European nations employed several cultural tropes in relation to Indigenous people including ‘non-Christian’, ‘uncivilised’, ‘savages’ and ‘living in a state of nature’ (Hobbes). In this class we discuss the effects of these colonial stereotypes which persist within settler states including Australia Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the United States (collectively referred to the ‘CANZUS states’). Discussion will include how First Nations people have responded through their own counter hegemonic, subaltern legal and political theories e.g. reference to ‘First Nations’ in order to renegotiate legal and political relations.	In line with the University’s recording policy, lectures will be recorded and made available for students on Echo360.However, lecture recordings are only an additional resource and they should not be taken as a substitute for regular attendance. If a recording does fail, there is no guarantee a replacement recording will be provided.
2	Critical Theories: Decolonisation, Postcolonialism, Settler Colonialism Colonisation is without question one of the major events in human history. Legal and political scholars have developed several critical theoretical responses to critique colonisation, including decolonisation, postcolonialism and settler colonialism. Each theory offers a lens to examine the past, present and ongoing legacy of colonisation and its effects on the legal, political, cultural and economic life of First Nations peoples. However, decolonisation and postcolonialism have often been criticised as too diffuse (postcolonialism) or unattainable (decolonisation). Proponents of settler colonialism argue their theory offers a more realistic mode of enquiry by understanding colonisation as a structure and not an event (Wolfe, 2006). To frame this discussion we discuss the views of two prominent First Nations politicians; Lidia Thorpe and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Each hold vastly differing view of the effects colonisation on First Nations people in Australia. In this class we will ask, ‘Is there an end date on settler colonialism? Or should we consider settler colonialism as a permanent legal and political feature of liberal democratic states such as Australia? And if so, what should be our response?
3	Land as a Source of LawGuest Lecture: Dr Daniel LaveryThis class introduces a foundational concept in First Nations legal and political thought, land as the source of Indigenous law. Unlike positivist, human made law, First Nations people in Australia (and in other Indigenous societies) believe law is sourced in the land and ancestral beings infer a legal obligation between people, land, sacred sites and spiritual entities. Land as a source of law is one of the fundamental ontological differences between First Nations peoples and Western Anglo-European legal and political thought. Guest lecturer will discuss the challenge this ontological difference poses for Australian law drawing on the recent Yunupingu v. Commonwealth (2025) case in which the High Court determined native title is property. The class will include discussion of three types of recognised relationships First Nations people hold in relation to land within Australia law: 1) land as property, 2) native title lands and 3) and the Indigenous concept of Country in First Nations law.
4	Indigenous Sovereignty & JurisdictionLaw has been described as the ‘cutting edge of colonialism’ (Chanock, 1985). During the period of European colonisation, the international law doctrine of discovery was invoked to ‘lawfully’ acquire lands already occupied by First Nations peoples. Similarly, the doctrines of terra nullius and backwards people were also applied as part of the so called ‘civilising mission’ of Western European imperialism. The effect of these legal doctrines was the erasure of First Nations sovereignty and jurisdiction. This class will discuss a particular and overlooked legal tool in the erasure of First Nations sovereignty and jurisdiction; cartography. Maps were a critical visual legal tool for establishing new colonial political authority as a social and spatial reality. In this class we engage with work from critical legal scholars and legal geographers who argue maps and cartography played an important role in colonisation, which some term, cartojuridism (Suresh, 2024). We also discuss the use of Indigenous artwork depicting Country as maps in native title cases in Australia.
5	First Nations People & International Law Guest Lecturer: Prof Donald RothwellThis class will discuss the role of international law in recognising First Nations people and the regime of Indigenous rights. This class will include a guest lecture who will begin with a broad survey of the key international human rights instruments and their application to First Nations peoples generally. More recent instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Consideration will then turn to how Australian law has received, interacted with, and engaged with international law on these matters. The approach of Australian courts will be considered – with the Mabo decision representing a key turning point. A brief survey will be undertaken of relevant Commonwealth law giving effect to Australia’s international legal obligations, including the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). Finally, there will be reference to the relevance of ‘Treaty’ in international law, and how that is characterised in a national legal context following adoption of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 (Vic). In this class we will also explore how and why the concept of Indigenous rights differ from more general human rights. We also discuss why Indigenous rights viewed as controversial by some and why Indigenous self-determination has become synonymous with the struggles of First Nations people for greater autonomy and arguably the most prominent legal and political claim of First Nations people globally.
6	Pluralism (Legal & Political) Pluralism takes as social fact the existence at any one time a diffuse array of values, beliefs and understandings of what constitutes the ‘good’ within a society of individuals in pursuit of a fulfilling and happy life. Pluralism views the co-existence of different and often competing in values as real, unavoidable and potentially useful and good. Advocates of legal pluralism insist a multiplicity of legal orders exists from the local to the global resulting in overlapping and co-existing bodies of law. This view of a multiplicity of non-state legal orders challenges the dominant view that law is a unified system administered by the state (Merry, 1989). Political legitimacy is also understood to be ‘statist’ insofar as it centres on governance institutions of the states in terms of internal legitimacy of domestic state governance and external legitimacy in terms of a recognised sovereign state amongst the international community. However, the legitimacy of the state to govern First Nations people is contested or rejected outright by some First Nations people who cite the absent of consent (i.e. treaty). In Australia since the recognition of native title, legal pluralism has become an accepted feature of Australia’s system of law. As expressed under section 223 of the Native Title Act 1993, the source of native title are rights and interests possessed under the traditional laws acknowledged and the traditional customs observed First Nations people. Despite this, Australia confines the recognition of First Nations law to the domain of native title. In this class we discuss the concepts of legal and political pluralism and the ideal of ‘differentiated inclusion’ as a means for addressing the historical and contemporary unequal relationships of power between states and First Nations peoples. Required Readings
