Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit is designed for international students from civil law countries and other non-common law jurisdictions and Australian graduates in disciplines other than law. This unit will provide these students with a solid foundation in corporate, commercial and personal property law and better equip students to complete more specialised units in these fields of law.

Aims

This unit aims to provide you with knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of corporate, commercial and personal property law. This unit aims to provide you with an understanding of the legal principles pertaining to registered companies, commercial transactions involving personal property, consumer protection in the commercial context, and the acquisition, transfer and holding of personal property. These matters will enable you to give effective legal advice in relation to corporate entities and to resolve commercial and property law issues in the context of your further studies and in your professional practice.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit you should be able to -
1. extract principles from Australian primary and secondary legal resources and understand their interrelationship and development processes;
2. identify, analyse and apply property, commercial, corporate and consumer law principles in problem situations
3. engage in oral discourse on these issues and communicate complex ideas and concepts to a listening audience.
4. appraise the development and the operation of commercial, property and corporate law and how they have evolved in a wider social context in response to social, economic, political and environmental imperatives; and
5. demonstrate high level research skills in the fields of corporate and commercial law.

Content

The unit content is divided into the following areas -
Australian Corporations Law

• companies and their creation managing companies


• contracting with companies

Personal Property

• sale of goods transferring risk, ownership and possession in personal


• transfer of title to personal property by a non-owner

Real Property

• concepts of property

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The teaching and learning strategy comprises one large group forum each week. The weekly forum will be two hours, involving a combination of lectures and interactive group activities such as tutorial -style discussions and debates.
You should work through both the study guide and the prescribed essential readings before the class so as to maximise your benefit from the time spent together in class. The classes enable discussion of the particular issues that will be focussed on in the course. They also provide an opportunity to obtain feedback and raise questions about the topics under consideration.

Assessment

Formative Assessment
Students will have the opportunity to consult with staff on an informal basis about any aspect of the unit during the teaching period. Within the teaching time students will get informal comment on their understanding of particular issues. Following the classes students are encouraged to seek from the co-ordinator assistance on areas of difficulty.

Assessment name: Discussion Forum
Description: Active participation in class discussion during the course of the unit
Relates to objectives: 1-4
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Ongoing

Assessment name: Research Paper
Description: You must submit a typed 2500-3000 word (maximum) research paper based upon the research topic allocated by the lecturer.
Relates to objectives: 1,2,4 and 5
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: Open book examination of 2 hours duration plus perusal time.
Relates to objectives: 1-4
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam Period

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed texts
Turner, C, Australian Commercial Law 28th ed, Thomson Reuters, Sydney, 2011.
Price, R and Griggs, L, Property Law in Principle, 2nd ed, Thomson Reuters, Sydney 2008.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 29-Aug-2012