LWS075 International Business and Law


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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:LWS075
Credit points:12
Coordinator:Catherine Brown | catherine.brown@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

This unit addresses a broad range of legal problems that arise in the formation and operation of commercial transactions of an international nature. An understanding of the law and practice regarding international commercial transactions is a basic prerequisite for the development of trade with Australian businesses, such activity being generally recognised as crucial to Australia's economic well-being.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the salient aspects of international trade law in regard to commercial transactions of an international nature
  2. Appraise skills and strategies for successful engagement in international commercial dealings, relative to the practical concerns of busines regarding the need to recognise and manage risk attendant to such transactions in the international legal environment
  3. Analyse the major divergences in practices and arrangements of national jurisdictions in their regulation of international commercial transactions
  4. Critically evaluate contemporary developments in international economic law, especially the initiatives of inter-governmental and non-governmental trade agencies in developing a unified body of international commercial law, and
  5. Plan, conduct and evaluate research at an advanced level and write a substantial research paper on current topics in areas of law relating to international business transactions.

Content

Topics covered in this unit may include:

1. the impact of the World Trade Organisation on business transactions
2. current issues arising in international trade law
3. international sale of goods
4. international commercial arbitration
5. the digital economy.

Learning Approaches

This unit employs an active and collaborative approach to learning. It involves online, self-led learning practice and live workshops where you will learn from experts and your peers. Prior to workshops you will be supported and engaged in this unit through the delivery of snapshots of unit material, podcasts delivered by experts, interactive quizzes or formative learning activities, and/or collaborative discussions that will introduce a range of practical and theoretical perspectives. 

Your participation in the unit will include:

  • Participation in live workshops
  • Engagement with online materials
  • Discussions on Canvas and in live workshops
  • Collaboration with peers and experts to network and share your understanding

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You are provided with feedback to assist your learning throughout the semester. The feedback is provided through:

  • interaction with the workshop leader and other students during discussions in the live workshops
  • interactive self-paced online learning activities that enable you to self-test your understanding of the unit content and concepts
  • an interactive community platform
  • the individual and generic feedback provided on the unit's assessment items
  • examples of past student assessment to facilitate self-reflection
  • the option of consultation with a member of the teaching team.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment is both formative and summative.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

You will be asked to prepare a brief 3-5 minute presentation introducing or explaining a particular topic covered in the unit. The presentation may be made either face to face in class or via video. You will choose your topic in consultation with the Unit Coordinator. This component is intended to evaluate comprehension of, and the capacity to critically analyse, the written materials studied in this unit. Assessment will be based upon the extent to which the paper demonstrates a reflective understanding of a single topic of relevance to the unit.

Weight: 20
Length: 3-5 minutes
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 3
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Quiz

You will be asked to complete a quiz examining your understanding of the unit content covered in unit modules 1-3.

Weight: 20
Length: 40 minutes
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 6
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Research paper

The research paper will require to you critically analyse and respond to a number of questions of current concern in areas of international commercial transactions. You will be assessed on your demonstrated familiarity with relevant literature and its critical review together with synthesis of this material into a coherent argument/discussion and the level of critical ability revealed by the analysis. A list of research questions will be provided to you at the commencement of the semester.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 60
Length: Maximum 5000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Mo, J, International Commercial Law (Butterworths, Sydney, 6th ed, 2015)

Other

Di Lieto, G and Treisman, D International Trade Law (Federation Press, Sydney, 2018)
Other materials and bibliographical information will be available on the unit Canvas site.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with this unit.