7	First Nations People & Political Institutions (Australia & International)  The 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart called for two new institutions to be established within the system of Australian democracy: an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission. In this class we discuss the importance of public institutions and democratic ideals of inclusion and political representation. Calls for political institutions that represent First Nations people’s rights and interests to government and the Australian people have been a feature of First Nations advocacy since the early part of the 20th century. In the 1990’s Australia demonstrated both political idealism and democratic innovation by establishing the legislated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). Yet in 2005, this body was disbanded. Other settler states including Aotearoa New Zealand have reserved parliamentary seats for Maori and a specific body (Waitangi Tribunal) to manage relations. Meanwhile Norway, Sweden and Finland have established Sami parliaments (Samediggi). Our guest lecture will discuss the importance of international institutions such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). In this class we discuss if there remains a need for political representation and why Indigenous public institutions that adequately represent the unique needs of First Nations people to the state are necessary.
8	Reconciliation, Treaty & TruthGuest Lecture: Dr Ivan IngramReconciliation and Treaty are two prominent political responses to settler colonialism. Reconciliation is often demands from First Nations people for the state to deal with issues of historical injustice and past human rights violations inflicted upon First Nations people as a consequence of colonisation. Though demands for reconciliation have often been promulgated by First Nations people, reconciliation initiatives are criticised as a form of state centric diplomacy that ‘pacify’ First Nations peoples and limit state responsibility and redress for historical injustice. Calls for a treaty or treaties have also gained prominence in Australia in recent times e.g. Victoria’s Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 which became law and the first formal treaty between an Australian government and First Nations people. Our guest lecturer will discuss their role as a First Nations member of Queensland’s Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry and its controversial axing by the Queensland and what this means for reconciliation and truth telling in Queensland. They will discuss how the Uluru Statement from the Heart provided the necessary groundwork for the Queensland government's move to negotiate treaty. He will provide an overview of the Path to Treaty Act 2023 (Qld), narrowing to the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry specifically, and the Terms of Reference that framed its work.
9	The Politics of Refusal: Reconciliation or Resurgence? In the previous class we discussed reconciliation, treaty and truth. Fundamental to these processes is the concept of recognition. Though First Nations people have often been strong advocates of recognition, reconciliation and treaty as responses to settler colonialism, some First Nations legal and political scholars are critical and unconvinced of the significance of state recognition. As a response, they reject recognition and reconciliation and instead call for First Nations ‘resurgence’ found upon a politics of refusal. This stance is particularly evident amongst some First Nations scholars and groups in Canada and the US who have adopted refusal and not recognition as a response to state sponsored reconciliation projects. For these First Nations scholars’, reconciliation and recognition are a ruse for assimilation and a greater capture by the state. In contrast, they argue what is needed is a resurgence of Indigenous law and political autonomy.
10	First Nations People & Democracy Democracy is often thought as something done to or for the benefits of First Nations people. A common belief is that Indigenous people don’t do democracy. In this class we discuss the various ways in which First Nations people and their institutions (community-based organisations, land councils, native title bodies etc.) engage with Australian democracy. We will discuss how First Nations people shape public policy, negotiate various kinds of agreements (‘comprehensive settlements’) with governments, and practice several forms of democracy, namely deliberative and participatory democracy. As an ‘extreme minority’ within Australia’s representative, majoritarian system of democracy, First Nations people experience a distinct numerical disadvantage in comparison to non-Indigenous people. In this class we engage with several strands of democratic theory (deliberative, participatory, contestatory) that all lay claim to being better able include minority interests in processes of democratic decision making. Here democracy is not limited to voting, elected officials (politicians) and institutions (parliaments) but also the active role of citizens as ordinary people collaborate with one other to solve collective social problems.
11	First Nations Constitutionalism  Constitutionalism concerns the operation of constitutions (a formal, written document) and constitutional institutions and how they maintain a check on government power. In Australia, First Nations people were not included in either the discussions or drafting of Australia’s constitution. In the original iteration, there were two discriminatory clauses (s51xxvi and s127) that denied First Nations people full and equal membership of Australian democracy. At the 1967 referendum s127 was deleted while the other s51xxvi was amended. Since 2010 there has been a great effort to address Australia’s ‘constitutional silence’ by including First Nations people in Australia’s constitution culminating in the failed 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. While moves to include First Nations people in settler state constitutions is well established, the emergence of First Nations constitutionalism has gained prominence, particularly in Canada through scholars such as James Tully and John Borrows. In this class we analyse how First Nations people in Australia have affected Australian constitutionalism and ask, what is First Nations Constitutionalism?
12	The Rights of Nature: The Non-Human in Indigenous Legal & Political ThoughtIn recent years, the ‘rights of nature ‘has emerged as a new and powerful movement for the creation of legal rights for specific natural entities such as rivers. This framing of nature as both separate and distinct from humans is a potentially important reframing of nature that creates space for the embedding of First Nations values and ontologies in environmental laws. As one legal scholar argues, the most transformative cases of rights of nature have been instigated and led by First Nations peoples asserting their spiritual and ancestral connections to waterways and challenging dispossession colonial governance structures. In this class we discuss the effect of First Nations ontology regarding the natural world, such as land as a source of law, that are influencing stronger recognition and adoption of rights for nature. Critical to the rights of nature is the importance First Nations legal and political thought place on the concept of relationality, a belief that is grounded in a holistic conception of the inter-connectedness between and among humans, non-humans and the natural world, including ancestors and creator beings.

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials / seminars so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the My Timetable webpage .

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Short Analysis Task of 4 Set Readings	15 %	29/10/2026	19/11/2026	1
Research Paper Proposal	10 %	27/08/2026	21/09/2026	1,2,3,5
In Class Exercise (Persuasive Argument Task)	15 %	03/09/2026	21/09/2026	2,3,4,5
Major Research Paper	60 %	29/10/2026	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using 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. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

For all courses taught in any mode (whether face to face or online), the ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy considers participation in the classes offered to be an important part of the educational experience of the program. Students are expected to attend all classes.

Examination(s)

There is no final examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Short Analysis Task of 4 Set Readings

Details of Task: Students are to submit 4 x 200-word summaries of a set reading of their choice. This is a cumulative assessment task by which students must submit their analysis of 4 separate set readings before the end of semester (29/10/26).

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 15%

Release: Monday 27 July 2026

Word limit: 800 words overall, comprising 4 x 200-word summaries. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here.

Submission requirement: By the end of teaching period students must upload 4 x 200-word analysis of four of the set readings and upload to the course Canvas site. Assessment must be submitted in a Word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files are not acceptable.

Due date: All 4 x 200-word summaries must be submitted by no later than 4pm, Thursday 29 October 2026. Late submissions (without an extension) are permitted, but late penalties will apply. Please be aware that if you are in your final course(s), any late submissions may delay your conferral date.

Estimated return date: 19 November 2026

Assessment Criteria: An assessment rubric will be available in Canvas.

• Students will be expected to reflect critically and originally on course material relevant to the question.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate clear communication skills in presenting arguments, ideas and analysis.

Assessment Task 2

Research Paper Proposal

Details of Task: Students must draft a 600-word proposal for their major research paper. Time will be allocated in class to begin work on a research proposal and to ask questions and clarify ideas. This assessment is a short-turnaround task designed to evaluate students’ ability to identify a legal and/or political issue affecting First Nations people either in Australia or elsewhere. Students are free to develop their own research proposals although there will be some examples in class to assist with final research proposals.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 10%

Release: 27 July 2026

Word limit: 600 words. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here.

