LAW 2567 - Biodiversity, Planning and Regional Australia Study Tour

North Terrace Campus - Winter - 2017

This course takes students into regional Australia to examine the impact of federal and state laws on our diverse environments, towns and peoples in regional South Australian. The course will assist students to develop skills in biodiversity and planning law as well as enrich their Indigenous cultural awareness. It will focus on developing legal analysis skills within a practical and holistic context and it will also focus on legal research.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code LAW 2567
    Course Biodiversity, Planning and Regional Australia Study Tour
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Law School
    Term Winter
    Level Undergraduate Law (LLB)
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Assumed Knowledge LAW 1501, LAW 1504
    Course Description This course takes students into regional Australia to examine the impact of federal and state laws on our diverse environments, towns and peoples in regional South Australian. The course will assist students to develop skills in biodiversity and planning law as well as enrich their Indigenous cultural awareness. It will focus on developing legal analysis skills within a practical and holistic context and it will also focus on legal research.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Mr Paul Leadbeter

    Telephone 8313 4441
    Email paul.leadbeter@adelaide.edu.au
    Course Timetable

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

    This course is a study tour. The dates are yet to be set for the tour but it will be sometime in the last two weeks of July 2017. It requires students to travel as a group in a small tour bus up to Port Augusta and from there across to Roxby Downs , the Vulkathana-Gammon Ranges and then the Flinders Ranges before returning to Adelaide. There will be travel over almost 1800km in that one week period and approximately one third of that travel will be on dirt road, the bulk of it on the Borefield Track which runs across the top of Lake Torrens  to link up with the bottom part of the Oodnadatta track. Accomodation and facilities at most places are fairly basic although clean and comfortable. Depending on the number of students enrolled it may be necessary for some students ( and the Course Coordinator) to volunteer to camp in tents or swags at the Arid recovery reserve ( which of itself can be a quite magical experience as you sleep in the arid dunes and see the magnificent sunrise). Below is the draft itinerary for the trip the substance of which is unlikely to change.



    DAY 1-

    Depart
    Adelaide ( from Uni of Adelaide Campus-Barr Smith lawns area) at 7.30am
    Travel to Port Augusta in 20 seater bus provided by Words on Wheels
    Comfort stops and morning tea on the way plus some possible sightseeing ( where appropriate
    and time permitting) Arrive Port Augusta around midday. Lunch at Port Augusta ( at student’s own cost)
    Afternoon in Port Augusta spent at Wadlata Outback Interpretative Centre and Aboriginal Legal rights Movement ( to be confirmed).
    Late in the afternoon we will head to Woomera where we stay for the night in a cabin park
    Dinner at Woomera cabin park.
     

    DAY 2-

    Early morning look at Woomera, before travelling to Andamooka and Roxby Downs  to arrive at Arid recovery around 3.30pm.There
    is an excellent museum at Woomera which outlines the area’s history and its development in conjunction with the British as a rocket testing range and satellite launch site. Lunch to be supplied at a suitable place along the way.Andamooka and Roxby Downs are complete contrasts. Both are urban settlements created to service the mining industry. One is well planned and regulated, the other a mish mash of shacks, houses and huts originally built in no orderly fashion around each opal miner’s individual mineral claim. The benefits of regulating land use, particularly from an aesthetic and service provision perspective are readily apparent. 
    3.30pm-6.00pm-Set up camp/accommodation options, familiarise ourselves with site, undergo induction program run by Arid Recovery staff.
    6.00pm onwards-Dinner Possible nocturnal walk in reserve to hopefully spot assortment of animals( Bilbies, bettongs, sticknest rats, spinifex hopping mice etc)

     DAY 3 – 

    Dawn-8.00am– Wake up, breakfast , view the glory of the arid environment on a (hopefully)
    sunny day
    8.00-8.45am– Travel to Olympic Dam mine site for tour of mine site and explanation of the
    proposed expansion (the proposed expansion is at present deferred indefinitely)- Tour to be conducted by
    BHP ( to be confirmed)
    12noon –Return to Arid Recovery for lunch
    1.00pm-5.00pm– Provide assistance to Arid Recovery staff with volunteer work- likely to be
    vegetation removal and fence maintenance
    5.00pm onwards- Dinner maybe another nocturnal walk, campfire.

