units

LAW5001

Faculty of Law

Monash University

Postgraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelPostgraduate
FacultyFaculty of Law
OfferedCity (Melbourne) Trimester 1 2015 (Day)
City (Melbourne) Trimester 2 2015 (Day)
City (Melbourne) Trimester 3 2015 (Day)

Notes

For postgraduate Law discontinuation dates, please see http://www.law.monash.edu.au/current-students/postgraduate/pg-disc-dates.html
For postgraduate Law unit timetables, please see http://law.monash.edu.au/current-students/course-unit-information/timetables/postgraduate/index.html
Previously coded as LAW7264

Quota applies

Postgraduate programs are based on a model of small group teaching and therefore class sizes need to be restricted.

Synopsis

The unit examines the principles and aims of the criminal law and criminal procedure. Students study the definition and elements of crimes in the context of fatal and non-fatal offences against the person, the major sexual offences, property offences, and relevant defences; criminal responsibility and strict liability; the roles of principal agencies in the criminal justice system, and central elements of the criminal process and sentencing.

Outcomes

At the successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. critically evaluate the purpose and scope of criminal laws with reference to theories of criminal justice, inter-disciplinary and policy perspectives;
  2. recognise and reflect upon ethical issues arising in criminal law practice and the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and service to the community;
  3. select and apply appropriate research methods and sources, and evaluate and synthesise relevant legal, factual and policy issues, to address legal questions;
  4. identify and articulate complex legal issues, engage in critical analysis of professional conclusions and make reasoned choices among alternatives;
  5. demonstrate cognitive and creative skills to generate appropriate responses to legal issues;
  6. demonstrate skills of oral and or/written communication to address legal problems in a collaborative project; and
  7. critically reflect on their own strengths, weaknesses and development needs as a legal professional.

Assessment

1. Open-book, problem-based examination (2 hours plus 30 minutes reading time): 50%
2. Written assignment: e.g. advice to government or law reform submission (2,250 words): 30%
3. Oral presentation: collaborative project: 10%
4. Oral presentation: reflective report (750 words): 10%

Workload requirements

30 hours of seminar plus 6 hours of tutorials (intensive, semi-intensive or semester/trimester long, depending on the faculty resources, timetabling and requirements).

Chief examiner(s)

Co-requisites