General Information
Legal Foundations is a compulsory subject in the Juris Doctor Online. It introduces students to the sources, authority, and institutional structure of Australian law. The subject situates legal doctrine within historical, Indigenous, international and political contexts, examining how legal power is constituted, justified, and contested. Students engage with competing theoretical perspectives on law, legitimacy, and justice, and analyse the foundational concepts that underpin the Australian legal system. The subject develops foundational written and oral legal argument skills and establishes the analytical and contextual framework for later doctrinal and skills-based subjects.
-
Details
Academic unit: Faculty of Law Subject code: LAWS76-105 Subject title: Legal Foundations Subject level: Postgraduate Semester/Year: September 2026 Credit points: 10.000 -
Delivery & attendance
Timetable: https://bond.edu.au/timetable Delivery mode: Online Workload items: - Seminar: x12 (Total hours: 24) - Online seminars
- Directed Online Activity: x12 (Total hours: 12) - Online interactive learning resources delivered by an AI tutor.
- Personal Study Hours: x12 (Total hours: 84) - Self directed study
Attendance and learning activities: Subject content will be delivered fully online through a combination of online learning resources followed by 12 x weekly two-hour interactive online seminars commencing in Week 1 of the semester. Students should attend all seminars to consolidate their understanding of the weekly topic. Participation in the online seminars will be assessed. Seminars will not be recorded. -
Resources
Prescribed resources: Books
- Nickolas James,Rachael Field,Jackson Walkden-Brown (2023). The New Lawyer. 3rd, John Wiley & Sons
iLearn@Bond & Email: iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications.
Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student.
To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au
Class recordings: The majority of this subject's classes will not be recorded due to one of the reasons outlined in the Recording policy.
Students are encouraged to attend all sessions as these recordings will not be available for revision purposes.
For further information please contact the subject coordinator.
| Academic unit: | Faculty of Law |
|---|---|
| Subject code: | LAWS76-105 |
| Subject title: | Legal Foundations |
| Subject level: | Postgraduate |
| Semester/Year: | September 2026 |
| Credit points: | 10.000 |
| Timetable: | https://bond.edu.au/timetable |
|---|---|
| Delivery mode: | Online |
| Workload items: |
|
| Attendance and learning activities: | Subject content will be delivered fully online through a combination of online learning resources followed by 12 x weekly two-hour interactive online seminars commencing in Week 1 of the semester. Students should attend all seminars to consolidate their understanding of the weekly topic. Participation in the online seminars will be assessed. Seminars will not be recorded. |
| Prescribed resources: | Books
|
|---|---|
| iLearn@Bond & Email: | iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications. Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student. To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au |
| Class recordings: | The majority of this subject's classes will not be recorded due to one of the reasons outlined in the Recording policy. Students are encouraged to attend all sessions as these recordings will not be available for revision purposes. For further information please contact the subject coordinator. |
Enrolment requirements
| Requisites: |
Pre-requisites:There are no pre-requisites Co-requisites: |
|---|---|
| Assumed knowledge: |
Assumed knowledge is the minimum level of knowledge of a subject area that students are assumed to have acquired through previous study. It is the responsibility of students to ensure they meet the assumed knowledge expectations of the subject. Students who do not possess this prior knowledge are strongly recommended against enrolling and do so at their own risk. No concessions will be made for students’ lack of prior knowledge.
|
| Restrictions: |
Nil |
Assurance of learning
Assurance of Learning means that universities take responsibility for creating, monitoring and updating curriculum, teaching and assessment so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need for employability and/or further study.
At Bond University, we carefully develop subject and program outcomes to ensure that student learning in each subject contributes to the whole student experience. Students are encouraged to carefully read and consider subject and program outcomes as combined elements.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Program Learning Outcomes provide a broad and measurable set of standards that incorporate a range of knowledge and skills that will be achieved on completion of the program. If you are undertaking this subject as part of a degree program, you should refer to the relevant degree program outcomes and graduate attributes as they relate to this subject.
Subject Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject the learner will be able to:
- Analyse the sources, authority, and institutional structure of Australian law within historical, Indigenous, international, and political contexts.
