Due: Beginning Week 3 (internal students) / during OCS (external students) 

Weighting: 20%

Active participation in all seminars/OCS is compulsory and is assessed (see rubric on iLearn page). Internal students are required to attend 10 out of 12 seminars. It is permissible to miss 2 seminars without applying for special consideration. Do not apply for special consideration unless you have already missed 2 seminars. Only apply for special consideration if it is the third seminar that you will miss. External students must attend both days of the OCS.

Groups of students will lead an in-depth seminar discussion during weekly seminars/during the OCS. Groups will be allocated for both external and internal students in Week 2. As a group, your collaborative task will be to:

1. Lead the class in an in-depth 30-minute discussion about the questions/hypothetical scenarios proposed in the weekly seminar questions posted on the iLearn page.  
2. Ensure all members of the group bring to the class a well-developed understanding of the topic that demonstrates high-level engagement with, and understanding of, the course material for that week. 
3. Ensure all members of the group take equal responsibility for leading the in-depth discussion and provide opportunities for all members of the class to engage in the discussion.
4. Lead the seminar discussion in an engaging and accessible way.
5. Be able to answer any questions that arise from the convenor and/or class members.

Groups may run the in-depth discussions in whatever way you like in order to best facilitate a productive and collaborative learning experience. You may wish to use a range of strategies to do this for example, by using short videos, photographs, case studies, holding a debate/moot court, run a live quiz, hold a Q and A session, or divide the group into small groups with individual tasks. Whatever method is used groups must focus on maximising the learning experience to the greatest degree possible and creating an environment of intellectual inquiry into the given topic.

All groups can prepare to lead the in-depth discussion under the assumption that all of the class participants have done the readings and listened to the lectures for that class. It is not the role of the groups to educate the class about the basic course material. This is assumed knowledge. Further, all groups can work on the expectation that all class members will come to the class ready to actively participate in the in-depth discussion (as all seminars/OCS are compulsory and active participation in all seminars/OCS is being assessed). 

The group members and the class members share responsibility for the success of each week’s in-depth discussion. The purpose of the in-depth discussion is to advance and develop the knowledge of all class members beyond the course materials.

An assessment rubric for this assessment is available on the unit’s iLearn page. 

This is a timed assessment and no late submissions will be accepted. Any student who is not able to participate in this activity AND has an approved special consideration request will be set an alternative assessment in lieu of this activity.  

All internal and external students will be assessed on their participation in these seminar discussions, problem-solving, appropriate questioning, and understanding of the materials.  This will require preparation before the seminar – i.e. completing the required reading and preparing thoughts/answers to the seminar materials.

Internal students will be assessed for participation across the session.  External students will be assessed during the OCS. More information on the structure of the on-campus session will be provided before the session via iLearn.

Students will write a 2,500 word research essay on a topic that will consolidate their learning in this subject.

Essays must be submitted in a word document, and be double-line spaced text using 12 point font (use Times New Roman). 

Essays are to be no longer than 2,500 words (this word count does not include the footnotes and bibliography). This is a strict requirement and any content (other than the footnotes and bibliography) over 2,500 words will not be marked. Exceeding the word limit will mean the last portion of excess words will not be marked and this could mean that all or part of the conclusion is not marked (if this occurs this will significantly and negatively impact student's marks.) Footnotes should only be used for references, with no further discussion. A bibliography must be provided. Submissions must be a word document. This paper is to be submitted via the appropriate Turnitin link on the iLearn page.

The essay must comply with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4 ed). The Guide is available here: https://law.unimelb.edu.au/mulr/aglc

Late Assessment Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.

Detailed instructions regarding this assessment task will be provided on the iLearn page. 

A final take-home open book exam will be held on Wednesday 12 June 2019. 

This is a take-home examination and will be completed online. It will consist of two questions:

• one hypothetical scenario, asking you to apply constitutional law to a new set of facts; and 
• one general essay question asking you to develop an argument that demonstrates an in-depth understanding of constitutional law doctrine, principles and theory. 

The questions are equally weighted.

The examination can cover any material in the unit, including previously assessed material.

Access to the examination paper will be available on iLearn from 12noon-8pm on Wednesday 12 June and students must submit their answers by 8pm on Wednesday 12 June All work is to be submitted via the correct Turnitin link on iLearn.

This exam is designed to be completed in 3 hours. An 8-hour window to commence the exam is designed to accommodate student and work timetables. Answers to the exam questions cannot exceed 3,000 words (combined) however it is desirable to write shorter responses as this is an upper word limit. It is not necessary to write 3,000 words if students can answer the questions in less than 3,000 words.

This is a timed assessment and no late submissions will be accepted. Any student who has an approved special consideration request will sit a supplementary examination. 

A bibliography is not required.  Footnoting is not required.  Rather, in the examination, students should provide references to cases and scholars in brackets in the text. For example: 

• ‘The High Court has held that the race power permits the Commonwealth to pass laws for the benefit or detriment of Indigenous persons (Kartinyeri).’
• 'As Appleby argues, "[Quote]".'  OR 'As Appleby argues, [paraphrase].' [Here, there is no need to reference the source.]

Further details and assessment guidance/marking rubrics will be provided on iLearn.