L6001 - Master of Commercial Law - 2017

This expert graduate course provides a thorough theoretical and practical grounding in commercial law and develops the advanced professional skills and specialist knowledge required for working in the commercial field. Students can choose from an extensive range of commercial law units including units in corporate law, competition law, banking and finance law, and tax law. The Master of Commercial Law is suitable for graduates interested in developing or enhancing specialist careers in professions and occupations that require a sound grasp of commercial law issues, including as accountants, company administrators and business managers.

Students investigate contemporary issues in law, practice and scholarship, and evaluate complex issues relevant to the field from theoretical, international and interdisciplinary perspectives. The course enhances students' capacity to undertake independent research, and includes options for a pathway to doctoral studies.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Graduates of the course will be able to:

1. demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and recent developments in areas of commercial law and the practice of commercial law
2. apply theories, knowledge and skills to different areas of commercial law or to new situations in practice or scholarship in commercial law
3. design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to global professional practice or scholarship
4. explain and justify arguments, methods, and conclusions to legal and lay audiences
5. apply with integrity appropriate research principles and methods to plan, carry out and report on an original project
6. demonstrate high level personal autonomy and judgment.

Students may be eligible for credit for up to 50 per cent of the course (24 credit points) for previous master's level studies in law.

The course is structured in two parts: Part A. Commercial law knowledge and Part B. Extending specialist knowledge electives and research.

Part A: Commercial law knowledge

The studies enable you to develop specialised knowledge and advanced skills in areas of commercial law that suit your interests, skills and career goals.

Part B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research

These studies will provide you with in-depth knowledge of a wide range of areas of commercial law or you can select from across the range of master's law elective units. You will focus on sources of information relevant to commercial law and the application of research methods and specialist discipline knowledge and skills necessary to support law-related work in those closely interrelated fields. Depending on your interests and motivation, you can choose a program of study in which you plan and execute a major research-based project with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability.

The course comprises 48 points structured into two parts: Part A. Commercial law knowledge (30 points) and Part B. Extending specialist knowledge electives and research (18 points).

The course progression map will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Commercial law knowledge (30 points)

Students complete a. and b. below:

a. the following unit:

• LAW5080 Australian legal system or LAW5081 Australian legal process and research*

* LAW5081 is required for all international students and those students with a law degree from a non-Australian jurisdiction.

b. a minimum of four units chosen from the units listed below; not all units are offered every year:

• LAW5301 Copyright
• LAW5302 European union law and policy
• LAW5305 International trade law
• LAW5306 Corporate insolvency
• LAW5307 Occupational health and safety
• LAW5311 Takeovers
• LAW5312 Competition law
• LAW5314 International environmental law
• LAW5316 Trade marks and commercial designations
• LAW5317 Principles of privacy and freedom of information
• LAW5319 Law of employee relations
• LAW5322 Superannuation law and practice
• LAW5340 Intellectual property
• LAW5344 Negotiation: Essential skills for dispute resolution
• LAW5347 Consumer policy and regulation
• LAW5350 Principles of taxation
• LAW5353 Cybercrime
• LAW5356 Corporate and white collar crime
• LAW5357 Corporate governance and directors' duties
• LAW5366 International banking and finance: Law and practice
• LAW5367 Energy law, regulation and policy
• LAW5370 Discrimination law and human rights at work
• LAW5375 Arbitration of international commercial disputes
• LAW5385 Corporate finance law
• LAW5392 Globalisation and international economic law
• LAW5394 Banking law
• LAW5372 Principles of construction law
• LAW5384 International investment law
• LAW5399 Personal property securities
• LAW5407 Current issues in torts law
• LAW5415 Domestic and international debt capital markets
• LAW5429 Advanced commercial negotiation skills
• LAW5430 Advanced evidence and proof in litigation
• LAW5431 International entertainment law
• LAW5432 Workplace investigations and misconduct
• LAW5437 (The) Chinese legal system: A comparative analysis
• LAW5438 Current issues in sports law
• LAW5441 Australian tax policy
• LAW5444 Advanced commercial contracts masterclass
• LAW5452 Private investment law
• LAW5453 Comparative conflict of laws

Part B. Extending specialist knowledge electives and research (18 points)

Students complete 18 points across a. and b. below.

a. 6 or 12 points of elective law units chosen from:

• Part A above
• the commercial law electives listed below
• any unit from the general list of level 5 law units, except those only offered in L6005 Master of Laws (Juris Doctor)

b. the remaining 6 or 12 points of research studies in commercial law from the following:

• LAW5082 Masters research (6 points)
• LAW5083 Extended research (12 points)**

** Students taking the course as a pathway to doctoral studies are advised to complete this unit.

Commercial law electives

Not all units are offered every year.

• LAW5315 Commercial alternative dispute resolution
• LAW5318 International aspects of intellectual property
• LAW5321 Protecting commercial innovation: Patents and trade secrets
• LAW5339 Technology contracts and licensing law
• LAW5341 Trade mark practice
• LAW5342 Current issues in electronic commerce law
• LAW5343 Privacy and surveillance: Law, policy and governance
• LAW5345 Human rights, business and the global economy
• LAW5346 Design law and practice
• LAW5349 Corporate law
• LAW5352 Electronic workplace law
• LAW5360 Advanced conflict resolution skills
• LAW5368 Regulation of Australian water resources
• LAW5369 World Trade Organization (WTO) law
• LAW5374 Federal labour law
• LAW5378 Comparative corporate governance
• LAW5379 Procurement law
• LAW5395 Arbitration of domestic commercial disputes
• LAW5400 International trade mark law
• LAW5408 Remedies in commercial disputes
• LAW5423 Private international law in commercial disputes
• LAW5426 Regulating business: Enforcement and compliance
• LAW5445 Commercial equity
• LAW5447 Intellectual property and the internet
• LAW5448 Copyright x:Monash
• LAW5450 Principles of succession law

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with the following award, provided they have satisfied the requirements indicated for that award during their enrolment in this master's course:

• Graduate Certificate in Law after successful completion of 24 points of study with a minimum of 18 credit points at level 4 or above.

Students taking the course as a pathway to doctoral studies are advised to take the extended research option which is a pathway to a higher degree by research.