This unit introduces you to the law of Torts in Australia as one of the main categories in the law of civil obligations. Along with Contract law, this unit will provide you with a solid foundation in many of the civil law issues faced in legal practice. You will gain an understanding of civil wrongs as developed by the common law yet increasingly supplemented by legislation. This unit will commence with an overview of tort law, its development and aims. You will also study the torts of negligence, trespass, nuisance and defamation, including available defences. Forms of concurrent liability are also considered along with remedies in tort and alternative statutory compensation schemes. Finally, the unit will consider the protection available in tort from unfair business practices. Tort law is constantly evolving and often raises unique and complex social and moral questions. The unit will develop your ability to think critically about the relationship of law to social, economic and political conditions. This unit meets the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board requirements for Torts.

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student unit evaluation

Many of the legal principles are complex and difficult to grasp

The use of real-life, problem-based scenarios in lectures and tutorials will assist in illuminating complex legal principles and enable students to relate complex legal principles to daily life (e.g. road and workplace accidents, duty of care of doctors, employers and lawyers, defamation, nuisance, etc.). In addition, it may help to remind students that devoting sufficient personal time for study and learning of Tort Law is crucial. Finally, students should be made aware of support that they can access through the CQU Academic Learning Centre and Studiosity.

Feedback from Student unit evaluation

Tutorials tend to go beyond one hour

Very few students actually raise this as an issue. In fact, every time tutorials extend beyond one hour, it is upon the request of students who have joined the tutorials. In any event, the number of tutorial problems should be reduced so that if tutorials go over the one-hour schedule, they extend by only a few minutes.

Feedback from Student unit evaluation and unsolicited emails

Tutorials are very engaging

The real-life, problem-based scenarios used for the tutorials should be continued as they fully engage the students and stimulate discussions. It is also important that tutorials be facilitated in a way that continues to strongly engage and encourage students to participate.