     DAY 4 –

    Dawn—8.30am Wake up ,breakfast , view the glory of the arid environment on another
    (hopefully) sunny day.Pack for departure by 8.30am.
    8.30am-Depart for Iga Warta, near Nepabunna on the edge of the Vulkathunha –Gammon Ranges
    National Park in the Northern Flinders ranges via the Borefield Road, (north of Lake Torrens),then onto part of the Oodnadatta Track via Maree,Farina,and Lyndhurst. Possible slight diversion to look at Leigh Creek mine site ( open cut coal mine).
    Arrive at Iga Warta late afternoon. Evening briefing by Iga Warta people lead by Mr Terrance Coulthard.

     DAY 5 –

     Dawn-8.00am Wake up ,breakfast.

    Program to be determined by Iga Warta Indigenous Cultural Centre. Likely to be along following lines:
    9am-12pm Contact history tour / Cultural Awareness workshop/Ochre painting ceremony
    12pm –lunch
    1pm – 3pm Malkii tour, visit a painting site that has been dated to be 35,000 years old and can still be interpreted through oral history that has been handed down from generation to generation.

    6:00 pm- campfire experience including story-telling, singing and the sharing of Adnyamathanha culture, as well as supper of damper (cooked in the fire in the traditional Adnyamathanha way), with urti (quandong) jam and billy tea.

     DAY 6 – 

    Dawn-8.00am Wake up, breakfast, pack up
    Departure at 9.00am for Flinders Ranges National park. Depending on road and weather conditions travel through Vulkathunha –Gammon Ranges National Park to Balcanoona then down to Blinman ( where if possible we do a guided tour of the old underground Blinman Mine)  Wilpena and Rawnsley Park where we spend 2 nights.

      DAY 7 – 

    Dawn-8.00am Wake up,breakfast ,

    9 am-Day spent exploring Flinders Ranges National Park.

    Options of climbing Mt Ohlsson Bagge or St Mary’s Peak to get magnificent views of Wilpena Pound and to the east of the Ranges.
    (If St Mary’s Peak is chosen that requires a full day. Alternative is to do Mt Ohlsson Bagge which is half a day and then visit one of the geological/historic heritage sites within the Park)

    The other option is to do the walk up Rawnsley’s Bluff which is on the southern tip of the Wilpena Pound and also provides magnificent views across the Pound and to the east and west. Which walk we do can be determined once we are at Rawnsley Park and will be determined to a large extent by the weather and the wish of the group.It may be possible to have two seperate walking groups.

