Overview

This unit provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the law governing international commerce and the resolution of disputes arising out of such commerce. It addresses some of the political and economic considerations influencing international commerce, the organisations established to regulate and promote international commercial activity, and the regulation of private commercial agreements under local and international laws.

Requisites

Prerequisites

75 credit points in law units

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
28-October-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Describe and evaluate international commercial law and related philosophical, and political policy debates and reform proposals to apply it in the formulation of an advice to a client
  • Locate and interpret legislation and international agreements and conventions applicable to international commercial law to apply it to a factual problem scenario
  • Communicate with clients and others about their rights and obligations with regards to international commercial law
  • Conduct international commercial law related research and use the results of that research in the development of a legal argument

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On Campus
Class		 3.00  12 weeks  36
Online 
Learning Activities		 1.00  12 weeks  12
Unspecified Activities 
Independent Learning		 8.50  12 weeks  102
TOTAL     150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		11.50 12 weeks 138
Live Online
Class		1.00 12 weeks 12
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Case StudiesIndividual 30 - 50% 1,2,3 
Research AssignmentIndividual 50 - 70% 1,2,4 

Content

  • The role of law in international trade, governmental, intergovernmental and multi-lateral regulation of international trade
  • International Sale of Goods under domestic law:  statutory framework, freight and transportation, customary trade terms
  • International Sale of Goods under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods: formation of contracts, performance of contracts, remedies
  • Legal issues in international transportation: air, sea, & multimodal carriage - documentation and insurance
  • Regulation and protection of intellectual property rights internationally, international marketing and licensing agreements
  • Payment systems in international trade, use of the documentary bills, credits, demand guarantees, performance bonds and standby credits in international banking and finance
  • Resolving international commercial disputes: negotiation, mediation, litigation, private commercial arbitration, and investment arbitration 

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.