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  2. Security and the Law [LAW2605]

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Security and the Law

  • Unit Code

    LAW2605

  • Year

    2022

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

    N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Nikolaos KOUTRAS

Description

This unit examines the role of public and private security agencies in a national security environment. The unit shows how these security agencies operate legally and politically within the Australian federal system. The unit examines national and international security models, seeking to identify what constitutes an effective and democratic counter-terrorism strategy. Particular attention is given to the roles of intelligence, law and private entities in maintaining national security in a vibrant democracy.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 60 credit points (except course Y11 which has no pre-requisite requirements)

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded LAW2600

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate the history of national security in Australia.
  2. Outline the response of the United Nations and other international organizations to threats to international security.
  3. Identify what has and what has not worked as common responses by Western democracies to national security threats.
  4. Investigate and critically respond to national security policy documents.
  5. Explain the basics of the Australian federal political legal system as it relates to security.
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of how legislation and case law guides the actions of public and private security agencies.
  7. Critically evaluate how the role of public and private security agencies are changing in response to legislation, privacy, technology and world events.

Unit Content

  1. Australia's legislative response to security threats.
  2. The history of national security in Australia.
  3. Australia's national security framework.
  4. Important Australian security trials.
  5. What is private security?
  6. How private security works in a national security environment.
  7. International responses to security threats.
  8. The impact of technology on public and private security operations.
  9. Is there a conflict between privacy and security?
  10. What are rights and freedoms?
  11. The Australian federal political/legal system.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorials and practical exercises. Lectures will be used to introduce content, concepts and principles relevant to the subject and provide direction to students in research. Tutorials will allow students to develop oral and written responses to lecture and research materials. There will be an emphasis on research and critical analysis of legal instruments and political responses to the subject. Students will be expected to exhibit an ability to undertake relevant self-directed research and appropriate skills in oral and written communication. Off-campus students will access the unit via Canvas and will participate online. Regular online access is highly recommended.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Research PaperResearch Paper35%
PresentationResearch Paper Presentation25%
ExaminationFinal examination40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ExaminationFinal examination40%
Research PaperResearch Paper35%
PresentationResearch Paper Presentation25%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

LAW2605|2|1

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Security and the Law

  • Unit Code

    LAW2605

  • Year

    2022

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

    N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Nikolaos KOUTRAS

Description

This unit examines the role of public and private security agencies in a national security environment. The unit shows how these security agencies operate legally and politically within the Australian federal system. The unit examines national and international security models, seeking to identify what constitutes an effective and democratic counter-terrorism strategy. Particular attention is given to the roles of intelligence, law and private entities in maintaining national security in a vibrant democracy.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 60 credit points (except course Y11 which has no pre-requisite requirements)

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded LAW2600

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate the history of national security in Australia.
  2. Outline the response of the United Nations and other international organizations to threats to international security.
  3. Identify what has and what has not worked as common responses by Western democracies to national security threats.
  4. Investigate and critically respond to national security policy documents.
  5. Explain the basics of the Australian federal political legal system as it relates to security.
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of how legislation and case law guides the actions of public and private security agencies.
  7. Critically evaluate how the role of public and private security agencies are changing in response to legislation, privacy, technology and world events.

Unit Content

  1. Australia's legislative response to security threats.
  2. The history of national security in Australia.
  3. Australia's national security framework.
  4. Important Australian security trials.
  5. What is private security?
  6. How private security works in a national security environment.
  7. International responses to security threats.
  8. The impact of technology on public and private security operations.
  9. Is there a conflict between privacy and security?
  10. What are rights and freedoms?
  11. The Australian federal political/legal system.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorials and practical exercises. Lectures will be used to introduce content, concepts and principles relevant to the subject and provide direction to students in research. Tutorials will allow students to develop oral and written responses to lecture and research materials. There will be an emphasis on research and critical analysis of legal instruments and political responses to the subject. Students will be expected to exhibit an ability to undertake relevant self-directed research and appropriate skills in oral and written communication. Off-campus students will access the unit via Canvas and will participate online. Regular online access is highly recommended.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Research PaperResearch Paper35%
PresentationResearch Paper Presentation25%
ExaminationFinal examination40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ExaminationFinal examination40%
Research PaperResearch Paper35%
PresentationResearch Paper Presentation25%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

LAW2605|2|2