Overview
This capstone unit provides you with a choice of a domestic placement, social innovation project, international study tour, or workplace simulation. Placement opportunities available during Terms 1 and 2 are domestic placements, social innovation projects, and workplace simulations. Domestic placements will be facilitated by the Unit Coordinator and Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) team, or you may instead submit a placement that you have identified for approval. Social innovation projects will enable you to engage with pressing social issues and contribute to real-world outcomes. The workplace simulation will support the development of your practical legal skills (including advocacy, drafting, client interviewing, negotiating, file management, and problem solving) in the context of a simulated legal workplace. The content of the simulation may vary annually. In Term 3, the only placement option available is an international study tour, facilitated by CQUGlobal, to an international location in conjunction with an external partner organisation. International study tours will require you to pay for travel and accommodation; these costs may be offset by government scholarships such as the New Columbo plan. Prior to and during your placement, you will study cultural competencies, ethical responsibilities, and practical skills necessary to support your placement work. This capstone unit will enable you to apply your knowledge to legal problems in real-life environments. You will undertake legal and academic analysis, integrate reflecting thinking into your work, and present your ideas orally and in writing.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: 24 credit points of law
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2022
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
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.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
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 feedback, staff feedback and self-reflection
Streamline assessment regime
Reduce the number of, and revise, assessment tasks to further integrate unit learning outcomes and content with assessment.
Feedback from Student feedback, self-reflection
Integrate practical tasks
This unit teaches practical skills. Authentic practical tasks should be retained as an integral part of students' work in the unit.
Feedback from Student feedback, self-reflection
Teach from professional experience
This unit prepares students for a career in law. Teaching delivery in the unit should continue to involve a practitioner so that students can learn from their professional experience and expertise in practical skills.
- Plan and prepare for a professional experience
- Effectively participate in a professional experience
- Communicate effectively about a professional experience
- Contribute to team outcomes during a professional experience.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
2 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 40% | ||||
3 - Presentation - 40% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Communication | ||||
2 - Problem Solving | ||||
3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
4 - Information Literacy | ||||
5 - Team Work | ||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
8 - Ethical practice | ||||
9 - Social Innovation | ||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Textbooks
Practical Legal Skills
Edition: 5th (2021)
Authors: Ross Hyams & Adrian Evans
Oxford University Press
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th ed
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.mcewan@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Legal Practicum: Preparing for the International Study Tour
Chapter
See Study Guide
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 1 Term 3 Zoom Session Thursday 6-7pm (Qld)
(Note: Essential Predeparture Zoom Workshop Monday 24th October 7-9pm (Qld))
Module/Topic
Managing Professional Responsibilities and Relationships
Legal Practicum: Preparing for International Study Tour
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Session Thursday 6-7pm (Qld)
Module/Topic
International Study Tour
Chapter
See Study Guide
Events and Submissions/Topic
Depart Australia 25th November 2022
Written Assessment Due: Week 3 Wednesday (23 Nov 2022) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
International Study Tour
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Itinerary as per CIS Australia Brochure
Module/Topic
International Study Tour
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Itinerary as per CIS Australia Brochure
Module/Topic
International Study Tour
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Arrive Australia 13th December 2022
Zoom session: Thursday 6-7pm (Qld)
Module/Topic
Reflection and work on assessments
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Reflection on International Study Tour
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom session Thursday 6-7pm (Qld)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
In Term 3 2022, LAWS12073, Legal Practicum will take the form of an International Study Tour: Wildlife Law and Protection in Vietnam. The tour will be conducted in partnership with Education for Nature Vietnam.
Students will:
1. Observe and learn about Vietnam’s legal system and Vietnam’s legal history.
2. Develop an understanding of wildlife law and protection in Vietnam’s social and cultural context, including wildlife trafficking.
3. Understand the role of Non-Government Organisations in law and policy reform.
4. Contribute to a project developed in collaboration with ENV that contributes to ENV’s objectives.
The Unit Coordinator for the tour is Dr Alexandra McEwan: a.mcewan@cqu.edu.au, working with Dr Luke Price, Clinical Legal Placement Coordinator: l.price@cqu.edu.au.
1 Written Assessment
Word limit: 1000 words
Based on what you have learned in Legal Practicum during weeks 1 and 2, your own experience of the unit, and further research, you will be required to critically consider your perspectives and predictions for the study tour.
Discuss:
· Your expected outcomes;
· Your role and responsibilities’ and
· Your preparation for the tour.
Week 3 Wednesday (23 Nov 2022) 11:59 pm AEST
Estimated return is 2 weeks from due date.
Criteria:
- Knowledge and understanding;
- Critical analysis and reasoning;
- Integration of reflective thinking and processes, and research, into arguments;
- Written expression and referencing; and
- · Cross cultural awareness.
The rubric will be uploaded to Moodle.
- Communication
- Ethical practice
- Plan and prepare for a professional experience
2 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
Basing your answer on your study tour experience and your own further research, you will be required to record a 10 minute Ted Talk with the following title:
‘Not your typical clients: what are lawyers’ responsibilities to wildlife?’
Your presentation should:
· Identify the key issues raised by the topic;
· Use your study tour experience to address these issues; and
· Situate your own experience in your professional context, role, responsibilities, and development.
Record your presentation on YouTube, Vimeo or an alternative service. Submit a link to that video in Moodle assessments.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
· Knowledge and understanding
· Critical awareness and engagement, including cultural awareness
· Integration of research and experience to develop and support arguments
· Clarity of expression and quality of oral argument.
The marking rubric is available on Moodle.
Week 6 Monday (19 Dec 2022) 11:59 pm AEST
Estimated return is 2 weeks from due date.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
· Knowledge and understanding
· Critical awareness and engagement, including cultural awareness
· Integration of research and experience to develop and support arguments
· Clarity of expression and quality of oral argument.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Plan and prepare for a professional experience
- Effectively participate in a professional experience
- Communicate effectively about a professional experience
- Contribute to team outcomes during a professional experience.
3 Presentation
Word limit: 1500-2000 words
During the study tour, you will be required to collect three artifacts that represent an event or experience from the tour. Artifacts may include, but are not limited to:
· Photographs;
· Videos;
· Audio recordings;
· Diary entries;
· Venue or travel tickets;
· Journal or newspaper articles.
For each artifact, critically reflect on your experience and what you learned:
· Summarise the event/experience;
· Explore and evaluate your experience of the event;
· Critically analyse the event, its causes and your experience of it; and
· Propose lessons for the future or an action plan.
Additionally, using the form provided on Moodle, you must request a supervisor evaluation of your work from the study tour coordinator. Include this evaluation, which does not count towards the word count, in your logbook.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
· Knowledge and understanding;
· Critical analysis and reasoning;
· Integration of reflective thinking and processes, and research, into arguments;
· Written expression and referencing.
The marking rubric is available on Moodle.
Week 7 Wednesday (4 Jan 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit a Word document online using the following naming convention: LAWS12073Assess1_Surname_ First Name.
Estimated return is 2 weeks from due date.
Criteria:
- Knowledge and understanding;
- Critical awareness and engagement;
- Integration of research and experience to develop and support arguments;
- Clarity of expression and quality of oral argument.
The rubric will be uploaded to Moodle.
- Communication
- Team Work
- Communicate effectively about a professional experience
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.