Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Law School
This course examines and seeks to develop students' knowledge and awareness of the law, technology, practice and regulation of International Trade Law. This course consists of advanced level analysis, focusing on electronic commerce and the international sale of goods issues.
This course examines a range of legal issues arising from international trade. Legal and commercial strategies have been developed to minimise the risks of international trade. Multi trillions of dollars of goods and services are traded annually. This course examines the contractual and legal obligations involved; the major pitfalls; and recent developments. The course concentrates on innovation, and the use of technology in international trade including blackchain, smart contracts encryption and security measures. This course deals with a wide range of electronic commerce issues, including Australian international approaches to regulating cyberspace and the Internet. Topics include: INCOTERMS, Conflicts of Laws; The International Sale of Goods, The Law of the Finance of International Trade; The Carriage of Goods by Sea; International Commercial Arbitration; Electronic Contracts; Electronic Signatures; Artificial Intelligence; and Electronic records.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students are expected to have an understanding of the Australian legal system and the law of contracts. A brief refresher will be given on common law Contract for international students.
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Restrictions
MBus, MICLaw and MICLaw/MCom
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
The first class will be in week 2.ﾠ There will be eight 3-hour seminars in weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.
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Aims and outcomes
Teaching Mission Statement
The mission of the TC Beirne School of Law is to educate students in and about the law. We seek to assist you to think critically about the law and to investigate its structures, principles, policies, and values. This is achieved by engaging with you as fellow investigators in a range of critical and intellectual conversations about the law and its place in society. Our role is thus to guide you in your own intellectual journey in the law and to equip you with the necessary skills that will enable you to continue that journey long after you have left university.
Course Aims
The aim of this course is that each student should:
- develop an understanding of the law and regulatory processes applicable to International Trade and its juxtaposition with technology;
- develop basic skills in the recognition ofﾠlegal and practical problems associated with International Trade and practice, the expression of legal reasoning; the analysis of practical problems; and the application of legal principles;
- develop an appreciation of the context in which International Trade and Electronic Commerce operateﾠand areﾠregulated;
- develop basic skills in relation to Electronic Commerce including electronic communication and the internet.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
comprehend and appreciate the law and regulatory processes applicable to international trade and e-commerce, particularly the relevance to contract law, financial regulation and online content regulation; and the implications of the law of e-commerce for bankers, merchants and commercial parties;
LO2.
recognise legal problems associated with international trade and e-commerce; use legal reasoning in the analysis of such problems; and apply legal principles to solve such problems;
LO3.
appreciate the business and social contexts in which international trade and e-commerce operate and are regulated; and
LO4.
identify and appreciate aspects of international trade and electronic commerce and commerce and related applications that give rise to business, ethical and legal issues.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique |
Written Assignment
|
40% |
7/04/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
End-of-semester Examination
|
60% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Written Assignment
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
7/04/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
- The assignment question will be released in week 1.
- Length - No more than 2,500 words in length. There will be a 5% penalty for each 10% of part thereof for papers that exceed the word limit. A penalty will be levied at the rate of 10% of the marks available for the assessment item per day that the assessment is overdue. The date and time of submission will be deemed to be that noted on the electronic submission. Assessment submitted more than 7 days after the due date and time will receive zero marks.
- The student's name and number must appear at the top of the page.
- All authorities must be properly referenced and cited following the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th edition). When referencing internet sites include eg "Visited 23 March 2025". A complete bibliography must be included. Footnotes are not counted in the word count provided they are used as footnotes; that is for citations or perhaps as one-line comments.
- Students should seek to show that they can comprehend the material and present it accurately; analyse legislation and cases (where applicable); discern the principles and policies which underlie rules; produce critical review; and develop innovative answers to difficult cases.
- Technological failure is not a ground for the granting of an extension. Students preparing assignments on computers should ensure that programs are backed up.
- Students are expected to undertake original research themselves, using appropriate original sources (legislation and cases), textbooks, academic and professional journals and electronic information technology.
- Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct Policy. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Assignments must be submitted electronically via the submission link on the course Blackboard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extension to Assessment Due Date
Where an extension for an assessment item due within the teaching period in which the course is offered is available, any extension is limited to one week (7 days). In exceptional circumstances, extensions may be granted for more than one week, but in no case will an extension exceed four weeks (28 days) in total. Where a student is incapacitated for a period exceeding four weeks of the teaching period, they should apply for removal of course.
A student may apply for an extension to assessment due date if they are unable to meet an assessment deadline due to extenuating circumstances. Please refer to the Applying for an extension page on my.UQ for further details on acceptable reasons for an extension and for instructions on how to apply. Additional information on extensions can be found within the Assessment Procedure .
Spoken or written notification of difficulties with assessment deadlines to a course coordinator or the School does not constitute an authorised extension.
Applications to be submitted before the due date: Applications for extension (whether they be medical or exceptional circumstances) shall be made by the due date and time for the assessment. Requests for extensions received after the assessment item submission due date and time, must include evidence of the reason for the late request, and will require the decision maker listed in the Student Grievance Resolution Procedure to accept the request for consideration.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Penalties for Late Submission
The following penalties apply to late submission of an assessment item, assuming that an extension has not been approved, and that late submission is academically possible (e.g., it does not delay feedback to a cohort, or interfere with course delivery).
First 7 periods of 24 hours (or part thereof) - 10% per 24 hours of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item. For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.
More than 7 periods of 24 hours - 100%.
End-of-semester Examination
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Students will be required to answer three questions out of four. All questions are of equal value.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct Policy.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Not invigilated |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student fails to identify the relevant legal issues or understand most of the relevant law or issues of legal policy raised by the question. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 47 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in identifying or understanding the relevant law or issues of legal policy raised by the question. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 48 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student makes a genuine attempt to answer the question by making legal analysis and shows some knowledge of the relevant law and policy issues raise by the question but either (a) fails to identify or deal with a significant number of key legal issues or policy matters, (b) does not show an understanding of the underlying principles, (c) is largely unable to understand or address the question that has been asked, or (d) the written communication is unclear, incoherence and/or lacking in the normal grammatical and legal-style conventions. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student identifies the key legal and policy issues and deals with them in an acceptable fashion. The student demonstrates adequate knowledge of the relevant law, at least partial understanding of the underlying principles and/or policy issues, and a partial ability to address the question that has been asked. The written communication is clear and coherent, and a good attempt has been made to adhere to normal grammatical and legal-style conventions. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The same as for 4, but also (a) the student deals with all key legal and policy issues in an orderly, logical fashion, (b) the student makes accurate and frequent reference to relevant legal authorities and secondary sources where appropriate, (c) the student shows a substantial understanding of the basic principles and/or policy issues, as well as good ability to address the question that has been asked, and (d) the student makes well-reasoned arguments in respect of some key legal issues and matters of policy raised by the question. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The same as for 5, but also (a) there is substantial evidence of close critical reflection on the law, its content, policy context and/or its application to new situations; and, where relevant, (b) there is evidence that the student has synthesised a variety of different legal sources. The written communication is clear and coherent, and a very good attempt has been made to adhere to normal grammatical and legal-style conventions. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The same as for 6, but also (a) the knowledge of the law is profound, detailed and complete, (b) the understanding and/or application of the law and its basic principles and policies is incisive and creative, and (c) the ability to address the question in accordance with legal knowledge is advanced. The written communication is clear and coherent, and the answer is virtually flawless in terms of its adherence to normal grammatical and legal-style conventions. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
UNCITRAL Electronic Commerce Law Texts (Recommended)
- United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (New York, 2005)
- UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (2017)
- UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures (2001)
- UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce (1996)
- https://uncitral.un.org/en/texts/ecommerce
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 11 |
Seminar |
Seminars The seminar topics are available from the course Blackboard site. Seminar topics:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: