Outline

Overview

The objective of this unit is to provide students with an introduction to a number of areas of international business law and to provide an opportunity to study some of those areas in more detail. It begins with an examination of the concept of free trade, the international structures and organizations that have been created to foster the liberalization of international trade, and the scope of the law relating to international business transactions. The unit highlights the importance of ethics in international business and introduces students to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 1977 (US) and the Bribery Act 2010 (UK). It then focuses on the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale Goods (CISG), followed by a consideration of International Commercial Terms (Incoterms 2020) and carriage of goods, especially carriage of goods by sea. The unit then deals with the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP600), financing of exports and methods of doing business in foreign markets, including through agents and distributors and international licensing transactions. Other topics may vary from year to year and may include an introduction to international tax, the World Trade Organization (WTO), including anti-dumping and countervailing duties law and international dispute settlement, especially international commercial arbitration. Refer to the Sydney Law School timetable - https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Law
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	LAWS3438 or LAWS5138
Assumed knowledge ?	Students who do not hold a law degree from a common or civil law jurisdiction must either have completed or be concurrently enrolled in LAWS6252 Legal Reasoning and the Common Law System before enrolling in this unit
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Tamer Morris, tamer.morris@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Richard Prangell, richard.prangell@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 13 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Portfolio or journal	Discussion Board Reflective Posts (20%) Discussion board submission	20%	Multiple weeks	4 x 500 words posts	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group Exercises (20%) Group exercises based on set questions	20%	Multiple weeks	4 x student group exercises	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Out-of-class quiz	Early Feedback Task (0%) Online quiz	0%	Week 02 Due date: 06 Mar 2026 at 23:59	15 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Final Assignment & Research Essay (60%) Essay on all topics in the unit	60%	Week 10 Due date: 04 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 18 May 2026	5000 words / 3 weeks	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = early feedback task ?

Assessment summary

Early Feedback Task (0%)

This unit includes an Early Feedback Task that is designed to provide students with timely insights into their understanding and engagement with the unit content. The Early Feedback Task in this unit is a short Canvas quiz. The task will be available on Canvas from 3 March 2026 at 9.00am to 6 March 2026 at 11.59pm, Sydney Australia time. It will be tailored to reflect key concepts from the first day of classes. Students will be provided with immediate automated feedback upon completion of the task.

Discussion Board Reflective Posts (20%)

4 x up to 500 words (max) individual student Discussion Submissions on the Unit Discussion Board at the conclusion of four classes. This is an individual exercise in posting a thoughtful comment, observation or reflection on the material covered in the class for that day. Alternatively, students may post a thoughtful response or added comment, observation or reflection to another student’s post of their thoughtful comment, observation or reflection. Guidance on what constitutes a thoughtful comment other than the marking criteria also includes a critical analysis of the key themes of the day’s topics, based and connected to the day’s readings, on contentious matters of law/policy/and reform issues.

The 4 Discussion Board Posts (1 per class) are based on the Exercises (presented by fellow students), the seminars and required readings for that day. The seminars will focus on certain key areas of the readings. Each post on the Discussion Board will be assessed and general feedback given the following class. Your final mark will be the best mark you achieve for the submissions (best of four). The Discussion Board posts task is a continuous assessment task to allow you to demonstrate an ongoing engagement with the unit materials and with your peers’ perspectives. The posts are to be respectful and adhere to the University’s on-line etiquette, policy and guidelines.

TIME: You are to post to the Discussion Board (as set out above) during the one hour allocated at the end of each class from 4.30pm or 6.00pm depending on your group. Late post submissions will not be marked.

Group Exercises (20%)

4 x student group exercises with specialised scenarios based on structured set questions to be completed on in four classes. This is a group exercise and the exercise question will be posted on Canvas before the class.

A mark will be given for each group presentation that reflects the level of collaboration and effort against all the Learning Outcomes. Each group member will receive the same mark for the presentation. The final mark will be the best mark achieved of the exercises attempted in that you will have 4 opportunities to achieve the best possible mark overall.

Final Assignment & Research Essay (60%)

The Final Assignment/ Research Essay questions will be released on 15 April 2026 at 5.00pm (Sydney, Australia Time). The deadline for submission is 4 May 2026 11.59pm (Sydney, Australia Time). Students are required to submit their assignment of 5000 words maximum (including all footnotes and references but excluding the bibliography).

