• Class Problem (30%):  The Class problem will be a ‘mock’ international dispute involving a current technology and international law topic. There will be three different topic options for the Class Problem – you must sign up to ONE of these topics. There will be only 20 student spots allocated to each of the three different topics – if your chosen topic has reached its 20 spots, you MUST select one of the other topics.   The set topics (and materials) for the Class Problem will be released at 9:00am (Sydney, Australia time) on 6 October 2023 and you will be able to select and sign up to one of the three topics via Canvas.  

  There are two parts to the assessment for the Class Problem:  (1) the Position Paper (15%); and (2) the Group Panel Discussion (15%). 

1. Position Paper (15%):  You will represent a STATE (it must be one of the 193 Member States of the United Nations). The Position Paper must set out your State’s position on the Class Problem topic. The Position Paper must be no longer than 1000 words including footnotes. The Position Paper is due by 5:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on 23 October 2023.
2. Group Panel Discussion (15%): (equivalent of 1000 words). The Group Panel Discussions will occur on 17 October 2023.  You are expected to share and discuss your research findings on your selected State’s position on your selected topic and how that position relates to other Member States of the United Nations. Topic 1 will run from 9:30am – 11:30am, Topic 2 will run from 12:00pm – 2:00pm; and Topic 3 will run from 2:30pm-4:30pm. You MUST attend and present at the Group Panel Discussion that corresponds to your topic selection and observe the other Group Panel Discussions throughout the day.    

• Research essay (70%): Students will be provided with FOUR different essay topic questions (covering 4 different sub-topics of the unit). Students must select ONE of these 4 different topics for their research essay. The essay topic questions will be made available on Canvas at 6:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on 14 October 2023. The Research Essay is limited to a maximum of 6000 words. The Research Essay is due at 5:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on 20 November 2023.

• Optional 7000 word Capstone Essay (80%): LLM students completing the final units of their degrees and who require a Capstone Essay as a degree requirement must notify the unit coordinator before 6 October 2023. The Capstone Essay may not be completed without approval from the unit coordinator. The due date for the Optional Capstone Essay is 5:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on 20 November 2023.  You must select ONE topic out of the FOUR set Research essay topics for this unit. The Capstone Essay should build on work already completed in the degree; you may not recycle work already submitted for assessment in the degree.

  The Capstone Essay (80%) replaces the 6000 word essay (70%). The Class Problem will be re-weighted to 20% as follows: 

        - position Paper weighted at 10% and

        - the Round Table Discussion weighted at 10%. 

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 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). The use of Studiosity does not breach this rule but must be acknowledged.  

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.