Justice Administration and the Constitution (8078.3)

History of the state, constitutionalism and Australian federation; The Constitution and its relationship to Common Law and convention finding and understanding sources; The constitutional status of the legislature, executive and judiciary and the doctrine of separation of powers; Important powers of the Commonwealth government, such as external affairs, taxation and appropriation; The structure of State - The nature of bureaucracy: Classification of state functions and administrative decision making, Review of decisions, appeals and judicial review, Judicial and Quasi-Judicial decision making; Basic principles of Administrative Law, Overview of Common Law and Statutory principles underlying Judicial Review; Topical issues looking to the future - movement toward an Australian Bill of Rights and Republic, on-going globalisation and the international community.

Learning outcomes

1. Communicate about knowledge, ideas and opinions;
2. Information Literacy - through legal research training;
3. Information and Communication Technology - through computer training sessions and the use of the class website (Moodle) to access information about the unit and discuss the content with other students;
4. Problem Solving - through critical analysis and evaluation;
5. Working with Others - in seminars, online forums and group assessments;
6. Professional Ethics - by gaining an understanding of the professional responsibilities of legal practitioners;
7. Social Responsibility - through understanding how the legal system operates in Australian social contexts;
8. Personal Attributes - by developing the capacity to think independently, challenge existing ideas and valuing and respecting different viewpoints.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas

Prerequisites

6601 Legal Methods and Skills

Corequisites

None.

Assumed knowledge

Year 12.