52005 COMMERCIAL LAW

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
98	52005 	S2  	X 	COMMERCIAL LAW            	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: D. CAMPBELL
Moderator: M. MAGUIRE
Instructional design: C. COTTMAN

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

ENROLMENT IN MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING


RATIONALE:

Law provides the framework within which commerce operates. An appreciation of the legal system and the judicial process is necessary for those involved in the commercial world. This applies particularly to accountants in that the law impacts on so many areas in which they must work.


SYNOPSIS:

In order to introduce students to the impact of law on commerce, the unit looks initially at the Australian legal system and the judicial process - the way in which legal decisions are made. It then covers in some detail relevant substantive areas such as contract, agency, consumer protection and bankruptcy.


OBJECTIVES:

Successful completion of this unit should enable students to:

  1. describe the Australian legal system, its components and the
    way it operates;
  2. demonstrate basic skills in statutory interpretation and the
    operation of precedent;
  3. describe and understand the basic principles of law in the
    specific substantive topics covered;
  4. identify the legal issues raised by case studies based on
    these substantive areas;
  5. apply the relevant principles of law to resolve those issues
    and propose appropriate legal remedies;
  6. demonstrate satisfactory communication skills.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. The Australian Legal System 5.00

  2. Dispute Resolution and the Judicial Process 5.00

  3. Contract 40.00

  4. Principal and Agent 10.00

  5. Consumer Protection 15.00

  6. Bankruptcy 15.00

  7. Professional Liability 10.00


TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Maguire M, `Essential Commercial Legislation', LBC Information
Services.

Turner, `Australian Commerical Law', LBC Information Services.

(Students should obtain the most recent edition of the above texts.)


RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

USQ IRC Call numbers are included where relevant.

Students may purchase a copy of the CD Rom - `Commercial Law: Much
Ado About Something'
. It covers contract law, consumer protection
legislation and agency law.

A video `Snakes in the Greenhouse', which is incorporated into the
CD Rom is also available for separate purchase.

Both of these are available from the USQ Bookshop, PO Darling Heights,
Toowoomba, Q, 4350.

Carter J W, `An Outline of Contract Law', Butterworths: Sydney,
346.9402 CAR.

Derham, Maher & Waller, `An Introduction to Law', Law Book Co:
Sydney, 340 MAH.

Enright C, `Studying Law', Branxton Press: Sydney, 349.94 ENR.

Fleming J G, `The Law of Torts', Law Book Co: Sydney, 346.03 FLE.

Gillies P, `Business Law', The Federation Press: Sydney. 346.9407 GK

Goldring, Maher & McKeough, `Consumer Protection Law', Federation
Press, 343.94071 GOL.

Graw S, `An introduction to the Law of Contract', The Law Book
Company, 346.940682 GRA.

Krever R, `Mastering Law Studies & Law Exam Technique',
Butterworths: Sydney, 340.076 KRE.

Latimer P, `Australian Business Law', CCH: Sydney, 346.9407 LAT.

Lewis, `Australian Bankruptcy Law', Law Book Co: Sydney. 346.94078
LEW.

Lindgren K E, Carter J W & Harland D J, `Contract Law in Australia',
Butterworths: Sydney, 346.9402 LIN.

Masel, `Professional Negligence of Lawyers, Accountants, Bankers and
Brokers'
, CCH. 346.94032 MAS

Miller R, `Annotated Trade Practices Act', The Law Book Company,
343.9407 AUS.

Morris G, Cook C, Creyke R, Geddes R, `Laying Down the Law',
Butterworths, 340.07209 LAY.

Pentony B, Graw S, Lennard J, Parker D, `Understanding Business
Law'
, Butterworths, 346.9407 UND.

Smith M D H & Pose K S, `Maher Waller & Derham `Legal Process:
Commentary and Materials'
, Law Book Co: Sydney, 349.94 MAH.

Starke J G, Seddon N C & Ellinghaus M P, `Cheshire & Fifoot's Law of
Contract'
, Butterworths: Sydney, 346.94022 CHE.

Sutton, `Sales and Consumer Law in Australia and New Zealand', The
Law Book Company, 346.94072 SUT.

Vermeesch & Lindgren, `Business Law of Australia', Butterworths,
Sydney, 346.9407VER

The latest editions of the above texts are recommended.

