Year 12 Legal Studies Units 3 and 4
Overview
Legal Studies Units 3 and 4 is an ideal subject if you have an interest in the Australian legal system.
Unit 3 will focus on:
Rights and justice
- The Victorian criminal justice system
- The Victorian civil justice system
The emphasis of Unit 3 is the criminal and civil justice systems, the protection of individual rights and upholding the principles of justice: fairness, equality and access. The Victorian court hierarchy, key personnel, the purposes, types of sanctions and sentencing considerations as well as institutions and methods used to resolve a civil dispute including the purposes and types of remedies is explored.
Unit 4 will focus on:
The people, the law and reform
- The people and the law-makers
- The people and reform
The emphasis of Unit 4 is the study of Australia’s laws and legal system. It involves an understanding of institutions that make and reform our laws, and the relationship between the Australian people, the Australian Constitution and law-making bodies. Parliament, the courts, the relationship between the two in law-making as well as considering the roles of the individual, the media and law reform bodies in influencing law-reform is explored.
Who is it for?
If you would like to gain a thorough understanding of our legal system and how it operates, Units 3 and 4 Legal Studies is for you. You will find these units engaging by analysing and evaluating a variety of legal content.
What do you do?
This is a fully online course. Activities that you will be participating in and completing include:
- skill building
- note taking
- class forums
- online lessons
- instructional Screencasts
- quizzes
- self-assessments
- case studies
- short answer questions
- essays
- reports.
What skills do you need?
You will need to have reading, comprehension and writing skills. The structure of this online course guides you through weekly work and activities.
You will benefit by having studied Units 1 and 2 Legal Studies, however this is not a compulsory requirement.
What skills do you develop?
The 2024-2028 study design has a strong emphasis on application skills. Some of the core skills are:
- define key legal terms and understand how to use them appropriately
- describe, discuss, interpret and synthesize legal information
- develop skills in explanation, justification and critical evaluation
- apply legal knowledge and principles to relevant cases and issues
- compare and evaluate aspects of the legal system.
Requirements
You must have access to the internet in order to access this course. Weekly work will be completed and submitted online.
Things to think about
You will benefit from having an understanding of:
- the role of parliament and the courts
- the difference between criminal and civil law
- law reform in the criminal and civil justice system
- the Australian Constitution
- current legal issues in the media.
Things you can do now
Become familiar with the 2024-2028 Study Design.
View the Legal Briefs video What is Law? which refers to legal processes and procedures. It’s a good starting point to reinforce any prior knowledge you may have on the legal system and begin to think about the principles of justice, equality and fairness.
Legal Briefs:
Things to have a look at
Victorian Law Foundation
The Victorian Law Foundation has collated an excellent bank of legal resources across Units 1-4. These include videos, downloadable PDFs and links to relevant websites.
High Court website
Visit the High Court of Australia website. Here you can read about the role, history and operation of the court. You are encouraged to access the student resources under the education tab, and listen to the documentary presented.
Parliament of Victoria
How does the Parliament of Victoria make laws? Watch the video which explains the processes relating to the work of parliament.