Unit rationale, description and aim

This level four unit contributes to the development of:

  • advanced theoretical and technical knowledge in a specialist field of law
  • advanced, cognitive, technical and communication skills and the ability to apply these to complex legal problems
  • advanced research and writing skills

This unit deals with the law governing international trade and the resolution of disputes arising out of such trade. In doing so it provides an introduction to some of the political and economic considerations influencing international trade and the organisations established to regulate and promote international commercial activity.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

LAWS104 Foundations of Law and Legal Research , LAWS107 Introduction to Australian Public Law

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Describe and critically evaluate the law governing...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe and critically evaluate the law governing international trade and the resolution of disputes

Apply the law to factual situations and thereby ad...

Learning Outcome 02

Apply the law to factual situations and thereby advise clients and others of their rights and obligations in those situations

Content

Topics will include:  


  1. Interdisciplinary perspectives on international trade, 
  2. International sale of goods under domestic law 
  3. Contracts for the sale of goods under the CISG 
  4. Contracts relating to intellectual property 
  5. Contracts for the carriage of goods 
  6. International marketing and licensing 
  7. Payment systems in international trade 
  8. International banking and finance 
  9. Marine and aviation insurance 
  10. Resolution of disputes 
  11. Governmental, intergovernmental and multi-lateral regulation of international trade 

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy is designed to assess knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law, and to develop research skills.  

 

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each of the learning outcomes listed.  

 

Overview of assessments

Research essay: Students to demonstrate their abi...

Research essay: Students to demonstrate their ability to research assigned topic and critically evaluate legal systems and laws

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1

Final Assignment: The Final Assignment requires s...

Final Assignment: The Final Assignment requires students to answer hypothetical problems and short answer questions that will be based on the material presented in lectures and tutorials.

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO2

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Mode: Lectures, tutorials, electronic consultation, library tasks and presentations or Online lectures and activities.  

 

Duration: 3 hours per week over 12 weeks or equivalent. Students are expected to spend 150 hours in total for this unit. 

 

This level four elective unit allows students to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law using advanced research skills.  

 

Our strategy is to encourage students to creatively engage with unit content and to practice advanced research skills. 

 

The unit is designed to be delivered in intensive, weekly mode or online mode. We have taken a multimodal learning approach to provide accessibility and flexibility to our students and a student-focused approach that increases depth of learning and engagement through actively utilising Canvas. 

Representative texts and references

Prescribed texts:

  • Van den Bossche, Peter and Werner Zdouc,The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organisation: Text, Cases, and Materials (Cambridge University Press, 5th ed, 2021) 

You can purchase both as e-texts via vitalsource.com

Recommended texts

The following are recommended resources: 

  • Sundaram, Jae, WTO Law and Policy: A Political Economy Approach (Taylor & Francis Group, 2022); 
  • Trebilcock, MJ and Joel P Trachtman, Advanced Introduction to International Trade Law (Edward Elgar Publishing, Second edition, 2020) (for a succinct overview of WTO law). 
  • Simon Lester , Bryan Mercurio, and Arwel Davies,World Trade Law: Text, Materials and Commentary (Hart Publishing, Third Edition, 2018)
  • Matsushita, Mitsuo ; Schoenbaum, Thomas J ; Mavroidis, Petros C ; Hahn, Michael, The World Trade Organization: Law, Practice, and Policy (Oxford University Press, 3rd Edition, 2015)

 

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