Students

LAWS5086 – Law of the Sea

2021 – Session 2, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Tutor
Ethan Beringen
ethan.beringen@mq.edu.au
6 First Walk
Andrew Burke
andrew.burke@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp including LAWS2000 or LAWS259 or LAWS459
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The oceans cover five sevenths of the planet's surface and are undoubtedly one of the world's most important resources given the economic, political, strategic and social interests at play. This unit examines the different maritime zones, addresses the regulation of activities undertaken on the oceans, and considers how the demands of different states have impacted on this complex legal regime.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Explain and analyse the role of the key actors and institutions involved in the law of the sea and the legal principles governing that maritime activity.
  • ULO2: Evaluate and critique the interests of states in their decision-making in relation to maritime governance, assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of conflicting views over ocean space and use.
  • ULO3: Resolve factual problems to elucidate, apply and assess relevant legal principles in the law of the sea.
  • ULO4: Apply professional communication skills in the context of the law of the sea and its related institutions.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Short Problem Questions 30% No 23:59 10/11/2021
Participation and Engagement 20% No Ongoing
Legal Research Paper 50% No 23:59 17/09/2021

Short Problem Questions

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 6 hours
Due: 23:59 10/11/2021
Weighting: 30%

Final assessment of the unit requiring the resolution of legal problems in a time-limited assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain and analyse the role of the key actors and institutions involved in the law of the sea and the legal principles governing that maritime activity.
  • Evaluate and critique the interests of states in their decision-making in relation to maritime governance, assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of conflicting views over ocean space and use.
  • Resolve factual problems to elucidate, apply and assess relevant legal principles in the law of the sea.
  • Apply professional communication skills in the context of the law of the sea and its related institutions.

Participation and Engagement

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Students will participate in online or face to face discussions, role plays, debates and problem solving activities
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain and analyse the role of the key actors and institutions involved in the law of the sea and the legal principles governing that maritime activity.
  • Evaluate and critique the interests of states in their decision-making in relation to maritime governance, assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of conflicting views over ocean space and use.
  • Resolve factual problems to elucidate, apply and assess relevant legal principles in the law of the sea.
  • Apply professional communication skills in the context of the law of the sea and its related institutions.

Legal Research Paper

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 23:59 17/09/2021
Weighting: 50%

Students will be required to research answers to contemporary problems related to the law of the sea
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain and analyse the role of the key actors and institutions involved in the law of the sea and the legal principles governing that maritime activity.
  • Evaluate and critique the interests of states in their decision-making in relation to maritime governance, assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of conflicting views over ocean space and use.
  • Resolve factual problems to elucidate, apply and assess relevant legal principles in the law of the sea.
  • Apply professional communication skills in the context of the law of the sea and its related institutions.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required Resources

There are no required texts in this course. Students will, however, need to be able to access a number of international agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Convention on Biological Diversity and other pieces of Commonwealth and state legislation used during part of the course, in particular, on a range of areas such as shipping, fisheries management, marine energy, marine biodiversity. These can be found online through the various United Nations and government websites.

 

Recommended Resources

TEXT BOOK(S)

D.R. Rothwell & T.Stephens, The International Law of the Sea 2nd Edition (Hart Publishing, 2016)

D.R. Rothwell, A.G. Oude Elferink, K.N. Scott & T. Stephens (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Law of the Sea (Oxford University Press, 2015)

 

OTHER REFERENCES

Other reference that students may find useful:

Y. Tanaka, The International Law of the Sea 2nd Edition (Cambridge University Press, 2015)

R. Rayfuse (ed), Research Handbook on International Marine Environmental Law (Edward Elgar, 2015)

Journals

International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law

Ocean Development and International Law

Ocean Yearbook

Marine Policy

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

1

The History and Sources of the International Law of the Sea

2

Internal Waters, Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone

3

Continental Shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone

4

Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries

5

High Seas and Deep Seabed

6

Navigational Rights

7

Marine Resources Management

8

Marine Scientific Research

9

Marine Environmental Protection

10

Maritime Regulation and Enforcement

11

Dispute Settlement

12

The Futures of the Law of the Sea

13

Revisions

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.