Colloquium

This subject is not offered in 2011.

LAWS50023 Legal Method and Reasoning; LAWS50024 Principles of Public Law; LAWS50025 Torts; LAWS50026 Obligations; LAWS50027 Dispute Resolution.

The Melbourne Law School welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Law School policy to take all reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the School’s programs.

The inherent academic requirements for the study in the Melbourne Law School are:

1. The ability to attend classes and actively engage in the analysis of complex materials and debate;
2. The ability to read, analyse and comprehend complex written legal materials and complex interdisciplinary materials;
3. The ability to clearly and independently communicate in writing a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and critically evaluate these;
4. The ability to clearly and independently communicate orally a knowledge and application of legal principles and interdisciplinary materials and critically evaluate these;
5. The ability to work independently and as a part of a group;
6. The ability to present orally and in writing legal analysis to a professional standard.

Students must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from participating in tasks involving these inherent academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/.

The subject involves study of a problem, theme or development in the law. The subject also allows the student to engage in semi-directed research (which takes up an issue raised through the colloquium), under the supervision of the subject coordinator. The principal aims of this seminar will be:

• To give students direct exposure to and engagement with contemporary scholarly debates;
• To give students the opportunity for formulate their own research question, within the context of the subject;
• To hone the students’ capacity to critically review legal scholarship;
• To give students the opportunity to write a piece of legal research;
• To reinforce and develop research and writing skills that students have acquired during their undergraduate degree and prior law studies.
  

• Research essay, 5,000 words (80%);
• Critique of work presented at Colloquium, 1,000 words (20%).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:

• Attitudes towards knowledge that include valuing truth, openness to new ideas and ethics associated with knowledge creation and usage;
• The capacity for close reading and analysis of a range of sources, particularly scholarly articles and books;
• The capacity for critical and independent thought and reflection;
• The capacity to critically review legal scholarship;
• The capacity to communicate, both orally in writing;
• The capacity to plan and manage time;
• Intercultural sensitivity and understanding.

In addition, a range of law specific skills will have been reinforced including:

• An understanding of law’s relationship with other disciplines;
• A capacity to engage in high level legal analysis and writing.