(Further recommended references are listed at the end of each module
in the study book.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Directed Study                                	84
Private Study                                 	64
Assessments                                   	17

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S    30.00     18/09/98  ASSIGNMENT I                              30.00     Y   N
2   S    20.00     END S2    END S2 PART A (MULTI CHOICE) EXAM         20.00     N   N
3   S    50.00     END S2    EXAMINATION END S2 PART B & C (THEORY) E  50.00     N   N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    TO  GAIN A PASSING GRADE IN THE UNIT A STUDENT MUST: a) obtain  a
     passing mark in aggregate for the unit's assessment items, AND b)
     obtain  a  passing  mark in the formal exam.  c)  submit  genuine
     attempts   for  the  following  MANDATORY  items  of   assessment
     ASSIGNMENT 1
2    Students  must  retain a copy of all pieces of  assessment  which
     must be produced if/when required by the lecturer.
3    LATE ASSIGNMENTS
3.1  All  assessments submitted after the due date (and  not  approved
     for  extension)  in  accordance with university  policy  will  be
     penalised 20% per working day.
3.2  If  students  submit assignments after the due date and  wish  to
     claim extenuating circumstances then they shall provide validated
     documentary   evidence  with  the  assignment,   explaining   the
     circumstances.
3.3  The  unit  examiner shall consider the statement  accompanying  a
     late assignment and decide on the outcome.
4    Assignments  must  be  submitted in  the  appropriate  assignment
     folders.
5    DISHONEST ACTIONS
5.1  Any  student who is alleged to have performed a dishonest  action
     relating  to  any assessment in the unit will have  a  course  of
     action   taken  against  him/her  as  outlined  in  the  Academic
     Regulations. (Regulation 5.8 (21)).
5.2  Pieces  of  assessment should be the work of individual students.
     Joint  pieces  of  assessment are not  permitted  unless  written
     approval has been obtained from the unit leader.
5.3  Dishonest action in relation to assessment includes: - copying or
     attempting to copy the work of others; - use of or attempting  to
     use information prohibited from use in that form of assessment; -
     submitting  the  work  of  another as  your  own;  -  consciously
     committing  acts  of  plagiarism, ie taking and  using  another's
     thoughts  or writings as one's own with intent to deceive,  which
     occurs   when   paragraphs,  sentences,  a  single  sentence   or
     significant  parts of a sentence which are copied  directly,  are
     not  enclosed  in quotation marks and appropriately footnoted  or
     referenced  in the text and when direct quotations are  not  used
     but  text  is  paraphrased or summarised and the  source  of  the
     material is not acknowledged by footnoting or other reference  in
     the text.
6    DEFERRED EXAMINATIONS
6.1  Deferred examinations will be granted at the Dean's discretion in
     the  case of medical or compassionate circumstances having regard
     to  item  1. If a deferred examination has been granted  students
     shall  normally sit the deferred examination in the  semester  in
     which the unit is offered, BUT NO LATER THAN THE NEXT SEMESTER  3
     EXAMINATION  PERIOD.  If,  for  whatever  reason,  this  deferred
     examination is not taken then the student will be graded `F'.
6.2  Medical  evidence  on  the  appropriate  University  of  Southern
     Queensland  medical certificate or doctor's certificate  must  be
     received  by  the Faculty Administrator no later than  twenty-one
     (21)  days after examination date. A medical certificate must  be
     dated  with the same date as the period of illness for which  the
     absence from examination is being sought and clearly indicate the
     student's  name  and, if possible, student number. (Retrospective
     medical  certificates will not be accepted for either  assignment
     work or examinations.)
6.3  A   student's  medical  condition  must  be  stated  clearly  (IN
     ENGLISH).   (Certificates  stating  a  student  has  a   `Medical
     Condition'  may  not  be  sufficient  grounds  for  deferment  of
     examination).  Medical evidence must cover the  student  for  the
     day(s) of the missed examination(s).
6.4  Requests must be in writing to the Faculty Administrator  clearly
     stating  the  student  name  and  number,  unit  number  of   the
     examination  missed due to illness and current address.  Deferral
     of  an  examination CANNOT be granted on an existing deferral  in
     that unit.
6.5  Requests  on  grounds  other than medical MUST  BE  supported  by
     documentation.
6.6  Students   who   have  a  medical  condition  or   have   genuine
     compassionate  or  work  related  problems  on  the  day  of  the
     examination  are advised to obtain documentary evidence  and  NOT
     attempt  the  examination. If a student makes an attempt  at  the
     examination,  the  assessment item will be  marked  and  a  grade
     awarded.  In  these  cases, a student cannot, after  receiving  a
     `Fail'   grade,  request  a  deferred  examination   or   special
     consideration.
6.7  Students who have been granted deferred examinations will not  be
     granted a waiver of prerequisites, without the permission of  the
     Heads of Department, in subsequent semesters (if they do not have
     a passing grade).
7    Unit  weightings of topics should not be interpreted as  applying
     to  the  number  of  marks allocated to questions  testing  those
     topics in an examination paper. The examination may test material
     already tested in assignments.
8    Mechanised erasers are not permitted in exam venues.
9    The  examination will be restricted. Students will be allowed  to
     bring  into the examination an unmarked and unannotated (although
     underlining and highlighting are permitted) copy of:  Maguire  M,
     {`Essential  Commercial Legislation Queensland'}, LBC information
     Services.
10   Students  should also refer to the Faculty of Commerce `Guide  to
     Policies  and Procedures' section of the University Handbook  for
     further information on the above matters.

This information is accurate as at 04/11/98