Introduction to Law
36 hours face to face + blended + swinburne online
One Semester or equivalent
Hawthorn, Online
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
This unit introduces students to the study of law. It examines the Australian legal system, the doctrine of precedent, the interpretation of legislation, legal research methods and writing skills. Students completing this unit will also gain an understanding of the social and political structures through which the law is made and the institutions which apply and enforce the law.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-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
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate the Australian legal system including the respective roles of parliament, the executive and the courts
- Explain the doctrine of precedent and use it to evaluate the relative importance of judicial decisions
- Explain the law making and development functions of the courts
- Locate, interpret, evaluate and apply legislation to legal issues
- Conduct legal research and use the results of that research to recommend solutions to legal problems
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Individual | 40 - 50% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Portfolio | Individual | 50 - 60% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
Topics will include:
- Overview of the Australian legal system
- The reception of English law
- The hierarchy of courts
- The doctrine of precedent
- The legislative process
- Statutory interpretation
- Legal writing and communication Legal research
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.