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 will examine select topics in the formation, modification, vitiation and termination of commercial contracts, including remedies for breach of contract. Students who successfully complete this course will have acquired an in-depth knowledge of contemporary aspects of the law relating to the enforceability and enforcement of contracts; been introduced to a wide range of commercial contracts and contractual disputes; developed an ability to predict possible future developments in Australian contract law; and enhanced their analytical and problem-solving skills.
Course requirements
Restrictions
LLM (16 and 24 units)
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
Teaching Mission Statement
The mission of the TC Beirne School of Law is to educate students in and aboutﾠthe 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 the School.
Course Aims
This course aims to give students anﾠadvanced understandingﾠof the law relating to the formation, modification, enforcement and vitiation of contractsﾠas that law is applied in Queensland and Australia more broadly. The course also aims to put Australian contract law in international perspective by providing students with comparative insights from cognate jurisdictions overseas where relevant and useful. The course consists of a principle-based overview of the broadﾠlandscape of modern contract law in Australia, punctuated by deeper examinations into more specific problems and case studiesﾠthat feature in the landscape and which may concern the practitioner in particular.
ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the key legal principles relating to the formation, modification, enforcement and vitiation of contracts and contractual relationships, as well their corresponding underlying rationales.
LO2.
Apply those principles to identify, evaluate and resolve potential issues that might arise in relation to the formation, modification, enforcement and vitiation of contracts.
LO3.
Apply those principles to assist in avoiding legal disputes that might arise in relation to contracts and contractual activity.
LO4.
Appreciate continuing controversies in relation to the formulation, development and application of contract law in contemporary Australian society, as well as holding an educated view as to how those controversies might be effectively resolved in the future.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Proposal
|
40% |
2/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Paper
|
60% |
16/06/2025 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
Research Proposal
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
2/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Students are required to submit a research proposal of 2,000 words comprising:
- A detailed description of the research project, situating it within the existing literature. The research proposal should:
- demonstrate scholarly ability to identify relevant resources and to summarise and categorise existing knowledge;
- identify the ‘gap’ in the knowledge that your paper is attempting to address and key research questions that will be addressed;
- position your project in the context of existing knowledge; and
- clearly identify the aims, scope and boundaries of your project.
- There is no single correct way to write a research proposal. It is probably best simply to organise your text/discussion around fairly obvious headings, such as:
- Statement of the problem;
- Research question(s) arising from the problem and to be examined in the paper;
- The basic aims of the paper (or contribution sought to be made to the existing literature in the field);
- The methodologies applied (see, e.g., Terry Hutchinson and Nigel Duncan, ‘Defining and Describing What We Do: Doctrinal Legal Research’ (2012) 17(1) Deakin Law Review 83; Terry Hutchinson, Researching and Writing in Law (Lawbook Co, 4th ed, 2018));
- Tentative conclusions (or indication of what the key argument(s) and research outcome(s) is (are) likely to be;
- Bibliography.
- Note that a 10 per cent leeway on word count is applied. Discussion exceeding the leeway (2200 words) may be disregarded by the marker. Footnotes are not included in the word count. However, they should be limited to reference citations only. Any substantive discussion in a footnote will be disregarded by the marker. (For the avoidance of doubt, headings are not included in the word count, but quotations are.)
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
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%.
Research Paper
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
16/06/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Students are required to submit an original, scholarly research paper of 5,000 words (with a 10 per cent leeway). The content of the paper must be consistent with the research proposal developed by the student. The precise format of the paper should be determined in conjunction with the course coordinator.
Any material in excess of the word count will be disregarded by the marker. Footnotes are not included in the word count. However, they should be limited to reference citations only. Any substantive discussion in a footnote will be disregarded by the marker. (For the avoidance of doubt, headings are not included in the word count, but quotations are.)
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
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%.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture - Day 1 & 2 Lecture topics:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Seminar |
Seminar - Day 1 & 2 Seminar Topics:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture - Day 3 & 4 Lecture Topics:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Seminar |
Seminar - Day 3 & 4 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: