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Bachelor of International Studies with the degree of Bachelor of Laws

ISLA01V2

Faculty:
Faculty of Arts
Award:
Bachelor of International Studies with the degree of Bachelor of Laws (BIntStudLLB)
English Language Proficiency:
IELTS of 7.0 overall with minimum 6.5 in each band, or equivalent
Study Mode:
Full-time, Part-time
Attendance Mode:
Internal
Candidature Length:
Full-time: 5 years
Commencement:
Session 1 at North Ryde (Domestic, International)
Volume of Learning:
Equivalent to 5 years
General requirements:
Minimum number of credit points for the degree 120
Minimum number of credit points at 200 level or above 72
Minimum number of credit points at 300 level or above 45
Minimum number of credit points from units with a LAW, LAWS, LAWZ or EXLW prefix 72
Completion of a designated People unit
Completion of a designated Planet unit
Completion of a designated PACE unit with a LAW or LAWS or LAWZ prefix
Completion of other specific minimum requirements as set out below
Note:
Students must complete one designated People unit and one designated Planet unit. Those units must be taken in two different Faculties. Any unit which is listed below will not satisfy the People unit requirement or Planet unit requirement.

In order to graduate students must ensure that they have satisfied all of the general requirements of the award.

Specific minimum requirements:

Credit points

100 level

Required
3
Cross-Cultural Communication (3)
 
Required
3
Asia in the Global Context (3)
 
Required
3
Societies of Europe (3)
 
Required
3
Criminal Justice (3)
 
Required
3
Foundations of Law (3)
 
Required
3
Contracts (3)
 
Required
3
Law, Lawyers and Society (3)
 
Required
3cp from
 
Contemporary China (3)
 
 
China in World History (3)
 
3
Japan - Past and Present (3)
 

200 level

Required
3
Citizenship: Past, Present, Global (3)
 
Required
3
Torts (3)
 
Required
3
Jurisprudence (3)
 
Required
3
Property Law (3)
 
Required
3
Equity and Trusts (3)
 
Required
3
Business Organisations (3)
 
Required
3
International Law (3)
 

300 level

Required
3
Global Issues (3)
C
Required
3
Constitutional Law (3)
 
Required
3
Administrative Law (3)
 
Required
3
Civil and Criminal Procedure (3)
 
Required
3
Evidence (3)
 

Any level

Required
18cp from
 
CHN units
 
CHIN units
 
CRO units
 
CROA units
 
FRN units
 
GMN units
 
ITL units
 
JPS units
 
JPNS units
 
MGK units
 
PLH units
 
RSN units
18
SPN units

Additional

Required
3cp from
 
Latin American Histories (3)
 
 
The European Union (3)
 
 
Modern Chinese History (3)
 
 
International Studies Internship (3)
 
3
Modern Japanese Society (3)
 
Required
either
or
 
Remedies (3)
 
3
Remedies, Reparations and Resolution in Law (3)
 
Required
15cp from
 
LAW units at 200 level
 
LAWS units at 200 level
 
LAW units at 300 level
 
LAWS units at 300 level
 
LAW units at 400 level
 
LAWS units at 400 level
 
LAWZ units at 400 level
 
LAW units at 500 level
15
LAWS units at 500 level
Required
12cp from
 
Exchange Law Study Abroad Program (9)
 
 
Exchange Law Study Abroad Program (12)
 
 
Exchange Law Study Abroad Program (12)
 
12
Comparative Law (3)
 

Balance of credit points required:

 
 
9
Electives

TOTAL CREDIT POINTS REQUIRED FOR THIS PROGRAM

120
Note:

CHN157, JPS121 and JPS221 can not be counted as part of the 18cp at any level if already counted for the 100 or 200 level requirements.

Completing students may be eligible for the award of Bachelor of Laws with Honours. For further details refer to law.mq.edu.au/current_students/llb_students.

 
Units marked with a C are Capstone units.

Additional Information
AQF Level Level 7 Bachelor Degree
CRICOS Code 059055J
Overview and Aims of the Program Refer to Bachelor of International Studies
Refer to Bachelor of Laws
Graduate Capabilities

The Graduate Capabilities Framework articulates the fundamentals that underpin all of Macquarie’s academic programs. It expresses these as follows:

Cognitive capabilities
(K) discipline specific knowledge and skills
(T) critical, analytical and integrative thinking
(P) problem solving and research capability
(I) creative and innovative


Interpersonal or social capabilities
(C) effective communication
(E) engaged and ethical local and global citizens
(A) socially and environmentally active and responsible

Personal capabilities
(J) capable of professional and personal judgement and initiative
(L) commitment to continuous learning

Program Learning Outcomes Refer to PLOs for Bachelor of International Studies
Refer to PLOs for Bachelor of Laws
Learning and Teaching Methods BACHELOR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Learning and teaching in the Bachelor of International Studies incorporates a range of methods to enable students to gradually develop the knowledge, skills and opportunities to apply knowledge and skills in the program outcomes. Students of the Bachelor of International Studies have opportunities to include in-country studies such as intensive residential units and PACE International activities in their degree in addition to a required semester of in-country study.