- Evaluate competing theoretical, Indigenous, and global perspectives on the legitimacy and justice of Australian law.
- Write structured legal arguments addressing questions of law, authority, and justice for academic and professional audiences.
- Deliver structured oral arguments on legal authority and institutional legitimacy in professional forums.
- Analyse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal traditions and experiences to inform doctrinal and normative analysis of Australian law.
Generative Artificial Intelligence in Assessment
The University acknowledges that Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools are an important facet of contemporary life. Their use in assessment is considered in line with students’ development of the skills and knowledge which demonstrate learning outcomes and underpin study and career success. Instructions on the use of Gen-AI are given for each assessment task; it is your responsibility to adhere to these instructions.
-
Assessment details
Type Task % Timing* Outcomes assessed AI category Computer-Aided Examination (Limited Open) Final Assessment 30.00% Final Examination Period 1, 2, 3, 5 Research Report Normative Legal Analysis Essay 40.00% Week 6 1, 2, 3, 5 Presentation Oral Jurisprudential Advocacy & Defence 30.00% Week 9 1, 2, 4, 5 - * Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar
- C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.
AI Categories
Ai Prohibited: Learning to develop AI-free knowledge and skills.
Ai Supported: Learning with the help of AI as directed.
Ai Focussed: Learning AI expertise and mastery as directed.
Refer to the assessment task sheet for specific AI instructions and review the Bond University Gen-AI Guide.
-
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria
High Distinction 85-100 Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking. Distinction 75-84 Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas. Credit 65-74 Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above. Pass 50-64 Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment. Fail 0-49 Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines. Quality assurance
For the purposes of quality assurance, Bond University conducts an evaluation process to measure and document student assessment as evidence of the extent to which program and subject learning outcomes are achieved. Some examples of student work will be retained for potential research and quality auditing purposes only. Any student work used will be treated confidentially and no student grades will be affected.
| Type | Task | % | Timing* | Outcomes assessed | AI category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer-Aided Examination (Limited Open) | Final Assessment | 30.00% | Final Examination Period | 1, 2, 3, 5 | |
| Research Report | Normative Legal Analysis Essay | 40.00% | Week 6 | 1, 2, 3, 5 | |
| Presentation | Oral Jurisprudential Advocacy & Defence | 30.00% | Week 9 | 1, 2, 4, 5 |
- * Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar
- C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.
AI Categories
Ai Prohibited: Learning to develop AI-free knowledge and skills.
Ai Supported: Learning with the help of AI as directed.
Ai Focussed: Learning AI expertise and mastery as directed.
Refer to the assessment task sheet for specific AI instructions and review the Bond University Gen-AI Guide.
Assessment criteria
| High Distinction | 85-100 | Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking. |
|---|---|---|
| Distinction | 75-84 | Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment. |
| Fail | 0-49 | Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines. |
Quality assurance
For the purposes of quality assurance, Bond University conducts an evaluation process to measure and document student assessment as evidence of the extent to which program and subject learning outcomes are achieved. Some examples of student work will be retained for potential research and quality auditing purposes only. Any student work used will be treated confidentially and no student grades will be affected.
Study Information
Submission procedures
Students must check the iLearn@Bond subject site for detailed assessment information and submission procedures.
Policy on late submission and extensions
A late penalty will be applied to all overdue assessment tasks unless an extension is granted by the subject coordinator. The standard penalty will be 10% of marks awarded to that assessment per day late with no assessment to be accepted seven days after the due date. Where a student is granted an extension, the penalty of 10% per day late starts from the new due date.
Academic Integrity
Bond University‘s Student Code of Conduct Policy , Student Charter, Academic Integrity Policy and our Graduate Attributes guide expectations regarding student behaviour, their rights and responsibilities. Information on these topics can be found on our Academic Integrity webpage recognising that academic integrity involves demonstrating the principles of integrity (honesty, fairness, trust, professionalism, courage, responsibility, and respect) in words and actions across all aspects of academic endeavour.
Staff are required to report suspected misconduct. This includes all types of plagiarism, cheating, collusion, fabrication or falsification of data/content or other misconduct relating to assessment such as the falsification of medical certificates for assessment extensions. The longer term personal, social and financial consequences of misconduct can be severe, so please ask for help if you are unsure.
If your work is subject to an inquiry, you will be given an opportunity to respond and appropriate support will be provided. Academic work under inquiry will not be marked until the process has concluded. Penalties for misconduct include a warning, reduced grade, a requirement to repeat the assessment, suspension or expulsion from the University.
Feedback on assessment
Feedback on assessment will be provided to students according to the requirements of the Assessment Procedure Schedule A - Assessment Communication Procedure.
Whilst in most cases feedback should be provided within two weeks of the assessment submission due date, the Procedure should be checked if the assessment is linked to others or if the subject is a non-standard (e.g., intensive) subject.
Accessibility and Inclusion Support
Support is available to students where a physical, mental or neurological condition exists that would impact the student’s capacity to complete studies, exams or assessment tasks. For effective support, special requirement needs should be arranged with the University in advance of or at the start of each semester, or, for acute conditions, as soon as practicable after the condition arises. Reasonable adjustments are not guaranteed where applications are submitted late in the semester (for example, when lodged just prior to critical assessment and examination dates).
As outlined in the Accessibility and Inclusion Policy, to qualify for support, students must meet certain criteria. Students are also required to meet with the Accessibility and Inclusion Advisor who will ensure that reasonable adjustments are afforded to qualifying students.
For more information and to apply online, visit BondAbility.
Additional subject information
Students may be asked to respond to questions from the subject coordinator regarding the content of their assessments. Students are expected to keep evidence of drafting and research.
Subject curriculum
-
What Is Law? Concepts, Authority and Legal Systems
Introduces competing conceptions of law, including positivist, natural law, critical and pluralist accounts. Students examine how legal authority is constituted, justified and contested. The topic establishes the conceptual vocabulary required for analysing institutions and doctrine throughout the program.
-
The Australian Constitutional Framework
Examines the constitutional structure of Australian government, including separation of powers, federalism and parliamentary sovereignty. Students consider how constitutional design shapes institutional authority and democratic accountability.
-
Sources of Law: Statute and Common Law
Explores the relationship between legislation and judge-made law. Students examine parliamentary law-making, delegated legislation and the development of common law through precedent.
-
Courts, Precedent and the Judicial Role
Analyses the hierarchy of courts, binding and persuasive authority, and the doctrine of precedent. Students consider the judicial function and the boundaries between interpretation and law-making.
-
Statutory Interpretation
Introduces principles and techniques of statutory interpretation, including textual, purposive and contextual approaches. Students examine how interpretive choices affect legal outcomes and institutional legitimacy.
-
Indigenous Legal Systems Before and After Colonisation
Engages with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal traditions, governance systems and normative frameworks prior to colonisation. Students examine the legal fiction of terra nullius and its doctrinal and structural consequences.
-
Native Title and the Ongoing Interaction of Legal Systems
Examines the recognition of native title and its implications for sovereignty, property and constitutional structure. Students analyse how Australian law accommodates — and limits — Indigenous legal claims.
-
Jurisprudence: Law, Morality and Justice
Introduces major jurisprudential perspectives on law’s legitimacy and coherence, including liberal, republican, feminist, critical and Indigenous approaches. Students develop the capacity to articulate and defend normative arguments about justice.
-
Law and Power: Institutions, Democracy and Accountability
Explores how law structures and constrains public power. Students examine executive authority, judicial review and institutional accountability in democratic governance.
-
Global and Comparative Legal Traditions
Examines comparative legal systems and the influence of international law on Australian legal development. Students consider transnational governance, human rights frameworks and the relationship between domestic and global legal orders.
-
Law, Sustainability and Transnational Challenges
Introduces sustainable development principles and systemic legal challenges that transcend national boundaries. Students consider how environmental, economic and social governance frameworks influence domestic law.
-
Legal Method, Argument and Professional Responsibility
Consolidates students’ understanding of legal reasoning, institutional authority and ethical responsibility. Students reflect on the role of lawyers within legal institutions and prepare for the transition into doctrinal study.