Students
LAWS5019 – International Human Rights Law
2025 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Amy Barrow
Contact via iLearn
215, Michael Kirby Building, 17 Wally's Walk
see iLearn
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(130cp in LAW or LAWS units) or (130cp including LAWS259 or LAWS2000)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit addresses the fundamental and dynamic issue of the protection of human rights in international law. The unit traces the historical development of human rights law at national, regional and global levels. The unit considers the theoretical frameworks for analysing the rights of individuals and groups and the duties of states to protect those rights. It considers the strengths and limitations of the institutions and mechanisms in place to protect and promote rights in practice. The unit includes consideration of the cross-cultural dimensions and other tensions inherent in this area of international law, with a focus on contemporary challenges for international human rights law. |
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: demonstrate, both orally and in writing, an understanding of the foundations and evolution of the international human rights law system — within the broader international law framework — and the resulting strengths and weaknesses of the system.
- ULO2: evaluate and compare, both orally and in writing, the mechanisms available for monitoring and enforcing human rights standards in different international and regional systems.
- ULO3: engage constructively with various critiques and theories of human rights — for example, whether rights are universal or particular — and be able to critically discuss, both orally and in writing, the significance of those approaches in the development, interpretation and operation of international human rights law.
- ULO4: reflect on past and present international developments, both orally and in writing, and be able to analyse, interpret and explain such developments from an international human rights law perspective.
General Assessment Information
All written assessments submitted electronically must be submitted through the link provided in iLearn. This unit will utilise Turnitin plagiarism detection software. Students should carefully check that they submit the correct file for an assessment, as re-submissions will not be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file in error.
The design, moderation and feedback of all assessments is in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Procedure (link provided under ‘Policies and Procedures’ below).
Late Submission Policy
Assessments in this unit are due at 11:55pm on the respective due date. A maximum penalty of five (5) percentage points of the total possible marks will be applied per day to late submissions, for up to a maximum of seven calendar days. Tasks that have not been submitted within the maximum number of additional late days will receive a mark of zero. This provision does not apply to online exams or other assessment with a time limit of less than 24 hours.
Penalties for late submission will be applied consistently and equitably to all students enrolled in the unit. Where short-term, serious and unavoidable circumstances have affected their ability to submit an assessment task, a student must submit a formal application for Special Consideration as per the Special Consideration Policy. Students should not request an informal arrangement from their tutor, lecturer or Unit Convenor.
Where an application for Special Consideration is approved, and the outcome is an extension to the due date of a task, submissions that are received after the new due date will be subject to late penalties that are calculated from the new due date. This only applies where the outcome is an extension to the due date – see the Special Consideration Policy for a schedule of all possible outcomes.
Special Consideration
Students should submit applications for Special Consideration electronically via the Service Connect portal, along with the supporting documentation. Before submitting their applications, students should refer to the Special Consideration Policy (link provided under ‘Policies and Procedures’ below).
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Skills | 25% | No | Ongoing |
| Professional Writing Task | 45% | No | 30/04/2025 |
| Video Presentation | 30% | No | 05/06/2025 |
Professional Skills
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 25%
Students will engage in classroom activities including mooting, presentations or demonstrations, structured discussion and problem solving, doctrinal analysis, simulated client consultations, and collaborative legal research. Through these activities students will develop skills in oral advocacy, legal analysis, critical reasoning, teamwork and team leadership, and/or strategic problem-solving. These activities are designed to strengthen students' ability to communicate legal concepts verbally and engage professionally within a supportive learning environment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate, both orally and in writing, an understanding of the foundations and evolution of the international human rights law system — within the broader international law framework — and the resulting strengths and weaknesses of the system.
- evaluate and compare, both orally and in writing, the mechanisms available for monitoring and enforcing human rights standards in different international and regional systems.
- engage constructively with various critiques and theories of human rights — for example, whether rights are universal or particular — and be able to critically discuss, both orally and in writing, the significance of those approaches in the development, interpretation and operation of international human rights law.
- reflect on past and present international developments, both orally and in writing, and be able to analyse, interpret and explain such developments from an international human rights law perspective.
Professional Writing Task
Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 27 hours
Due: 30/04/2025
Weighting: 45%
An assessment on professional skills and knowledge relevant to the unit. This could be a legal or policy brief, a report, an essay, a law reform proposal, legal pleadings or other related professional task. This assessment may require students to prepare a response through research and adhere to discipline-specific scholarly conventions.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate, both orally and in writing, an understanding of the foundations and evolution of the international human rights law system — within the broader international law framework — and the resulting strengths and weaknesses of the system.
- evaluate and compare, both orally and in writing, the mechanisms available for monitoring and enforcing human rights standards in different international and regional systems.
- engage constructively with various critiques and theories of human rights — for example, whether rights are universal or particular — and be able to critically discuss, both orally and in writing, the significance of those approaches in the development, interpretation and operation of international human rights law.
- reflect on past and present international developments, both orally and in writing, and be able to analyse, interpret and explain such developments from an international human rights law perspective.
Video Presentation
Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: 05/06/2025
Weighting: 30%
Students will develop and record a video presentation
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate, both orally and in writing, an understanding of the foundations and evolution of the international human rights law system — within the broader international law framework — and the resulting strengths and weaknesses of the system.
- evaluate and compare, both orally and in writing, the mechanisms available for monitoring and enforcing human rights standards in different international and regional systems.
- engage constructively with various critiques and theories of human rights — for example, whether rights are universal or particular — and be able to critically discuss, both orally and in writing, the significance of those approaches in the development, interpretation and operation of international human rights law.
- reflect on past and present international developments, both orally and in writing, and be able to analyse, interpret and explain such developments from an international human rights law perspective.
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
Lectures: The unit will be delivered as a series of weekly pre-recorded lectures (two-hours in total) starting in Week 1 until Week 13, which will be recorded and uploaded to Echo360. It is important that you listen to the lectures every week for guidance on content and how best to approach the various assessment items.
Tutorials: There are 12 one-hour tutorials in this unit. Tutorials start in Week 2. All students will be expected to have listened to the recorded lecture, completed the required readings and prepared responses to the tutorial questions in advance of the tutorial to allow for engaged and in-depth discussion. For students taking the unit fully online, you will be required to have your camera on for the duration of each tutorial.
This unit is worth 10 credit points, which equates to 150 hours of work. Therefore, students should expect to commit an average of 10 hours per week to this unit, including all scheduled and unscheduled activities and preparing and executing the assessment tasks.
Resources
The required textbook/s is/are:
D Moeckli, S Shah and S Sivakumaran (eds), International Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2022).
Students can purchase this textbook online.
Preparatory readings
In preparation for this unit, you should read the following material from the prescribed textbook to refresh your understanding of basic international law sources and principles:
- Christine Chinkin, Chapter 4 'Sources' in D Moeckli, S Shah and S Sivakumaran (eds), International Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2022).
Additional readings will be accessible through iLearn.
Students require access to a computer, internet with decent speed and a secure/reliable server. The iLearn page contains all Unit requirements and a weekly schedule for teaching, readings and tutorials. Information about all assessment tasks is also available on iLearn.
Unit Schedule
A detailed weekly schedule will be provided on the unit iLearn page.
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:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
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.
Unit information based on version 2025.03 of the Handbook