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Unit of study_

SLSS1001: Introduction to Law, Policy and Society

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit provides students with an introduction tothe understanding of legal ideas, policy formation, institutions and practices in their social and historical contexts. It will provide an historical overview of legal institutions and forms of law in Australia, the place of the idea of the rule of law in state-formation, liberalism, processes of civilisation and colonialism, law, policy and the public/private distinction, changing conceptions of human rights, as well as outlining the central features of the various fields of law and policy.

Unit details and rules

Unit code SLSS1001
Academic unit Sociology and Criminology
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Allen George, allen.george@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Allen George, allen.george@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Short release assignment hurdle task Take-Home Exercise
Written task
40% Please select a valid week from the list below
Due date: 03 Jun 2024 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Small test hurdle task Socio-Legal Sources Quiz
Online quiz #earlyfeedbacktask
5% Week 03
Due date: 08 Mar 2024 at 23:59
250 words (equivalent)
Outcomes assessed: LO2
Assignment hurdle task Write a Socio-Legal Paragraph
Written task
10% Week 05
Due date: 18 Mar 2024 at 23:59
500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4
Assignment hurdle task Court Report
Written task
35% Week 08
Due date: 19 Apr 2024 at 23:59
1750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO5
Participation Tutorial Participation
n/a
10% Weekly Semester
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO6 LO5 LO4
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

All assessment tasks must be submitted in this unit. If an assessment task is not submitted an overall grade of AF (Absent Fail) will be awarded for this Unit of Study. 

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (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

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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

For more information see guide to grades.

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.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

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 2023 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 2023. 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

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to Socio-Legal Studies: Law, Power and Society Lecture (2 hr)  
Week 02 The Australian Legal System Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 03 Legal Sources and Research Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 04 The Courtroom Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 05 Reading a Case and Legal Reasoning Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 06 Reading Legislation Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 07 Policy and the Law Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 08 International Law and Human Rights Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 09 Law as a Social Institution Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 10 First Nations Interactions with Australian Law Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 11 Alternatives to Law Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 12 Crime and Punishment Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 13 Conclusion and Take-Home Exercise Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

  • Assignment submission: All assignments must be submitted in this unit. If an assignment(s) is not submitted, a grade of Absent Fail (AF) will be awarded.
  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Lectures are recorded and made available to students on Canvas. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

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

There is a set textbook for this unit:

Sanson, M. & Anthony, T. 2022, Connecting with Law. 5th edition, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

Students can either access the textbook via the library or purchase it in hardcopy or as an ebook. The textbook may also be available in a the second-hand book store where an earlier edition may be available, but please note that the online resources linked to the textbook will not be available for second-hand copies. An earlier edition can be used in this unit.  

Other set tutorial readings are available through our Canvas class.

Students are required to have read the relevant chapters from the textbook or any other set tutorial reading before attending class.

Students are also encouraged to seek relevant material via the library catalogue or the legal databases.

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.

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

  • LO1. understand the law in its social, historical, cultural, political and economic contexts
  • LO2. demonstrate an independent ability to locate legal and other information efficiently and effectively
  • LO3. exercise critical judgment and critical thinking in reading and writing about the law
  • LO4. rigorously evaluate and address critical issues within contemporary legal discourse
  • LO5. demonstrate an appreciation of diverse perspectives in approaching concepts of legal culture
  • LO6. communicate ideas and concepts raised in the course with others.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

The content of some lectures have been revised.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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