     DAY 8 – 

     Dawn-8.30am Breakfast and pack.
    Return to Adelaide viewing aboriginal cave paintings at Yourambulla Caves on the way, Goyder’s line and various rural towns and
    settlements.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to a range of areas of the law through the direct observation of the impact and effect of the practical application of those laws. The following information lists the connection between the various places visited on the study tour with particular legal areas:
    1. The Arid Recovery park is a good example of initiatives to conserve Australia’s biodiversity and hence an example of Australia' efforts to meet various obligations under the International Convention on Biological Diversity. In particular it gives us cause to consider the requirements for in situ and ex situ conservation, native vegetation retention and the controls under the Natural Resources Management Act in relation to pest plants and animals. It is also a good example of a regional conservation initiative which involves collaboration between the state government, a major mining company(BHP-and previously Western Mining) and the tertiary education sector( The University of Adelaide).It is an example of the new approach to conservation where much conservation now occurs on private land rather than by the reservation of publicly held lands. We will also get to see and be part of some of the conservation initiatives undertaken in the Park through participation on one afternoon as volunteers.
    2. The Olympic Dam mine is seen by the present state government ( and previous governments) as being enormously important for the economic future of the state. It was established under an indenture agreement between the State government and Western Mining whereby Western Mining was given significant concessions to establish the mine. It is not bound by the state’s environmental legislation and operates under its own set of rules. What justifies such an approach? The use of indenture agreements and special legislation endorsing the terms of such agreements is not uncommon in SA and a number of other states. The proposed mine expansion ( at present shelved indefinitely)is an enormous project. Only by seeing the site and area of the mine can one really get a good picture of the magnitude of the mine expansion (which has been proposed and assessed from an environmental perspective) .Students will have cause to consider the terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment, its findings, the actual environmental, social and economic impacts of the mine and the validity of EIA processes generally, particularly in so far as they limit public input to the decision making processes.
    3. The townships of Roxby Downs and Andamooka are in stark contrast to each other, one is a very well planned, orderly mining town with a range of excellent services and community facilities whereas the other is a mixture of housing types originally constructed around individual opal mining shafts. A comparison of the 2 communities emphasises what a difference land use planning policy , design and regulation can make in an urban context. Andamooka is particularly interesting in terms of the evidence it provides of the indomitable human spirit even in the face of, at times, extremely trying environmental conditions.
    4. The township of Woomera is on the edge of the Woomera Defence area and Prohibited site. A large part of the arid area is excluded from access by the public. What impact has that had on indigenous communities in the area? Is it right that such vast tracts of public land should be excluded from public access in this way? The excellent museum at Woomera explains the Woomera story.
    5. The time spent at the Iga Warta Indigenous Culural Centre near the settlement of Neppabunna on the edge of the Vulkathuna-Gammon Ranges National Park gives students some appreciation of the enormous impacts European settlement had on the indigenous people of the area. Students hear from indigenous elders some who were part of the "Stolen Generation"about the impact of Australia's assimilation laws and policies on the local indigenous people. Issues of land tenure and dispossession are also canvassed.
    6. The Study tour travels through a number of vast pastoral properties, causing us to reflect on the controls over land originally implemented through the system of pastoral leases under the Crown Lands Acts, the requirements of the Pastoral Land Management Act and the many failed farming and mining ventures undertaken in the region. It seems hard to understand how farming was ever thought to be a viable option in such harsh arid terrain where water is so scarce for most of the time. The early settlers misguided optimism is clear in places like Farina ,named after the wheat! The tour passes the  recently closed open cut mine at Leigh Creek, source of the inferior grade coal burned in some of the State's power stations and a contributor to global warming. There is also a visit to Wilpena Pound on the edge of the Arkaba Station, site of a major environmental legal battle in the 1980s when it was proposed to build a major tourist resort ( accomodating over 2000 people), an airstrip capable of taking international jets and a golf course to be irrigated by precious groundwater resources. The legal case went to the High Court but was never heard there because the State government altered the National Parks and Wildlife Act to legitimise the proposal. Not surprisingly, given the fact the proposal was just too big for that environment , the resort never proceeded, the private developer went into liquidation and the proposed resort never eventuated. Being in the Flinders Ranges National Park provides students with an opportunity to assess the nature of the reserve system, the increasing pressure from government to make the parks pay their way and the pressures exerted on reserve areas by increased visitor numbers.

    Students who complete the course should:
    1.Understand something of the operation of laws both past and present which have had an impact and continue to impact on indigenous people in South Australia, including native title and the impact of mining and pastoralism.
    2. Understand  the key requirements of biodiversity law in Australia, the importance of policy and the practical difficulties associated with the implementation of such laws.
    3. Appreciate the importance of land use planning laws and the relationship between such laws and the processes associated with major projects and environmental impact assessment and the complexities of the range of laws impacting on rural areas.
    4. Have the capacity to evaluate, synthesise and critically analyse information from a wide variety of sources and experiences.
    5. Be able to independently undertake self-directed legal research and analysis at a high level, including through the use of online technologies.
    6. Demonstrate good inter-personal and communication skills in both written and oral communication, working independently and as a member of a team.
    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)
    1,2,3,4,
    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
    4,5,
    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
    6
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    5,6
    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
    6
    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 no required resources for this course. There are many written and on line references that may be useful for students who wish to further explore matters dealt with in the course. There will be a document prepared by the Course Coordinator which provides information of a background nature on many of the places visited during the Study tour and explains how those places have a link to biodiversity and environmental law, or planning and regional development law , mining and land use tenure laws and laws affecting indigenous peoples and their culture and traditions. That document will also have website links to many government and NGO sites which much more detailed information will be available. The background explanatory document whioch will also contain a list of other reading sources will be available on MyUni.
    Recommended Resources
    There are a range of readings recommended to students who would like to pursue further some of the issues canvassed during the study tour. References to those readings will be provided via MyUni together with web links where appropriate and available.
    Online Learning
    The study tour is very much an experiential learning course. Students will learn from active engagement in the field and through meeting and observing various people actively engaged in their occupations. On line resources will be used to provide students with background information to enable them to understand much of the practical work and activities which they will observe and in some cases participate in during the study tour.In particular, prior to departing on the trip all students will be required to view some background video material on biodiversity and planning controls in order to provide them with a basic understanding of the key requirements of both areas. All assignments will be submitted online through MyUni and marked online with feedback in both written and verbal form through the MyUni portal.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This study tour is unusual in that there is little in the way of formal lectures or tutorials. Shortly prior to departure on the tour ( on a day to be fixed) there will be a one day pre-departure briefing session. The morning session will be run by an external group and provide students with an introduction to indigenous culture and heritage. In the afternoon session there will be time spent explaining the basics of the South Australian land use planning system and the requirements of the Biodiversity Convention as well as some background to various aspects of the Tour. This will be reinforced by video presentations on both subjects which it will be compulsory for students to view pre-departure. There will also be a discussion about student expectations from the tour and confirmation of accomodation arrangements.
    During the Tour there will be presentations from a range of people at the various points we visit as well as an ongoing dialogue with the Tour leader highlighting points of interest and explaining their relevance.
    During the evenings we will conduct a regular debrief where students can comment on the day's events and share with the group their observations and thoughts on what has been seen and heard during the day. This is done in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
    Workload

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

    This is an 8 day study tour and as such there is 24 hour involvement although obviously there is sleeping time, travelling time and meal times which are part of the tour but not the educational requirements. The only required attendance outside of the 7 days is at the 1 day pre-departure briefing. Students will be expected to have read the compulsory reference material provided through MyUni prior to departure on the Study Tour and also have viewd the biodiversity and planning law videos. An online quiz which must also be completed pre-departure will test student understanding of the video material.
    Learning Activities Summary
    The Course involves a 1 day pre- departure briefing in Adelaide( date to be determined) and the following itinerary on the Tour itself.

    DAY 1-

    Depart
    Adelaide ( from Uni of Adelaide Campus-Barr Smith lawns area) at 7.30am
    Travel to Port Augusta in 20 seater bus provided by Words on Wheels
    Comfort stops and morning tea on the way plus some possible sightseeing ( where appropriate
    and time permitting) Arrive Port Augusta around midday. Lunch at Port Augusta ( at student’s own cost)
    Afternoon in Port Augusta spent at Wadlata Outback Interpretative Centre and Aboriginal Legal rights Movement ( to be confirmed). Late afternoon travel to Woomera where we are accomodated in Woomera Cabin park.
    Dinner in Woomera (at student’s own cost)
    Accomodation in cabins.


    DAY 2-

    Travel to Arid Recovery Park via Woomera, Andamooka and Roxby Downs to arrive at Arid recovery around 3.30pm.There
    is an excellent museum at Woomera which outlines the area’s history and its development in conjunction with the British as a rocket testing range and satellite launch site). Lunch to be supplied at suitable place along the way.Andamooka and Roxby Downs are complete contrasts. Both are urban settlements created to service the mining industry. One is well planned and regulated, the other a mish mash of shacks, houses and huts originally built in no orderly fashion around each opal miner’s individual mineral claim. The benefits of regulating land use, particularly from an aesthetic and service provision perspective are readily apparent.
    3.30pm-6.00pm-Set up camp/accommodation options, familiarise ourselves with site, undergo induction program run by Arid Recovery staff.
    6.00pm onwards-Dinner Possible nocturnal walk in reserve to hopefully spot assortment of animals( Bilbies, bettongs, sticknest rats, spinifex hopping mice etc)

    DAY 3 – 

    Dawn-8.00am– Wake up, breakfast , view the glory of the arid environment on a (hopefully)
    sunny day
    8.00-8.45am– Travel to Olympic Dam mine site for tour of mine site and explanation of
    proposed expansion (at present deferred indefinitely)- Tour to be conducted by
    BHP
    12noon –Return to Arid Recovery for lunch
    1.00pm-5.00pm– Provide assistance to Arid Recovery staff with volunteer work- likely to be
    vegetation removal and fence maintenance
    5.00pm onwards- Dinner maybe another nocturnal walk, campfire.

    DAY 4 –

    Dawn—8.30am Wake up ,breakfast , view the glory of the arid environment on another
    (hopefully) sunny day.Pack for departure by 8.30am.
    8.30am-Depart for Iga Warta, near Nepabunna on the edge of the Vulkathunha –Gammon Ranges
    National Park in the Northern Flinders ranges via the Borefield Road, (north of Lake Torrens),then onto part of the Oodnadatta Track via Marree,Farina,and Lyndhurst. Possible slight diversion to look at Leigh Creek mine site ( open cut coal mine).
    Arrive at Iga Warta late afternoon. Evening briefing by Iga Warta people lead by Mr Terrance Coulthard.

    DAY 5 –

    Dawn-8.00am Wake up ,breakfast.

    Program to be determined by Iga Warta Indigenous Cultural Centre. Likely to be along following lines:
    9am-12pm Contact history tour / Cultural Awareness workshop/Ochre painting ceremony
    12pm –lunch
    1pm – 3pm Malkii tour, visit a painting site that has been dated to be 35,000 years old and can still be interpreted through oral history that has been handed down from generation to generation.

    6:00 pm- campfire experience including story-telling, singing and the sharing of Adnyamathanha culture, as well as supper of damper (cooked in the fire in the traditional Adnyamathanha way), with urti (quandong) jam and billy tea.

    DAY 6 –  

    Dawn-8.00am Wake up, breakfast, pack up
    Departure at 9.00am for Flinders Ranges National park. Depending on road and weather conditions travel through Vulkathunha –Gammon Ranges National Park to Balcanoona then down to Blinman ( where if possible we do a guided tour of the old underground Blinman Mine) Wilpena and Rawnsley Park where we spend 2 nights.

    DAY 7 – 

    Dawn-8.00am Wake up,breakfast ,

    9 am-Day spent exploring Flinders Ranges National Park.

    Options of climbing Mt Ohlsson Bagge or St Mary’s Peak to get magnificent views of Wilpena Pound and to the east of the Ranges.
    (If St Mary’s Peak is chosen that requires a full day. Alternative is to do Mt Ohlsson Bagge which is half a day and then visit one of the geological/historic heritage sites within the Park)

    The other option is to do the walk up Rawnsley’s Bluff which is on the southern tip of the Wilpena Pound and also provides magnificent views across the Pound and to the east and west. Which walk we do can be determined once we are at Rawnsley Park and will be determined to a large extent by the weather and the wish of the group.It may be possible to have two seperate walking groups.

    DAY 8 –

    Dawn-8.30am Breakfast and pack.
    Return to Adelaide viewing aboriginal cave paintings at Yourambulla Caves on the way, Goyder’s line and various rural towns and
    settlements.
    Specific Course Requirements
    It is a requirement that students attend both the one day pre-departure briefing and undertake the on-line quiz prior to departure on the tour.Attendance on the Tour itself is obviously also compulsory.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    This Study Tour being of a small number (18 students or less)with much time spent in buses and close interaction with the various people providing information in a format which facilitates active student participation and questions and answers is a good example of a small group discovery experience.
  • 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 Weighting Group/Individual Word Length/Time Due Date Redeemable? Course Learning Outcomes
    Attendance and Course Participation  10% Individual N/A N/A no 6
    3x Reflective Journal Entries 30% Individual 400-500 words each 2pm on Friday 4th August 2017 no 1,2,3
    Research Assignment 60% Individual 3,000 words 2pm on Friday 25 August 2017 no 1,2,3,4,5


    Assessment Related Requirements
    It is compulsory to attend the pre-departure briefing day.
    It is compulsory to do the online quiz prior to departure.This is ungraded but students must have satisfactorily completed the quiz.Students may attempt the quiz as many times as they wish. Completing 70% of the answers correctly will be deemed 'satisfactory completion'.
    It is obviously compulsory to attend on the Tour itself.
    Assessment Detail
    1. Attendance and course participation. This requires students to not only attend the pre-departure briefing and on the Tour but also actively participate in the evening 'roundup' sessions each day on the Tour and in the question and answer sessions with the various presenters. The participation mark is worth 10% of the final grade and is non redeemable. Failure to attend either or both the pre-departure briefing and on the tour itself means a student cannot pass the course.
    2. Satisfactory completion of an online quiz on biodiversity law and planning controls ( relating to matters discussed in video presentations which students are required to view pre-departure). The quiz must be completed prior to departure on the tour. Students may have unlimited attempts of the quiz. A result with 70% or more correct answers to the quiz will be deemed 'satisfactory completion'.This quiz does not count towards a student's final grade in the subject.

