Course: Legal Studies
Overview:
Legal Studies develops students’ knowledge, understanding and critical thinking skills in relation to the legal system and its effectiveness in promoting a just and fair society, with a view to empower students to participate effectively as responsible citizens at the local, national and international level.
The Preliminary course develops students' knowledge and understanding of the nature and functions of law and law-making, the development of Australian and international legal systems, the Australian constitution and law reform. It examines an individual's rights and responsibilities, how disputes are resolved and examines a contemporary issue concerning the individual and technology. Students have the opportunity to investigate issues that illustrate how the law operates in practice. This is achieved by investigating, analysing and synthesising legal information and investigating legal issues from a variety of perspectives.
The HSC course investigates the key areas of law, justice and human rights through a variety of focus studies, which consider how changes in societies influence law reform.
Topics:
Preliminary Course
Part 1: The Legal System
Students develop an understanding of the nature and functions of law through the examination of the law making processes and institutions. E.g., common law, international law, customary law, native title
Part 2: The Individual and the Law Students investigate the way in which the law impacts individuals
E.g., dispute resolution, law enforcement agencies, courts and tribunals, cybercrime, DNA technology
Part 3: Law in Practice
Students investigate contemporary Australian issues that illustrate how the law operates in practice. E.g., bail law reform, one-punch laws, bikie gangs, domestic and family violence
HSC Course
Core 1: Crime
Students investigate criminal law processes and institutions. E.g., police powers, the trial process, young offenders, international crime
Core 2: Human Rights
Students investigate the way in which human rights are promoted and enforced E.g., the United Nations, genocide, human trafficking
Option 1: Family Law
Students investigate the legal nature of family relationships. E.g., marriage, divorce, surrogacy, the care and protection of children
Option 2: World Order
Students investigate the effectiveness of the law in promoting peace and resolving conflict between countries. E.g., Responsibility to Protect principle, nuclear warfare, conflicts in Rwanda, East Timor, Syria, Libya, Yugoslavia
Possible Internal Assessment Types:
| Preliminary | HSC |
Extended Response (in-class) Research Task and Extended Response (in-class) Formal Examination |
Media File and Short Answer Responses Topic Examination Research Based Response Trial Examination |
HSC Examination Format:
The examination will consist of a written paper worth 100 marks.
The time allowed is 3 hours plus 5 minutes reading time.
The paper will consist of three sections. Questions in Sections I and II may refer to stimulus.
Section I – Core: Crime and Human Rights (20 marks)
● There will be objective response questions to the value of 20 marks.
● Questions to the value of 15 marks will be drawn from Crime.
● Questions to the value of 5 marks will be drawn from Human Rights.
Section II – Core: Crime and Human Rights (30 marks)
Part A – Human Rights (15 marks)
● There will be short-answer questions to the value of 15 marks.
● There will be approximately four items in total.
Part B – Crime (15 marks)
● There will be one extended response question to the value of 15 marks.
● The expected length of response will be around four pages of an examination writing booklet (approximately 600 words).
Section III – Options (50 marks)
● Candidates will be required to answer two extended response questions, each from a different option.
● Each question will be worth 25 marks.
● The expected length of each response will be around eight pages of an examination writing booklet (approximately 1000 words).
Other helpful information:
Legal Studies Association of NSW - Student Resources: https://lsa.net.au/Student-Resources