HSC & me

Legal Studies

2 unit course

Lead Teacher
Email Mr Kane
Course Summary

Year 11

Topic 1: The Legal System

Principal focus: Students develop an understanding of the nature and functions of law by examining the law-making processes and institutions.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The need for law in the operation of society
  • The importance of the rule of law for society
  • The relationship between different legal institutions and jurisdictions
  • The development of law as a reflection of society
  • Influences on the Australian legal system.

Topic 2: The Individual and the Law

Principal focus: Students investigate how the law impacts individuals by referring to legal and non-legal institutions, laws and media reports.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • Relationship between justice, law and society
  • Relationship between rights and responsibilities
  • Balancing the rights of individuals with the needs of the state
  • Role of the law in regulating technology
  • Effectiveness of legal mechanisms for achieving justice for individuals and society

Topic 3: Law In Practice

Principal focus: students investigate contemporary issues that illustrate how the law operates in practice.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The relationship between justice, law and society
  • The development and reform of law as a reflection of society
  • The importance of the rule of law
  • The responsiveness of the legal system in dealing with issues
  • The effectiveness of legal and non-legal mechanisms in achieving justice for individuals and society

Year 12

Topic 1: Crime

Principal focus: Through the use of a range of contemporary examples, students investigate criminal law, processes and institutions and the tension between community interests and individual rights and freedoms.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The role of discretion in the criminal justice system
  • Issues of compliance and non-compliance concerning criminal law
  • The extent to which law reflects moral and ethical standards
  • The role of law reform in the criminal justice system
  • The extent to which the law balances the rights of victims, offenders and society
  • The effectiveness of legal and non-legal measures in achieving justice

Topic 2: Human Rights

Principal focus: Through the use of a range of contemporary examples, students investigate the notion of human rights and assess the extent to which legal systems embody such human rights and promote them in practice.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The changing understanding of the relationship between state sovereignty and human rights
  • Issues of compliance and non-compliance concerning human rights
  • The development of human rights as a reflection of changing values and ethical standards
  • The role of law reform in protecting human rights
  • The effectiveness of legal and non-legal measures in protecting human rights

Topic 3: Family Law

Principal focus: Through contemporary examples, students investigate the legal nature of family relationships and the effectiveness of the law in achieving justice.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The role of the law in encouraging cooperation and resolving conflict regarding family 
  • Issues of compliance and non-compliance
  • Changes to family law as a response to changing values in the community
  • The role of law reform in achieving just outcomes for family members and society
  • The effectiveness of legal and non-legal responses in achieving just outcomes for family members

Topic 4: World Order

Principal focus: Through contemporary examples, students investigate the effectiveness of legal and non-legal measures in promoting peace and resolving conflict between nation-states.

Themes and challenges to be incorporated throughout this topic:

  • The role of law in encouraging cooperation and resolving conflict regarding world order
  • Issues of compliance and non-compliance
  • The impact of changing values and ethical standards on world order
  • The role of law reform in promoting and maintaining world order
  • The effectiveness of legal and non-legal responses in promoting and maintaining world order.

 Assessments tasks will take the form of Research Tasks, Topic Tests and Presentations.

What, if any, skills are needed?

There are no prerequisites for this subject. 

Course Units
Year 11 Units Year 12 Units
The Legal System
Crime
The Individual and the Law
Human Rights
Law In Practice
Family
World Order
Learning Experiences
  • Excursions to the Courts and State Parliament
  • Watching News Reports
  • Incursion with Lawyer
  • Mock Trials
  • Researching Civil and Criminal Cases
  • Discussing and Identifying areas where laws need to be changed
Career Options

Legal Studies creates pathways into a range of professions such as:

  • Law (Being a Lawyer, Solicitor, Para Legal, Police Officer)
  • Business (Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting)
  • Finance
  • Politics

These diverse career paths make Legal Studies ideal for students who have plans for what they want to pursue after school but also provides options for students who have not yet decided a future career.

HSIE

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