    3. The completion of 3 Reflective Journal entries, each of a maximum of 400-500 words in length on the following matters is required:
    a. The concept of biodiversity conservation and how international law influences both national and state laws on this topic.
    b. The impacts of European settlement on indigenous laws and customs.
    c. On a matter of the student's own choosing.
    The reflective journals are worth 30% of the final grade and are all non redeemable.They must be submitted online through MyUni by  2pm on Friday 4 August 2017.

    4. A Research assignment of a maximum of 3,000 words on one of a number of allocated topics ( or with the Course Coordinator's approval on a topic of the student's own choice). The research paper is worth 60% of a student's final grade. It must be submitted through MyUni on or before  2pm Friday 25 August 2017.
    Submission
    PRESENTATION OF ASSIGNMENTS

    1. Students must retain a copy of all assignments submitted.

    2.Both the Reflective Journal and Research assignments must be submitted electronically through the Turnitin portal. Details of the process for electronic submission( through MyUni ) will be provided during the early part of the semester.
    3. The on-line quiz will be available on MyUni through Turnitin.

    MyUni

    Consistent with Law School policy, the primary communication mechanism for this course will be through placing announcements on MyUni. It is essential that students regularly check the announcements page for information. It is your responsibility to check MyUni regularly to ensure you have the most recent information. Any urgent information will be sent to you by email as well as placed on MyUni.

    RETURN OF ASSIGNMENTS AND FEEDBACK

    Assignments will be returned to students via the Turnitin portal within 4 weeks of the due date with feedback. The Relective Journal and Research assignment are both to be marked on an iPad.Feedback will include a mixture of written and verbal comments which will be able to be retrieved through the Turnitin portal. Students will be notified by email when assignments can be retrieved from the Turnitin portal.

    Late Submission: 5% of the total mark possible will be deducted for every 24 hours or part thereof that it 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: Assignments which exceed the allocated length (word length or page limit) will be subject to a penalty of 5% of total marks possible per 100 words or part thereof (ie with a word limit of 3,000, an essay graded 63% will have 5% deducted if it is 3001 words long, for a final grade of 58%, 10% if it is 3101 words long, etc). Words are calculated including all footnotes and headings within the text but excluding cover page information. Quotations and all referencing information are included in the word count.
    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.

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

    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 Acess 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.

  • 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.

    For more information please check out the Writing Centre website at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/  

    Lex Salus Program

    Lex Salus was founded in 2013 by Adelaide Law School Wellbeing officers Ms Corinne Walding, Ms Kellie Toole and Dr Mark Giancaspro. Lex Salus is an initiative of the Adelaide Law School aimed at raising law student awareness of the importance of mental, physical and nutritional health across all year levels of the degree, and of the various counselling, disability and equity services both within and outside the University that can provide help. Research shows that law students, both in Australia and in many jurisdictions around the world, experience the highest levels of stress, anxiety and depression out of any other discipline. Many do not get enough sleep, maintain a healthy diet or achieve a realistic work/life balance. Making matters worse, they are unwilling or afraid to speak up for fear of feeling 'weak' or because of the negative stigma that attaches to seeking help. Lex Salus is dedicated to tackling these problems head-on.

    Counselling Service

    The University Counselling Service provides a free and confidential service to all enrolled students. We encourage you to contact the Counselling service on 8313 5663 to make an appointment to deal with any issues that may be affecting your study and life. More information is available at https://www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre/.
  • Policies & Guidelines

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

    Further information regarding the Law School Policies and Procedures in relation to Supplementary Assessment, Extensions, and Remarks etc can be found at:

    https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/group/law-school/policies-and-procedures 

    Plagiarism and other forms of cheating

    Plagiarism is a serious act of academic misconduct. All students must be familiar with the Adelaide Law School Enrolment Guide, and should note in particular the sections relating to plagiarism, grievance procedures and academic conduct within the Law School and the University.
    Plagiarism is a serious matter and is treated as such by the Law School and the University. Please be aware that “academic dishonesty” (which goes beyond plagiarism) can be a ground for a refusal by the Supreme Court of South Australia to refuse 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.