LAW 1504 - Principles of Public Law

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2018

An introduction to the role and content of public law in the Australian legal system, and to skills of legal research enabling students to address critical contemporary public law challenges. Selected topics will include: introduction to Federal and State Constitutions, both written and in common law; historical background and theories of constitutionalism, including an introduction to the doctrine of separation of powers and the nature of legislative, executive and judicial power at both Commonwealth and State levels; the exercise of judicial power and the role of the judiciary; the roles of and interactions between courts, parliaments and the executive; representative and responsible government, including the relation of citizens and their parliaments and the structure of government administration; introduction to administrative law theory, including basic administrative law principles; and the protection of human rights in Australia. The course provides a foundation for Australian Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. The course also incorporates a Small Group Discovery Experience, with students working in small groups on research projects to answer the pressing public law questions confronting Australians today.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code LAW 1504
    Course Principles of Public Law
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Law School
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate Law (LLB)
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites LAW 1501
    Corequisites LAW 1501 for Mid-year entry students only
    Restrictions Available to LLB students only
    Course Description An introduction to the role and content of public law in the Australian legal system, and to skills of legal research enabling students to address critical contemporary public law challenges. Selected topics will include: introduction to Federal and State Constitutions, both written and in common law; historical background and theories of constitutionalism, including an introduction to the doctrine of separation of powers and the nature of legislative, executive and judicial power at both Commonwealth and State levels; the exercise of judicial power and the role of the judiciary; the roles of and interactions between courts, parliaments and the executive; representative and responsible government, including the relation of citizens and their parliaments and the structure of government administration; introduction to administrative law theory, including basic administrative law principles; and the protection of human rights in Australia. The course provides a foundation for Australian Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. The course also incorporates a Small Group Discovery Experience, with students working in small groups on research projects to answer the pressing public law questions confronting Australians today.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Ms Cornelia Koch

    Lecturer:
    Cornelia Koch

    Small Group Discovery Experience Mentors:
    Cornelia Koch
    Associate Professor Laura Grenfell
    Other mentors will be listed on MyUni.

    Seminar Leaders:
    Will be listed on MyUni.

    Contact details and times for consultation will be made available to students on MyUni.
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1 Evaluate and apply the foundational principles of Australian constitutional and administrative law to a range of problems, and undertake legal research at a foundational level with primary and secondary materials.
    2 Apply public law to complex issues, and critique the operation of public law from a policy perspective, either individually or as part of a team.
    3 Develop effective and concise written arguments to convince a legal audience. Communicate effectively individually and as part of a team.
    4 Exercise professional judgement in conducting a cooperative research project on a current topic in public law.  Interact effectively as a member of a team.
    5 Analyse the impact of public law from policy perspectives, and in the context of social and cultural diversity.
    6 Reflect on individual ability to effectively undertake legal work as a member of a team. Utilise feedback to inform improvement in knowledge and skills development.


    The Legal Practitioners' Education and Admissions Council (LPEAC) sets rules for the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in South Australia. Students must demonstrate a satisfactory level of understanding and application of 11 core areas of legal knowledge. This course teaches the following topics within these core areas:

    Administrative Law:

    • Organization and structure of the administration
    • Administrative law theory
    • Administrative Appeals Tribunal (introduction)
    • Freedom of Information
    Federal and State Constitutional Law:
    • State constitutions and constitutional systems
    • The Commonwealth Constitution and constitutional system (introduction)
    • The constitution and operation of the legislature, executive and judiciary
    • The relationship between the different institutions of government and the separation of powers
    • The relationship between the different levels of government
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    3
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    5
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    There are two sets of materials for the course:
    The List of Readings and Seminar Questions will be available at no charge.

    The Course Readings will be available for purchase.

    You will need both sets of materials. The booklets will be available for collection/purchase from the Image and Copy Centre on Level 1 of the Hughes Building (http://icc.library.adelaide.edu.au/ has information on location, opening times etc). Paid materials must first be ordered online through https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/ (click on ‘Online Shop’ from the left hand menu). The material from both booklets will also be available in electronic form on MyUni.

    The course textbook is:
    Gabrielle Appleby, Alexander Reilly and Laura Grenfell, Australian Public Law (Oxford University Press, 2nd ed, 2014)

    You will also need:
    A copy of the Australian Constitution, and the Constitution Act 1934 (SA). Both are available under Additional Materials on the MyUni Website.

    Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Melbourne University Law Review Association, 3rd ed, 2010) (Available for download from http://mulr.law.unimelb.edu.au/go/aglc or for purchase at Unibooks).
    Recommended Resources
    LexisNexis, Concise Australian Legal Dictionary (5th ed, 2014).

    Matthew Stubbs (ed), Jack Richardson, Australia's Constitutional Government (LexisNexis, 2016).
    Online Learning
    Pre-Lecture Videos

    In weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the course, students will be expected to watch a series of online videos before attending the lecture. At the lecture, we will be working through activities which will require you to know the material in the videos.

    Pre-Lecture Quizzes

    Because of the importance of understanding the material covered in the videos, and to enable you to test your learning from the videos before you attend the lecture, in each week with pre-lecture videos there will be a pre-lecture quiz to be completed on MyUni before the lecture. Further information on the pre-lecture quizzes is available below under 'Assessment Detail'.

    Online Learning Tools
    Additional course-related material is available through the Professional Legal Skills MyUni course, which all students are expected to undertake. This includes:
    • An interactive online learning module on legal citation (leading to the 2.5% online citation quiz);
    • An interactive online learning module on secondary source research (essential preparation for the Small Group Discovery Experience).
    Online Communication

    The MyUni Discussion Board will be activated by the start of teaching and will be available until immediately before the primary exam. All questions relating to substantive course content and assessment should be posted on the Discussion Board, rather than emailed to staff. Guidelines on communication, including the use of the Discussion Board, will be posted on MyUni.

    Students are expected to check MyUni regularly to keep up to date with announcements during the semester.

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The teaching in Principles of Public Law has (from 2014 onwards) moved away from the 'traditional' lecture-seminar format to embrace blended learning and flipped classroom pedagogy, as well as to include a Small Group Discovery Experience (see below).

    Blended learning essentially combines online and traditional face-to-face teaching and learning modes. We are using this because it enables us to spend more of our face-to-face time actually working with you, rather than talking at you; and because it gives you much more control and flexibility to manage your own learning.

    The flipped classroom describes inverting the traditional use of lecture time for didactic (talking-head) presentation of content to a passive body of students (who, research tells us, do not in fact learn very much from this). Instead, we will use lectures for active learning, where students are solving problems (for example, applying the law to a practical situation), learning and practising skills (for example, advanced skills of case analysis) and working together to develop teamwork and practice peer instruction (that is, to help teach each other) - again, research tells us that this contributes to much better learning outcomes for students (and, also, to better grades).

    In our seminars, we will be undertaking traditional problem-solving activities, and consider different perspectives on the law under examination, to foster the development of critical thinking skills.

    Your learning process for each week should be structured as follows:

    Pre-Lecture
    • Read the assigned readings
    • Watch the pre-lecture videos
    • Make topic notes based on this material
    • Prepare for the in-lecture activities
    • Complete the pre-lecture quiz on MyUni
    In Lecture
    • Engage and participate actively in all of the in-lecture activities
    • Make special note of new skills or understandings that you have developed, or errors/difficulties that you have identified
    Pre-Seminar
    • Update your topic notes based on what has occurred in the lecture, and if necessary refer again to the readings and pre-lecture videos
    • Prepare for the seminar activities
    In Seminar
    • Engage and participate actively in all of the seminar activities
    • Make special note of new understandings that you have developed, or errors/difficulties that you have identified
    Post-Seminar
    • Revise your topic notes to ensure they capture all that you have learned
    • Refer again to the readings and pre-lecture videos if you have any areas of uncertainty
    • Attend the PASS seminar (the following week) to further consolidate your learning
    • If you have any questions, post them on the Discussion Board

    Lecture Recording


    Traditional lecture-style content is now available on MyUni in the form of pre-lecture videos.

    We will also continue to record our interactive lecture sessions, mainly because these may be useful revision tools. However, attendance at the interactive lectures is essential to your learning in the course. You should make every effort to attend all of the lectures in this course. Moreover, because the lecture will be interactive, there is a lot that will not be captured on the recording and which you will simply miss. Listening to a lecture online after it is given is, therefore, no substitute at all for personal attendance. If you skip a lecture, you are penalising yourself, your learning in the course will suffer, and so will your grades.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students (ie those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies during semester. This means that in addition to lectures and seminars, students should spend an additional 9 or 10 hours per week in private study in the course across the semester – this includes doing the readings, watching the pre-lecture videos, taking the pre-lecture quizzes, preparing for the lecture and seminar activities, participating in group work, and undertaking the assessment tasks.
    Learning Activities Summary
      Pre-Lecture Videos and Lectures Seminars Assessment
    Week 1 Introduction to Public Law: Constitutionalism as a Check on Unlimited and Arbitrary Power; The Framing of the Australian Constitution; The Constitution of South Australia
    Introduction to Public Law Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 2 The Separation of Powers in Theory, the Separation of Judicial Power under the Australian Constitution, and Boilermakers Legislative, Executive and Judicial Powers Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 3 Defining Judicial Power Identifying Powers, Critical Perspectives on the Separation of Judicial Power Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday

    Week 4 The Separation of Judicial Power – Applications and Exceptions Critical Perspectives on Judicial Power and Detention, the Persona Designata Exception Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 5 The Separation of Judicial Power – Consequences for State Courts The Kable Doctrine Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 6 Executive Power and the Political Accountability of the Executive Accountability of the Executive Government Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 7 Executive Accountability to Independent Review and Freedom of Information Freedom of Information Pre-Lecture Quiz (2.5%) due 2pm Tuesday
    Week 8 Introduction to Small Group Discovery: Group Work and Legal Research Small Group Discovery Week 1 OnlineLegal Citation Quiz (2.5%) due by 2pm Tuesday
    MID SEMESTER BREAK
    Week 9 (No lecture) Small Group Discovery Week 2
    Week 10 (No lecture) Small Group Discovery Week 3
    Week 11 (No lecture) Staff will be available for consultation on the SGDE project - times TBA on MyUni. Small Group Project (25%) due Friday 2pm
    Week 12 Revision (No seminars)
    Specific Course Requirements
    Hurdle Requirement

    To pass the course, students MUST attend ALL 3 Small Group Discovery Experience seminars, in the seminar in which they are enrolled (in weeks 8, 9 and 10).

    Students who do not attend the required seminars will FAIL the course.

    In extraordinary medical or compassionate circumstances ONLY, students may apply (by email to the course coordinator) to submit written work in lieu of attendance. Even in such circumstances, entitlement to share in the group research project mark will depend on the student making an alternative contribution to his or her group's research project (see the section on group work below).

    This requirement exists because the Small Group Discovery Experience can only work effectively if every member of every group contributes to the research project being undertaken.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Principles of Public Law gives its students a Small Group Discovery Experience (SGDE) in weeks 8 - 11.

    Preparation for the SGDE commences with students forming groups of either 3 or 4 by week 6. SGDE groups choose a topic for their SGDE Research Project and develop a group constitution by week 7. In week 8, students receive instruction on legal research and group work skills in the lecture and in materials provided on MyUni. This equips them with the skills to embark on research into critical contemporary public law issues.

    The SGDE classes contain the same students, and occur at the same times, as the seminar classes for the rest of the course. However, all SGDE classes will:
    • be held in the Law Library computer suite (with access to all Law Library facilities);
    • be supervised by academic researchers; and
    • have library staff who are legal research experts available to assist.
    Full instructions on the SGDE will be made available to students on MyUni.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment item % of final mark Dates Length Redeemable in exam? Learning Outcomes
    Online Citation Quiz (Compulsory) 2.5% Due by Tuesday of Week 8, 2pm No 1, 4
    Online Pre-Lecture Quizzes - Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (Compulsory) 2.5% each, total of 17.5% Tuesday 2pm in the week to which the quiz relates (or, with the late penalty specified below, any
    time before 2pm on Friday 2 November)
    No 1,2,5
    SGDE Project (Compulsory) 25% Friday of Week 11, 2pm 2,000 words Yes (UNLESS student fails to make a reasonable contribution to his/her group) 1,2,3,4,5,6
    Exam (Compulsory) 55% or 80% Exam Period Semester 2
    2.5 hours + 10 minutes reading time 1,2,3,5
    Special note on Online Pre-Lecture Quizzes in weeks 1-7:

    Students who do not complete the quiz before the lecture (for any reason, including medical/compassionate) will have access to complete the same quiz at any time before 2pm on Friday 2 November, but their mark for that quiz will be subject to a late penalty of half the score obtained (so, for a student who scores 100% for a quiz, which would normally contribute 2.5 marks out of 100 to his/her total grade, he/she will instead receive only 1.25 marks towards his/her total grade; a student who scores 60% for a quiz, which would normally contribute 1.5 marks towards his/her total grade, will instead receive 0.75 marks).
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Specific instructions on each item of assessment will be made available to students on MyUni.
    Assessment Detail
    1. Online Citation Quiz (2.5%, Compulsory, NOT Redeemable)

    A multiple-choice online MyUni quiz assessing your ability to use appropriate legal citation that complies with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (3rd ed, 2010).

    An important element of legal writing is the ability to reference relevant material in a manner that conveys clearly and concisely the nature of the material referred to, and the means of locating it. This is what the accepted system of citation (of cases, legislation, books, articles and other materials) is designed to achieve. Students’ ability to operate within the conventions of citation will be assessed in this short online quiz.

    2. Online Pre-Lecture Quizzes (17.5%, Compulsory, NOT redeemable)

    Because of the importance of understanding the material covered in the videos, and to enable you to test your learning from the videos before you attend the lecture, in each week with pre-lecture videos there will be a pre-lecture quiz to be completed on MyUni before the lecture. In weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 , the pre-lecture quiz will be worth 2.5% of your final grade in Principles of Public Law (these seven quizzes in total will therefore be worth 17.5% of your final grade).

    Students who do not complete the quiz before the lecture (for any reason, including medical/compassionate) will have access to complete the same quiz at any time before 2pm on Friday 2 November, but their mark for that quiz will be subject to a late penalty of half the score obtained (so, for a student who scores 100% for a quiz, which would normally contribute 2.5 marks out of 100 to his/her total grade, he/she will instead receive only 1.25 marks out of 100 towards his/her total grade; a student who scores 60% for a quiz, which would normally contribute 1.5 marks towards his/her total grade, will instead receive 0.75 marks).

    As the online videos and quizzes are available from well before the start of the semester, and as students have the option
    to sit the quiz late (with the penalty indicated above), there will be no extensions for any reason, except in the most exceptional circumstances. (To be clear, acceptable exceptional circumstances do not include being sick that week, even with a medical certificate - because you could have done the quiz earlier.)

    3. Small Group Project (25%, Compulsory, Redeemable)

    Students will work in groups of 3 or 4 to complete a small group research project as part of their Small Group Discovery Experience, which will be due on Friday of week 11 at 2pm.

    The project will give you an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills:
    • Group work;
    • Legal research;
    • Analysis and synthesis of legal material;
    • Critical evaluation of legal material and concepts;
    • Articulation and structuring of a logical legal argument;
    • Clarity in legal writing style; and
    • Proper and accurate referencing and citation of sources, in compliance with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation.
    Further information about the Small Group Discovery Experience and Project will be made available on MyUni. Your mark for this compulsory project is redeemable by the exam.

    Assessment Item 3: Failure to Contribute Appropriately to your Group

    If students fail to contribute appropriately to their group, they will  suffer a marks penalty that adjusts their mark for this item of  assessment to a level commensurate with their contribution, and this  lower mark will become non-redeemable and thus count in full towards their final grade. Information about how to work in groups, and the processes to be followed in the event of a failure to contribute appropriately, will be made available on MyUni.

    4. Exam 55%-80%

    The exam is two and a half hours in length with 10 minutes reading time. It will be held in the University examination period. It will comprise two parts: three problem questions (worth 75%), and one essay question (to be chosen by each student from a choice of 2 topics, worth 25%). The exam will cover the whole of the course.

    The exam is open book: that is, students may bring into the exam any books, notes, and materials, other than books from a University library.

    (N.B. It is each student's responsibility to read the examination timetable. Misreading the timetable is not accepted as grounds for granting a supplementary exam. University staff are not permitted to provide examination times to students over the telephone or in response to personal enquiries.)
    Submission
    Students will be provided with submission instructions as part of the assessment instructions for each item of assessment which will be made available on MyUni.

    ASSIGNMENT EXTENSION APPLICATION
    Requests for extensions must be made electronically according to law school policy. Extensions will be granted only for unexpected illness, hardship or on compassionate grounds in accordance with University Policy. Work commitments, travel, holidays or sporting engagements are not unexpected circumstances.

    Late Submission Penalties: When an assessment is submitted after the due date, without an extension, 5% of the total mark possible will be deducted for every 24 hours or part thereof that the assignment is late, including each day on a weekend. For example, an essay that is submitted after the due date and time but within the first 24 hour period, and that has been graded at 63%, will have 5% deducted, for a final grade of 58%. An essay that is more than 24 hours late will lose 10%, etc.

    Word Length Penalties: 5% of the total mark possible for a written assessment will be deducted for every 100 words (or part thereof) by which it exceeds a stipulated word limit. For example, a 3,000 word essay graded at 63% will have 5% deducted if it is between 3,001 and 3,100 words long for a final mark of 58%. If the essay is between 3,101 and 3,200 words long, 10% will be deducted for a final mark of 53%, etc. Word limits include all words in the text, in headings, in quotations, but exclude citations in footnotes. Any separate cover page, table of contents, bibliography or list of sources is excluded from the word limit. If the word limit is misstated, this may be regarded as academic dishonesty.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Courses for which a result of conceded pass has been obtained may not be presented towards the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Laws or the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Laws programs, or any postgraduate law program, nor to satisfy prerequisite requirements within any law course.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

    Finality of Assessment Grades

    Students are advised that Course Coordinators will not enter into negotiations of any kind with any student regarding changes to their grades. It is irrelevant, in any given circumstance, that only a minimal number of additional marks are required to inflate a student’s grade for any individual assessment item or course as a whole. Pursuant to the University’s Assessment for Coursework Programs Policyand the Adelaide Law School Assessment Policies and Procedures, grades may only be varied through the appropriate channels for academic review (such as an official re-mark).

    Moderation
    In accordance with the University’s Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy, course coordinators ‘ensure that appropriate marking guidelines and cross-marking moderation processes across markers are in place’ in each course. Procedures adopted by Adelaide Law School to ensure consistency of marking in courses with multiple markers include:
    • assurance of the qualifications of markers, and their knowledge of the content covered in each course;
    • detailed marking guidelines and assessment rubrics to assist in the marking of items of assessment;
    • sharing of example marked assessments at various grade bands across markers;
    • reviewing of selected marked assessments from each marker by the course coordinator;
    • comparison of the marks and their distribution across markers;
    • automatic double-marking of all interim assessment receiving a fail grade, and of final assessments where a student’s overall result is a fail grade;
    • the availability of re-marking of assessments in accordance with Adelaide Law School’s Assessment Policies and Procedures.

    Approval of Results by Board of Examiners
    Students are reminded that all assessment results are subject to approval (and possible moderation/change) by the Law School’s Board of Examiners. Assessment results at the University are not scaled. Under the Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy, students are assessed ‘by reference to their performance against pre-determined criteria and standards … and not by ranking against the performance of the student cohort in the course’. However, under that same policy, the Board of Examiners (as the relevant Assessment Review Committee for courses at Adelaide Law School) is required to ‘ensure comparability of standards and consistency’ in assessment. On occasions, the Board of Examiners will form the view that some moderation is required to ensure the comparability of standards and consistency across courses and years, and accordingly provide fairness to all law students. All assessment results are therefore subject to approval (and possible change) until confirmed by the Board of Examiners and posted on Access Adelaide at the end of each semester.
  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    The course is constantly being updated and revised to reflect the evolution of the law, to respond to student feedback, and to engage with the latest teaching practices. Student feedback is collected each time the course is run, including through SELT reports. Previous SELT reports, and staff feedback on them, are posted on the course MyUni site for students to view and consider.
  • Student Support
    The University Writing Centre provides academic learning and language development services and resources for local, international, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students enrolled at the University of Adelaide.

    The centre offers practical advice and strategies for students to master reading, writing, note-taking, time management, oral presentation skills, referencing techniques and exam preparation for success at university through seminars, workshops and individual consultations.

    Lex Salus Program
    Lex Salus (law and wellbeing) is an initiative of the Adelaide Law School aimed at destigmatising mental health issues; promoting physical, mental and emotional wellness; building a strong community of staff and students; and celebrating diversity within the school. It also seeks to promote wellness within the legal profession, through the involvement of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, the Honourable Chris Kourakis, as the official Patron of the program.

    Students can participate in the Lex Salus program by attending barbecue lunches, pancake breakfasts, knitting and crochet circles, seminars, guest speakers, conferences and other activities. Our Facebook page, website and regular all-student emails promote upcoming events, and have tips and information on wellness.

    Our Lex Salus YouTube channel also includes videos on topics like managing stress, and interviews with LGBTQ lawyers and their supporters which celebrate diversity and individuality. Students who commit to 10 hours of volunteering with Lex Salus in one year can have their service recognised on their academic transcript and through a thank you morning tea with the Chief Justice and law school staff.

    Student Life Counselling Support
    The University’s Student Life Counselling Support service provides free and confidential service to all enrolled students. We encourage you to contact the Student Life Counselling Support service on 8313 5663 to make an appointment to deal with any issues that may be affecting your study and life.
  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

    Academic Honesty
    Academic dishonesty is a serious act of academic misconduct. All students must be familiar with the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.

    Academic dishonesty is a serious matter and is treated as such by the Law School and the University. Academic dishonesty (which goes beyond plagiarism) can be a ground for a refusal by the Supreme Court of South Australia to admit a person to practice as a legal practitioner in South Australia.

    Academic honesty is an essential aspect of ethical and honest behaviour, which is central to the practice of the law and an understanding of what it is to be a lawyer.
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.