Learning and teaching International Studies content (non-language) units at the 100 level incorporate a variety of methods and a range of subjects to enable students to develop knowledge and learn concepts of cross-cultural communication, and to identify, respect and respond appropriately to the norms of a broad range of cultures, and to apply these in program outcomes. Students have opportunities to undertake intensive residential in-country studies internship, a domestic internship and/or PACE International activities in their degree.

Learning and teaching in 200 and 300 level Internationals Studies units facilitate independent research in topics such as citizenship studies, regional studies, intercultural communication, globalization, identity, culture transition and transmission, and diaspora studies. At 300 level, students in the Bachelor of International Studies undertaken a semester of in-country studies where they apply their language skills towards social and academic purposes in an international context, and in the capstone unit they examine and reflect on the role of the target language in its cultural and societal setting, and evaluate this role in local and global situations.

Language units undertaken as a core component of the Bachelor of International Studies use a communicative approach in the classroom environment with additional audio and written material and activities to be worked on at home. The emphasis inside and outside of the classroom is on meaningful interaction and tasks, and the creation of a low anxiety environment which fosters the development of a learning community in which students can practice their target language. This is supported by a range of comprehensible inputs targeted at the students’ developing language level, both from teaching staff and support materials (principally online), and constant opportunities for students to apply their developing knowledge to meaningful tasks. These include reading and listening to authentic cultural materials, in which students are guided to develop comprehension strategies that can be applied to any situation, and to acquire vocabulary in context. In support of the communicative goals, students also review key grammatical concepts to build their confidence and capacity to evaluate their own progress in the discipline. As students progress into 200 and 300 level units, they also engage in tasks and enrol in units with a stronger emphasis on cognitive and analytical skills in addition to language proficiency, including conducting research related to target language cultures and presenting it in a variety of formats such as oral presentations and written and spoken discussions, essays, debates, and audio-visual recordings. Language teaching models include: practicals, seminars, lectures, tutorials, and supervised independent study. Many language units are also offered in External mode and have been designed to support online learning.

LLB
Successful completion of the LLB degree enables a student to progress towards admission as a lawyer in New South Wales. Being a qualification accredited as meeting the academic requirements of admission, the degree’s program is built around a series of compulsory units which together cover the substantial body of doctrinal content prescribed by the profession. In addition to these core units, all students must complete one of seven qualifying majors, each of which examines law in the context of various policy challenges. Students also choose from a selection of elective units, enabling them to pursue their particular interests.

Besides equipping students with the doctrinal knowledge needed to practise law, the LLB seeks to develop skills and personal attributes required to succeed not only in legal practice but in other areas of professional life, as well as further academic study. These include communication and problem-solving skills, as well as analytical and critical thinking, plus qualities such as empathy and integrity. Macquarie Law School approaches the study of law as more than mere vocational training, viewing it as a rigorous intellectual endeavour in its own right. Hallmarks of the Macquarie LLB include its interdisciplinary nature and global focus, thus enabling students to appraise law and seek out innovative solutions in the broadest possible contexts.

Most units are taught by a combination of live or recorded lectures, set readings and various assessments designed to test and advance your learning. Increasingly, teaching is supported by innovative online technologies which deliver not only lecture content but an array of material, activities and potentials for interaction intended to develop your skills and understanding. While online learning permits students some flexibility in relation to when they study, internal students are generally expected to also attend a weekly tutorial for each unit, while external students normally come to the campus for a compulsory two-day intensive session, usually held during the mid-session break. Classroom-based activities provide you with the opportunity to consolidate your learning through interaction with teaching staff and fellow students.

In designing the program care has been taken to ensure that each stage of the student’s learning is adequately supported by what the student has already covered. As you advance through your degree you will be expected to become increasingly self-reliant in your studies. In order to succeed you will need to look far beyond lectures and set readings. You should be proactive in developing your own pathways to learning, suitably supported by the research skills you will be taught. Besides independent study you will at times be required to work collaboratively with other students, engaging in such activities as group discussions, projects and presentations. The emphasis is on learning through doing, as opposed to passively absorbing material. An important feature of the program is the PACE (Professional and Community Engagement), during which students learn through a combination of practical experience and personal reflection.
Assessment BACHELOR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Assessment in International Studies contents units is based on a progressive continuous assessment model, which ensures compliance with Macquarie’s policy of early, low-risk assessment and feedback, a minimum of three assessment tasks and different types of task, with no task worth more than 60% of the unit total. The diversity of assessment tasks strives to create a balance for students with different learning styles and opportunities for students to develop their skills across the learning areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Students are given multiple opportunities in each unit throughout the degree program to develop comprehension and communication strategies that will assist them in attaining the overall program learning outcomes. Assessment tasks require students to engage with theoretical concepts and express themselves appropriately according to the context and medium whether in their target language studies or in International Studies units. In the latter, students are required to undertake independent research and to demonstrate their knowledge, analytical skills and critical thinking.