Submission requirement: Students must upload their research proposal via the course Canvas site. Proposals must be submitted in a Word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files are not acceptable.

Due date: 5pm, Thursday 27 August 2026. Late submissions (without an extension) are permitted, but late penalties will apply.

Estimated return date: Monday 21 September 2026.

Assessment Criteria: An assessment rubric will be available in Canvas.

• Students will be expected to reflect critically and originally on course material.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills. Research proposals should cover relevant and appropriate primary and secondary materials and be critically selected and used. There should be appropriate use of authority to support the arguments put forward.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate clear communication skills in presenting arguments, ideas and analysis.

Assessment Task 3

In Class Exercise (Persuasive Argument Task)

Details of Task: Students will write a persuasive argument paper in response to a specific scenario drawing on content in the course. Persuasive argumentation is an important skill for any lawyer or indeed advocate for social change. Time will be allocated in class to draft a written response to the scenario and will be expected to complete this exercise by the end of the class.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to complete this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 15%

Release: Thursday 3 September 2026

Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)

Word limit: 900 words. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here.

Submission requirement: Must be submitted via Turnitin on the course Canvas site by the end of the class.

Due date: 5pm Thursday 3 September 2026. (This is an in-class, time limited exercise. Due to the nature of the task, extensions, time adjustments and late submissions are not permitted. Any submission received after the due time will not be accepted, and a mark of zero will be awarded. Students who encounter serious and unexpected circumstances may submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) in accordance with University policy.

Estimated return date: Monday 21 September 2026

Assessment criteria: An assessment rubric will be available in Canvas.

• Students will be expected to reflect critically and originally on course material relevant to the question.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills. Research should cover relevant and appropriate primary and secondary materials and be critically selected and used. There should be appropriate use of authority to support the arguments put forward.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate clear communication skills in presenting arguments, ideas and analysis.

Assessment Task 4

Major Research Paper

Details of Task: Students will write an original piece of research on a First Nations legal or political issue or event. This task will extend on the research proposal and will incorporate one or several of issues/topics covered in the course.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 60%

Release: 27 July 2026

Word limit: 3,600 words, excluding references. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here.

Submission requirement: Must be submitted via Turnitin on the course Canvas site. Assessment must be submitted in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files are not acceptable. Footnotes should be used for the referencing of all sources. All references should be compliant with the current edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation.Due date: 5pm, Thursday 29 October 2026. Late submission (without an extension) is permitted, although late penalties will apply. Please be aware that if you are in your final course(s), any late submissions may delay your conferral date.

Estimated return date: Official end-of-semester results release date.

Assessment Criteria: An assessment rubric will be available in Canvas.

• Students will be expected to reflect critically and originally on course material relevant to the question.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills. Research should cover relevant and appropriate primary and secondary materials used in the course. Materials should be critically selected and used and there should be appropriate use of authoritative sources to support the arguments.
• Students will be expected to demonstrate clear communication skills in presenting their arguments, ideas and critical analysis.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. You must ensure that you upload the correct document on the specified submission due date and time. Any document modified after the due date and time will either incur a late penalty or will NOT be accepted. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education), submission must be through Turnitin in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). Electronic copies in .pdf file format are not acceptable.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.
• Late submission is not accepted for tests or examinations.
• Late submission with an extension. To ensure equity for all students, the 5% penalty per working day for late submission of work does not apply if you have been granted an extension. Where an extension is granted, the revised due date and submission time will be provided in writing. Importantly, any revised due date is inclusive of weekends and public holidays. Regardless of which day of the week the revised due date falls on, students who submit after that date will be penalised by 5% of the possible marks available for the task per 24-hour period.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

All marks and feedback will be provided by the return date listed in the class summary.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

• Maximum Submissions: Students can submit up to three times per assessment.

• Final Submission Counts: Only the last uploaded version will be marked — provided it is uploaded before marking begins.

• Late Submissions: If submitted after the due date, the final version will still be marked, but late penalties will apply (unless an extension has been approved).

• No Submissions After Return Date: Once the return-of-assessment date has passed, NO submissions will be accepted.

• Marking Already Started: If a marker has already begun marking a version, that version will be the one assessed — even if a newer one is uploaded later.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students