LAW 3602 - Strategic Space Law

North Terrace Campus - Trimester 3 - 2017

This course will examine the legal aspects of space security, globally and domestically. The content of the course will range across the spectrum from peace to conflict and will cover international law and some domestic law applicable to space situational awareness, sharing of technology, expertise and data, space launch, the space component of ballistic missile defence, space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and means to counter these systems, space-based Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT), satellite communications, use of the radio-frequency spectrum and electronic warfare, counter-space operations and force application from space. On successful completion of this course students should be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of the intersection of law, strategy and outer space; critically analyse complex problems arising from the application of law to space security; and broadly understand the interests and stakeholders in a variety of contexts associated with strategic space law.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code LAW 3602
    Course Strategic Space Law
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Law School
    Term Trimester 3
    Level Undergraduate Law (LLB)
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Intensive
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites LAW 1501
    Assessment Assessment in this course will include a combination of two or more of the following: interim written assessment; in-class presentation; assessment of contribution to class discussion; examination (invigilated or take-home); and/or research essay.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Dale Stephens

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. To undertake legal research at a high level of complexity.
    2. Effectively structure and articulate written legal arguments.
    3. Deploy advanced skills in statutory and treaty interpretation to resolve complex legal problems.
    4. Analyse a complex factual scenario and identify the relevant legal issues.
    5. Articulate complex legal arguments orally.
    6. Identify and evaluate relevant ethical and moral issues in legal situations.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    3,4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    2,5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    6
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    6
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Materials and resources will be made available on MyUni Canvas
    Online Learning
    MyUni will be used to post announvements, additional lecture material (including slides, and where available, recordings of lectures) and announce assignment tasks.  It will also contain electronic copies of the Course Profile and Course materials.  Students are expected to check MyUni regularly to keep up to date with these materials and additional
    learning resources throughout the course.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Learning and Teaching Activities amounting to 36 hours (across lecture, seminar and structured learning activity formats) will be offered to students in this course.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies. This means that you are expected to commit approximately 9 hours of private study in addition to your regular classes.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Students will be advised on the schedule of learning activities closer to the commencement of teaching once the availabilty of specialist instructors is confirmed.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Due Weighting Length Redeemable Course Learning Outcomes
    Short Issues Paper Last day of teaching of the course 30% 1,500 words No 1,2,3,4,6
    Research Essay TBA 70% 3,000 words No 1,2,3,4,6
    Assessment Detail
    Issues paper:  The scope of this topic is large and there will be numerous legal and policy issues encountered through the course.  Students will be required to identify a particular issue that has resonance with them and write a 1,200 word paper examining that
    particular issue and its policy context.  Students may use this short paper to hone arguments that will be used in their long assessment paper or use the opportunity to address a discrete area of interest that may not ultimately feature in their long paper.

    Research Essay: While students will be free to design any relevant (and approved) topicthey would like, selected possible topics will be presented progressively through the course for consideration.  All topics must be approved by the course coordinator, preferably by the last day of the course.
    Submission
    Standard Adelaide Law School submission requirements apply. Specific information will be provided in the assessment instructions for each item of assessment.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

    Approval of Results by Board of Examiners
    Students are reminded that all assessment results are subject to approval (and possible  moderation/change) by the Law School’s Board of Examiners. Assessment  results at the University are not scaled. Under the Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy, students are assessed ‘by reference to their performance against pre-determined criteria and standards … and not by ranking against the performance of the student cohort in the course’. However, under that same policy, the Board of Examiners (as the relevant Assessment Review Committee for courses at Adelaide Law School) is  required to ‘ensure comparability of standards and consistency’ in assessment. On occasions, the Board of Examiners will form the view that some moderation is required to ensure the comparability of standards and consistency across courses and years, and accordingly provide fairness to all law students. All assessment results are therefore subject to approval (and possible change) until confirmed by the Board of Examiners and posted on Acess Adelaide at the end of each semester.
  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.