Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

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

Rationale

This unit examines legal and policy issues relating to the Internet. The unit will consider the application of existing legal principles to "cyberspace" as well as newly developed Internet Law or Cyberlaw principles. Knowledge of Internet Law is of increasing importance in many areas of legal practice, industry and to society more generally. This is a new area of activity and it is important to educate lawyers and other professionals on the unique issues that have arisen and will emerge in this area, in particular the difficulty in regulating the distributed international network of computers known as the 'Internet'.

Aims

This unit aims to analyse and critique the existing and developing body of law regulating the Internet in light of the increasing relevance of the Internet to commerce, banking, litigation and intellectual property, to name but few affected areas. You will be asked to evaluate the efficacy of existing legal principles in cyberspace and propose suggestions for solutions in areas where currently the law is unsettled.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you will:
1. Have gained an in-depth appreciation of the growing body of laws relating to the Internet, developing within Australia and internationally;
2. Better understand the development of relationships between new "cyberlaws" and various other areas of law as well as the interaction of various "cyberlaws" across national boundaries;
3. Have extended your knowledge of specific areas of law, such as intellectual property, defamation and privacy;
4. Have examined the policy and social issues generated by the encroachment of the Internet into business and social contexts; and
5. Understand, critically evaluate and propose solutions to current cyberspace legal issues.

Content

The content covered in this unit will include:

jurisdiction;

privacy;

spam, crime and phishing;

content regulation;

e-commerce and e-transactions;

domain name disputes and cybersquatting;

patents;

copyright;

liability of Internet service providers and other "infrastructure" providers; and

emerging Internet issues.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit will be taught in the form of 13 seminar sessions (one 2 hour session per week). Attendance at the seminars is essential.

The seminars are intended to achieve two objectives:
1. the dissemination of knowledge about the seminar's topic; and
2. a detailed discussion about the legal issues related to that topic.

The acquisition of the relevant knowledge is primarily your responsibility prior to the attendance at the seminars, which are then devoted to an overview, analysis and evaluation of the relevant primary materials. Your focus is on the interactive discussion of the issues. You are expected to have read the materials before attending the seminar and be capable of discussing them.

You are also required to engage in a range of Web 2.0 technologies that will be used to disseminate knowledge and further discuss the pertinent legal and policy issues.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative (i.e. designed to provide you with feedback) and summative (i.e. both designed to give you feedback and linked to your assessment).

Formative assessment

In seminars the lecturer's comments in relation to answers given by individual students, together with group discussions, provide you with formative feedback of objectives (1), (2), (3), (4). The online learning and teaching tools, including the range of Web 2.0 technologies, will also give you formative feedback of these objectives.

The research paper, mentioned in summative assessment, will also provide formative assessment of objectives (1), (2), (3), (4) through the provision of written comments.

Assessment name: Research Paper
Description: You will be assessed on your demonstrated familiarity with relevant literature and its critical review together with synthesis of this material into a coherent argument/discussion and the level of critical ability revealed by the analysis. Your research paper should comply with the rules for the presentation of research papers and projects in the section on "Guidelines for Presentation of Research Papers and Research Projects" in the Postgraduate Student Information Booklet. The School of Law has produced its own citation guidelines. These may be accessed at http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/QUT-Legal-Reference-Style-Guide.pdf. These guidelines are recommended for all students undertaking postgraduate studies. Other citation guides may be used, after written approval to do so from the unit coordinator or supervisor.
It is expected that the research paper topic will be approved in principle by the unit coordinator by a date notified at the first seminar.
Relates to objectives: This item of assessment is a measure of your attainment of all objectives but particularly objective 5.
Weight: 80%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Discussion Forum
Description: This is a measure of your contribution to the discussions of the group. It takes into account your ability to listen to others, your demonstrated level of preparation, the quality of your contribution and your demonstrated ability to answer questions. It also includes your contributions to the range of Web 2.0 technologies utilised throughout the semester.
Relates to objectives: This item of assessment is a measure of your attainment of objectives 1 to 4.
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Ongoing

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

There is no prescribed text. All materials will be made available online. Electronic resources can be accessed through QUT's computer labs.

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: 23-Oct-2012