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Unit of study_

LAWS6314: Coastal and Marine Law

2025 unit information

This unit examines legal and policy frameworks for the management of coastal and marine areas - both generally and considering Australia as a specific case study. The unit will suit both international and national students who want to increase their understanding of coastal- and marine-related issues. Topics addressed include relevant international treaties generally; different international marine zones; the characteristics of Australian coastal and marine environments; the constitutional framework for the management of offshore areas; the regulation of marine and coastal pollution; creation and regulation of marine parks and reserves; fisheries management; the regulation of offshore oil and gas resource extraction; and responses to the impacts of climate change on coastal and marine environments. Further information about this unit is available in the Sydney Law School timetable https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable, unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units and academic staff profile https://www.sydney.edu.au/law/about/our-people/academic-staff.html

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Sydney Law School

Study level Postgraduate
Academic unit Law
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

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

  • LO1. Identify and describe the physical and ecological attributes of Australian coastal and marine environments, and communicate their significance from a legal perspective, referencing specific statutes and case law.
  • LO2. Critically evaluate the interactions between the Australian maritime domain and coastal and marine environment with international sea law, using case study analysis to exemplify the impact of these laws.
  • LO3. Critically assess Australia’s maritime zones, boundaries, and constitutional and legal mechanisms, clearly differentiating between sovereignty, jurisdiction, and management of coastal and marine settings, with a focus on the application of these concepts to current maritime disputes.
  • LO4. Critically analyse principal methods and strategies for coastal and environmental management, emphasizing integrated coastal and ocean management approaches, and evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in addressing specific coastal and marine law challenges.
  • LO5. Evaluate the transformative effects of climate changes on coastal and marine ecosystems, integrating scientific data to assess the implications for pollution, conservation, and resource management, and propose adaptive legal strategies.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Intensive June 2024
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal evening Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Intensive June 2020
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.