• Offered by ANU Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law
  • Course subject Laws
  • Areas of interest Law
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Course convener
    • Desmond Manderson
  • Mode of delivery Online or In Person
  • Co-taught Course
  • Offered in Second Semester 2024
    See Future Offerings

Legal theory encompasses any theoretical reflection about law. Within legal theory, legal philosophy, as its name implies, is the philosophy of law. Legal philosophy brings philosophical rigour to the theoretical reflection about law. Within legal philosophy, analytic jurisprudence applies the rigour of analytic philosophy to the study of the concept of law. This course will focus on the canonical works in analytic jurisprudence. The course revolves around one simple question: “What is law?”

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Critically evaluate a range of key thinkers and diverse perspectives on law and legal systems.
  2. Synthesise and evaluate a range of descriptive, justificatory and critical argumentation about law and legal systems.
  3. Reflect critically on law and legal reasoning and communicate findings to a range of audiences, both orally and in writing.
  4. Research and critically evaluate the theoretical background of a range of legal decisions and contemporary legal issues.

Indicative Assessment

  1. The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the semester. 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 WATTLE page. (null) [LO null]

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 three contact hours per week.

Click here for the LLM Masters Program course list

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must be studying a Juris Doctor (MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses.

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

A reading guide will be available on the course webpage.

Assumed Knowledge

This course assumes that students have some legal knowledge of the core areas of public and private law. 

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
2024 $5280
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2024 $7080
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.

Second Semester

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
7393 22 Jul 2024 29 Jul 2024 31 Aug 2024 25 Oct 2024 In Person N/A

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