6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate, Postgraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
Chief examiner(s)
Professor Peter Forsyth
(First semester)
Professor Russell Smyth
(Second semester)
Coordinator(s)
Not offered in 2018
Co-requisites
Students must be enrolled in course B3701.
Prohibitions
ECX5472
Synopsis
The unit applies the method of economics to the analysis of the law itself - to the structure of the common law, legal processes, legal institutions and statutory regulation, and to the impact of law on the behaviour of individuals and groups and the functioning of the economy. Topics include: is there a role for law and economics in studying the law, economics of crime and capital punishment, punitive damages, interest group theories of judicial independence and the determinants of judicial influence and prestige.
Outcomes
The learning goals associated with this unit are to:
- understand the two-way interrelationships between law and economics
- evaluate the key role of laws in setting the institutional framework in which economic decisions are taken and to critically evaluate current and proposed laws as determinants of economic performance
- critically assess the responses of households and business enterprises to current and alternative laws.
Assessment
Within semester assessment: 40% + Examination: 60%
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
See also Unit timetable information