In addition students demonstrate their growing knowledge of the structural aspects of their target language and the cultural contexts in which communication occurs within the cultures which employ the target language. The emphasis is on formative tasks with meaningful applications, such as spoken and written tasks relating to students’ lives, opinions and their engagement with the broader language communities, however some summative tasks such as grammar and vocabulary quizzes are incorporated, particularly at 100 and 200 levels, so that students can confirm minimum attainment of key structural aspects of the language. All student work is evaluated according to standards that are clearly articulated within the unit, and no norm-referencing is used. International Studies units employ moderation procedures between multiple markers involved in a single unit and external moderation for units with a single marker.

Examples of assessment types include:
• quiz
• essay
• online discussion – written
• participation
• literature review
• presentation

LLB
Each student graduating with the degree will receive a Grade Point Average calculated on the basis of that student’s performance across all core units, as well as those other units undertaken by the student to meet the program requirements. A student’s success in an individual unit is measured on the basis of at least three assessment tasks undertaken during the course of the academic session. Assessment tasks are designed to test students’ acquirement of skills, attributes and knowledge, as well as to support and promote their ongoing learning and development.

Generally, assessment is on the basis of how well a student has completed a piece of written work. These may form part of a timed take-home examination, although some units require students to attend a formal sit-down exam. Written assignments can take many different forms, ranging from an essay, a research paper, an advice to an imaginary client in relation to a hypothetical problem, a reflective journal, a contribution to a discussion blog and so on. Through a combination of collective and individual feedback, as well as the mark awarded to the student’s work, these assignments enable students to gauge their academic progress in individual units and in the degree program as a whole. At times students will be marked on how well they are proceeding with a piece of work, thus enabling them to complete it to a higher standard. In some units a student’s grade will partly reflect that student’s participation in classroom discussions or the quality of an oral presentation.

Students are assessed in relation to a unit on the basis of how well they meet its learning outcomes, which are set out in the unit guide at the beginning of each academic session. Rubrics are also provided to students in order to indicate what level of performance is needed in order to achieve each grade band. Students do not compete with each other for good marks. Indeed, marks may be awarded on the basis of group work. Mostly, however, a student’s grade will be determined on the basis of that student’s individual work or individual contribution to a collaborative project.

While it is vital that all students graduating with an LLB degree demonstrate a broad and coherent knowledge of legal doctrine as required by the profession, the units of study that they undertake will cumulatively assess the student’s performance in relation to the entire range of skills and attributes referred to in the program’s learning outcomes. For instance, in the early years of the program emphasis is placed on basic skills such as finding relevant sources of knowledge, while in later years the focus shifts more to the student’s competence in evaluating those sources and employing them to generate appropriate responses to real-world problems.
Recognition of Prior Learning

Macquarie University may recognise prior formal, informal and non-formal learning for the purpose of granting credit towards, or admission into, a program. The recognition of these forms of learning is enabled by the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy (see www.mq.edu.au/policy) and its associated Procedures and Guidelines. The RPL pages contain information on how to apply, links to registers, and the approval processes for recognising prior learning for entry or credit.

Domestic students
For undergraduate RPL information visit www.goto.mq.edu.au/nonschoolrpl
For domestic postgraduate RPL information visit www.goto.mq.edu.au/pgrpl

International students
For RPL information visit www.mq.edu.au/international/rpl

Support for Learning

Macquarie University aspires to be an inclusive and supportive community of learners where all students are given the opportunity to meet their academic and personal goals. The University offers a comprehensive range of free and accessible student support services which include academic advice, counselling and psychological services, advocacy services and welfare advice, careers and employment, disability services and academic skills workshops amongst others. There is also a bulk billing medical service located on campus.

Further information can be found at www.students.mq.edu.au/support/

Campus Wellbeing contact details:
Phone: +61 2 9850 7497
Email: campuswellbeing@mq.edu.au
www.students.mq.edu.au/support/health_and_wellbeing/contact_us

Program Standards and Quality

The program is subject to an ongoing comprehensive process of quality review in accordance with a pre-determined schedule that complies with the Higher Education Standards Framework. The review is overseen by Macquarie University's peak academic governance body, the Academic Senate and takes into account feedback received from students, staff and external stakeholders.

Graduate Destinations and Employability Refer to Bachelor of International Studies
Refer to Bachelor of Laws
Assessment Regulations

This program is subject to Macquarie University regulations, including but not limited to those specified in the Assessment Policy, Academic Honesty Policy, the Final Examination Policy and relevant University Rules. For all approved University policies, procedures, guidelines and schedules visit www.mq.edu.au/policy.

Accreditation This is an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accredited qualification.