The assignment will consist of two parts:

Part A will consist of a scenario and a question, and students are required to answer all sub questions. It will cover all topics discussed in class, including (i) the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, (ii) international commercial contracts, (iii) Incoterms 2020, (iv) carriage of goods. The assignment will ask questions on a given fact situation.
Part B will consist of research questions and all students are required to answer one research question dealing will deal with financing of exports, letters of credit, international commercial dispute resolution, and WTO issues.

Word limit penalty: A piece of assessment which exceeds the prescribed word limit will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment for every 100 words, or part thereof. The total word count for essay and other written assessments will include all footnotes but exclude any bibliography and acknowledgements of assistance from editors, automated writing tools or generative AI (where use is permitted).

Referencing: The Sydney Law School expects you to use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th edition, 2018) for your footnoting style, although you should confirm this with your lecturer. A link to the library website where this is set out comprehensively is available at Referencing and Citation Styles: AGLC4.

Special consideration: Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve alternative tasks, as appropriate.

Assessment requirements to pass a unit of study: A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out in this Unit of Study in order to obtain a Pass mark and grade (or above); otherwise an Absent Fail grade will be recorded as the student’s result for this Unit of Study. As the EFT is an early diagnostic tool, this task is not included in the final grade for the unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2021 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Completely answers the question. Contains striking originality of approach or analysis. Demonstrates exhaustive or innovative research (where independent research required). Exceptionally well written, structured and expressed. Is otherwise exceptional in some way.
Distinction	75 - 84	Completely answers the question. Achieves a critical and evaluative approach to the issues. Content and structure is well organised in support of the argument. Demonstrates extensive research and analysis to support a well-documented argument. Generally well expressed and free from errors. Has a clear structure and is well articulated.
Credit	65 - 74	Covers main issues fairly well in answering the question. Contains no significant errors. Demonstrates an attempted critical approach to the issues. Demonstrates reasonably sound research and analysis in addressing the key issues. Has a clear structure and reasonably clear expression.
Pass	50 - 64	Identifies the key issues, but does not follow through with a reasoned argument. Contains some significant errors. Displays satisfactory engagement with the key issues. Offers a descriptive summary of material relevant to the question. Superficial use of material, and may display a tendency to paraphrase. Demonstrates little evidence of in-depth research or analysis. Adequate expression. Overall, demonstrates the minimum level of competence in the assessment and satisfies the requirements to proceed to higher-level studies in the degree or subject area.
Fail	0 - 49	Does not answer the question. Contains significant or numerous errors. Few or no identifiable arguments. Content that is inappropriate or irrelevant. Lack of research or analysis. Difficult or impossible to understand through poor grammar, expression or structure. Overall, does not demonstrate the minimum level of competence in the assessment.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The late submission of a piece of assessment, without an approved extension, will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment per 24 hours or part thereof, after the due time on the due date.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 02	WTO, Bilateral trade and investment treaties	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 03	United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), UNIDROIT principles, product liability and safety regulation	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 04	Incoterms 2020 and international carriage of goods, International payments and finance – methods of financing trade; bills of exchange and letters of credit (UCP600), operating in foreign markets.	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 05	Contractual & other market access vehicles, International investment and tax treaties	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 06	International dispute settlement: arbitration (including arbitration essentials, enforcement of foreign arbitral awards and investor-state arbitration), World Trade Organisation (WTO)	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 07	The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)	Seminar (3.7 hr)
Week 08	Free Trade Agreements (FTA); Completion of the student feedback survey for this unit of study	Seminar (3.8 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: All students are required to attend 80% of classes to satisfy the pass requirements for this unit. Failure to meet this requirement will result in an Absent Fail grade being recorded as the student’s result for this unit (see The University of Sydney Law School Resolutions: Coursework Awards cl 11).

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Readings for this unit can be found on the Reading Guide that will be available on Canvas. The required readings once available can be accessed through the Reading List link on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. critically analyse laws related to the international sale of goods, carriage of goods, and the financing of international sales transactions.
LO2. evaluate different methods for entering into business transactions in another country and justify an optimal approach.
LO3. critically evaluate the essentials of international commercial arbitration and develop a detailed argument for their application in given contexts.
LO4. conduct thorough research in the area of international business transactions law, and proficiently advise on the application of key aspects of international business transactions to real-world scenarios.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Assessment has been changed.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

LAWS6059: International Business Law

Semester 1a, 2026 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links