Unit Synopsis
This unit will first pave the foundation to understand how contracting parties engage in enforceable contracts, both in respect of building owners and contractors, as well as contractors and subcontractors. Then, you gradually obtain knowledge of how the dynamics of the contract change during the course of the building project, in respect of variations and extensions of time. This will further ensure you become familiar with the circumstances of how contracts can be breached, the methods of providing remedy for the breaches, and of dispute resolution. The unit will then consider the legal framework of government legislation in terms of the Acts of Parliament that relate to Builders Licensing, the Building Code of Australia, The Development Act and Occupational Health and Safety. All previous knowledge areas make you become competent in the reading and understanding of building contracts, and the application of government regulations that apply to building projects.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 1 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 2 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
There are no pre-requisites for the unit.
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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
Term 3 - 2026 Profile
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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Written Assessment | 25% |
| 2. Written Assessment | 35% |
| 3. Written Assessment | 40% |
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%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web 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.
Source: Staff Feedback
The assignments are designed to replicate real-world scenarios and require students to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the regulations covered in the unit. This approach effectively supports the development of practical, industry-relevant skills but may present challenges for students unfamiliar with interpreting legislation independently.
To support student success while maintaining the integrity of the assessments, it is recommended that additional scaffolding, such as guided tutorials, annotated examples, and explanations in lectures, be provided early in the term to help students build confidence in applying regulations to real-world contexts.
In response to observed student needs, structured learning support was strengthened throughout the term. This included the integration of step-by-step tutorial guidance, the use of worked examples with detailed explanations, and expanded in-class discussion of how regulatory concepts apply in practical scenarios. These adjustments were introduced early in the teaching period to support student understanding better and improve confidence in applying unit content to assessment tasks and real-world contexts.
Source: Student Feedback
It would be beneficial to keep the recording running for general discussion/questions after the lecture presentation is over.
For the next offerings of this unit, the lecture recordings should also include the Q&A session at the end of each lecture.
In subsequent offerings of the unit, lecture recordings continued to include the Q&A segments at the end of each lecture. This change ensured that student queries and in-class clarifications were captured in the recorded material, improving accessibility for revision and supporting a more complete learning resource for students engaging with the content outside of class.
Source: Student Feedback
The unit content promotes the application of legal principles to practical scenarios, supporting deep learning. Providing more real-life examples could further enhance student confidence and clarity in responding to tasks.
It is recommended to use more real-life examples during the lectures to further support the understanding of students.
In response to student feedback, the use of real-life examples was strengthened throughout lectures. Practical case-based scenarios were incorporated more frequently to demonstrate how legal principles apply in industry contexts, supporting deeper understanding of the material and improving student confidence in addressing assessment tasks.
Source: Student Feedback
The open-ended nature of the assessments encourages independent research and critical thinking, aligning with industry practices. However, some students may benefit from additional guidance on interpreting case studies and aligning responses with assessment expectations.
It is recommended to provide more information for the assessments, and also dedicate a specific time at each lecture to discuss about the assignments.
In response to student feedback, additional structured guidance on assessment requirements was provided to better support student understanding of expectations. This included clearer explanation of case study interpretation and how to align responses with marking criteria. In addition, dedicated time was allocated within lectures to discuss assessment tasks, clarify expectations, and address student questions, helping to improve transparency and support more effective engagement with the assignments.
Source: Staff Feedback
The unit content requires periodic review to ensure alignment with current construction industry regulations and standards, reflecting recent changes in practice.
It is recommended that the unit materials be systematically reviewed and updated to incorporate the latest relevant regulations and industry standards. This will help ensure content remains current, accurate, and aligned with professional practice expectations.
In Progress
Source: Staff Feedback
While the unit already includes practical examples, the coverage of applied case material could be strengthened, particularly regarding construction health and safety regulations.
It is recommended to expand the range of practical examples used in lectures and learning materials, placing greater emphasis on construction health and safety scenarios. This will further support students in connecting regulatory content to real-world industry practice and improve their applied understanding.
In Progress
Source: Staff Feedback
Students would benefit from additional supporting explanations being made more explicit and accessible within the Moodle learning environment, particularly regarding the regulatory system.
It is recommended to enhance the Moodle site by adding more structured explanatory notes and supporting content alongside existing materials. This will improve clarity of key concepts, strengthen students’ understanding of the regulatory framework, and provide a more consistent reference point for independent study and revision.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Contrast and compare how contracting parties engage in enforceable contracts, both in respect of building owners and contractors, as well as contractors and subcontractors.
- Investigate the dynamics of the contract change during the course of the building project, in respect of variations and extensions of time.
- Discuss the circumstances of how contracts can be breached, the methods of providing remedy for the breaches, and of dispute resolution.
- Explain the legal framework of government legislation in terms of the Acts of Parliament that relate to Builders Licensing, the Building Code of Australia, The Development Act and Occupational Health and Safety.
- Describe building contracts, and the application of government regulations that apply to building projects.
N/A
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment | • | • | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment | • | • | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment | • | • | |||
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • | • |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | • | • |
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | • | • | • | |
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | • | • | • | • |
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |