Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Law School
This course explores the competition law and antitrust regimes in Australia, the United States, and the European Union. It guides students through competition law and antitrust concepts in historical, economical, theoretical, comparative, and contemporary contexts. It explores major recent international cases, the legal bases for and practicalities of international cooperation among competition law authorities with special emphasis given to recent issues and developments, primarily related to digital economy and economic sustainability.
Competition/antitrust law plays a significant role in the economy of individual countries and their welfare. At the same time, it has an enormous impact on the ways in which companies and other entities, including multinational corporations, conduct their businesses. It also impacts consumers. For instance, anticompetitive behaviour leads to higher prices and less innovation and services for consumers.
This course analyses and compares competition / antitrust law regimes in the United States of America, the European Union and Australia and explores, among other things, internationally significant cases, in particular, global cartels; and global current issues such as the role of platforms and algorithms in competition.
The course is delivered by Dr Barbora Jedlickova, the UQ expert on competition law, and a number of high-profile guest lecturers from legal practice providing students with various practical views and sharing their long-standing expertise. It is designed in the way so it would suit any students interested in this area of law; with or without legal background, both international and local.
Indeed, the course is designed to advance the knowledge of a mixed cohort, in particular:
- Australian practitioners interested or specialised in competition law.
- International law graduates interested in competition law or already with working experience in this area of law.
The course seeks to build students’ knowledge of competition (antitrust) law in three different and significant jurisdictions and develop their ability to compare and solve competition law problems at both the national and international levels. Students will be able to compare and analyse these three competition/antitrust-law regimes, which will provide them with new insights into their own home competition law regimes and greater understanding of the historical and theoretical background of theirs and other regimes. They will also analyse some major, contemporary, global competition-law issues, such as the way firms have been conducting their businesses and competing in the digital age, and the limitations of international and bilateral cooperation in competition-law investigations.
Course requirements
Assumed background
No previous background in competition law is required.
Restrictions
LLM
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
It runs on Mondays from 10 am to 1 pm from Week 4 (March 17).
Aims and outcomes
This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of competition law and antitrust regimes in Australia, the US, and the EU. It seeks to develop critical analysis skills through historical, economic, theoretical, and comparative contexts. The course will examine major recent international cases, explore international cooperation among competition authorities, and address contemporary issues, particularly in the digital economy and economic sustainability. By the end, students will be equipped to navigate and influence global competition law practices effectively.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Describe, compare and critically analyse the main areas of three competition law regimes and their enforcement.
LO2.
Describe and critically analyse international cooperation of competition law authorities.
LO3.
Identify and critically analyse contemporary global issues in competition law and policy.
LO4.
Apply new insights into their own home competition law regimes.
LO5.
Have greater understanding of the historical, economical and theoretical background of competition/antitrust law and its policy.
LO6.
Have advanced legal research ability in the area of competition law and policy.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation |
Law Reform Submission: Oral Presentation
|
40% |
28/04/2025 10:00 am
Proposal Template has to be completed and submitted by 5 pm, 22 April. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Law Reform Submission
|
60% |
30/05/2025 9:00 am |
Assessment details
Law Reform Submission: Oral Presentation
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
28/04/2025 10:00 am
Proposal Template has to be completed and submitted by 5 pm, 22 April.
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
Task description
The Law Reform Submission is designed to test the ability of students to identify, critically compare and analyse an issue of selected competition-law regimes. It further demonstrates the ability to undertake independent research and express that research professionally.
The Law Reform Submission: Oral Presentation involves a completed Proposal Template (maximum 800 words, including footnotes) and a list of references, both due on 22 April at 5 pm; and an oral submission. The oral submission will take place on 28 April.
The oral submissions will be presented on 28 April to the course coordinator and peers.
Word Count and Penalty for Excess
The word limit is mandatory; words in excess of the limit will not be taken into account.
The proposal template is a formal outline of a Law Reform Submission and its oral part.
Students select their own topic for the Law Reform Submission, as per instructions provided by the course coordinator.
This component of the assessment is to test the ability of students to construct research ideas at postgraduate level, critically analyse and to structure research, and present its legal research and legal arguments orally to peers.
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.
Submission guidelines
The completed Proposal Template must be submitted electronically via the assessment submission link on the course Learn.UQ (Blackboard) site. The oral presentation is scheduled for Monday the 28th of April.
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%.
Law Reform Submission
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
30/05/2025 9:00 am
Task description
The Law Reform Submission is designed to test the ability of students to identify, critically compare and analyse an issue of selected competition-law regimes. It further demonstrates the ability to undertake independent research and express that research professionally in writing.
Word Count and Penalty for Excess
The Law Reform Submission is to be maximum 4000 words including footnotes. The word count should appear on the front page of the submission. The word limit is mandatory; words in excess of the limit will not be taken into account.
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.
Submission guidelines
The written Law Reform Submission must be submitted electronically via the assessment submission link on the course Learn.UQ (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%.
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. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 47 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 48 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Additional assessment and grading information will be published on Blackboard at the beginning of Semester 1/2025 and explained to and discussed with students at the beginning of the 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.
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 4 To Week 12 |
Seminar |
Seminars TOPICS: 1) Competition Law, Its Policy and Concepts in Historical and Contemporary Context (in Australia, the EU and the USA) 2) Cartels and Other Horizontal Agreements 3) Monopolies, Abuse of Dominant Position and Misuse of Market Power 4) Vertical Restrictions 5) Merger Control Law 6) Enforcement and International Cooperation |
Additional learning activity information
Additional learning-activity information will be published on Blackboard at the beginning of Semester 1/2025 and explained to and discussed with students at the beginning of the course.
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: