Research essay (50%) (4000 words)
This assessment will be by way of a research essay question.  The question will be released by Monday 20 March 2023 and due by 17h00 on Monday 15 May 2023 (Sydney, Australia time). The outcome of a grant of special consideration application may include an alternative task, at the discretion of the Unit Coordinator. 

For the research essay, the late submission of a piece of assessment, which has not been granted an extension, will attract a penalty of 5% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment per calendar day or part thereof.  For example, a submission after the due time but before the same time the following day will attract a 5% penalty.

Short-release assignment (50%) (4000 words)
This assessment will be by way of a problem- and/or drafting-style question which will be released at 10am on Monday 17 April 2023 (Sydney, Australia time).  The question needs to be researched and submitted by 10am on Monday 1 May 2023 (Sydney, Australia time).  Although this is a problem- and/or drafting-style assignment, it is expected that students will approach answering this as a Masters-level research undertaking, and research and engage with the issues appropriately, with appropriate referencing following instructions given.

No submissions will be accepted after the due date and simple extensions will not be granted. If any student is granted special consideration then an alternate assessment will need to be submitted. The due date for such alternate assessment will be determined by the coordinator when the alternative topic is distributed.

Optional 8000 word LLM Capstone essay (100%), with permission

LLM students who are undertaking this unit towards the end of their degree, and need a capstone experience to complete their degree, must notify the unit coordinator before 9 March 2023; and must provide a 250 word topic proposal by 5pm on 20 March 2023 (Sydney, Australia time).

If the permission of the unit coordinator is obtained, students should complete the Capstone Essay form (available here: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-coursework-llm-capstone) and upload the approval email.  The due date for submission of this essay will be 8:59am on Monday 29 May 2023 (Sydney, Australia time).  

The Capstone Essay will replace the problem-based question and be no more than 8000 words (including footnotes but not including bibliography). Your essay should comply with Academic Integrity requirements, and be submitted in compliance with assignment submission requirements.

The essay topic must be relevant to the material covered in the unit; while at the same time, to serve as a Capstone toward an LLM, it should build upon learning in your degree more generally. The outcome of a successful Special Consideration application would be an extension of time for submission.

Word limit penalty
A piece of assessment which exceeds the prescribed word limit will attract a penalty of 5% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment for every 250 words, or part thereof. The total word count for essay and other written assessments will exclude all footnotes and any bibliography (if required).

Use of editors or proof-readers
The use of assistance in preparing and editing assessment tasks in this unit of study is strictly prohibited. Assistance includes human and automated writing tools (not including spell checking). 

Assessment requirement to pass a unit of study:  A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out for this Unit of Study (except those marked as optional) 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.