Foundations of Law and Justice (11251.1)

This unit introduces students to the law and justice professions and their social, economic and cultural roles and responsibilities. It will sequentially develop students' conceptual understanding of law and justice within Australia and in a global context. Students will acquire a range of professional skills including legal research and writing, legal reasoning and critical analysis of primary and secondary sources, and collaboration. Students will begin to cultivate an identity as a law and justice professional through study and career planning and the development of an e-portfolio.

This unit may be co-taught with a G version of the unit.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify the personal skills, capabilities and knowledge necessary to meet the work standards expected by law and justice professionals in the workplace;
2. Map out their academic and professional trajectories over the next five years in an e-portfolio;
3. Explain and analyse the historical foundations and contemporary roles of Australian legal systems and institutions in domestic and international social, economic and cultural contexts;
4. Identify, research, interpret and apply sources of law, including cases and legislation;
5. Locate and critically analyse secondary sources and use them to develop ideas and arguments about law and justice issues;
6. Undertake legal reasoning to devise solutions to legal problems; and
7. Communicate the findings of legal research and analysis, in writing and orally, for a range of audiences and purposes.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development

Skills development

Foundations of Law and Justice provides you with the core capacities to work with and within the Law and Justice sectors, skills that you will further enhance as you advance through your course. 

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

This unit is only available to Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Justice Studies students.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

6601 Legal Methods and Skills AND 6602 Legal Systems

Assumed knowledge

None.