Course Title: Competition and Consumer Law

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Competition and Consumer Law

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

JUST1077

City Campus

Postgraduate

615H Accounting & Law

Face-to-Face


Course Coordinator: Andrew Freadman

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5700

Course Coordinator Email:andrew.freadman@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

  • Introduction to the Australian Legal System and Legal Methods
  • Contract Law


Course Description

Competition and Consumer Laws are major regulators of business, marketing and consumer activities. These laws are based primarily upon a view that business, public and individual welfare is, to a large degree, dependent upon the efficient allocation of resources in fully functional and fair markets. Competition within markets is seen as “a key” to fully functional and fair markets. The aim of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to understand competition and consumer law and apply that understanding in a commercial or legal environment. The course focuses upon areas of particular relevance to legal advisers and business strategists.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will develop the following capabilities in this course:

Legal Discipline Knowledge

  • Knowledge and understanding of the fundamental doctrines and principles which underpin Australian consumer and competition law
  • Knowledge of the sources of consumer and competition law, and how it is made and developed, and of the institutions that administer this law
  • The ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a wide range of legal concepts, values, principles and rules of Australian competition and consumer law and to explain the relationship between them in a number of particular areas
  • Knowledge and understanding of comparative consumer and competition laws existing in other jurisdictions
  • An understanding of the consumer and competition law framework in which commercial lawyers operate

Legal Research

  • Identify and find relevant consumer and competition legal sources and materials
  • Extract the essential points from those legal sources and materials
  • Apply consumer and competition law to the facts of the problem so as to produce satisfactory answers to the questions posed
  • Communicate the reasons for those answers, both orally and in writing, making use of the legal sources and materials, appropriately to the needs of a variety of audiences

Professional Practice

  • Use the English language and consumer and competition law terminology with care and accuracy
  • Interview and advise clients effectively
  • Give effective and persuasive presentations


On completion of this course students should be able to:

  • Provide an understanding of how business and marketing decisions are influenced by the laws governing the regulation of competition and the impact of consumer laws.
  • Develop an understanding of legal issues which are of particular relevance to business professionals in advising clients and formulating business strategies
  • Understand the powers and functions of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) restrictive trade practices, the adjudication process and the various legal remedies available for breaches of the legislation.


Overview of Learning Activities

To achieve the objectives listed above this course requires you to participate in various learning activities. These activities comprise the following: 

  • Leading class discussion on legal problems and policy issues.
  • Engaging in legal research by traditional means but also using electronic legal data bases and internet searching,
  • Participation in class role plays and giving class presentations


Overview of Learning Resources

Students will be advised of the prescribed text for this course and other reading materials upon enrolment.

Distributed Learning System (DLS)

This course is supported online using the Learning Hub of the DLS. The DLS gives access to important announcements, staff contact details, the teaching schedule, assessment timelines and a variety of important teaching and learning materials. The Learning Hub of the DLS can be found at http://www.rmit.edu.au/online.


Overview of Assessment

The courses of the RMIT School of Accounting and Law use assessment to measure and report on your achievement of capabilities against learning outcomes and to provide you with feedback on your performance and progress.


Generally, assessment you will face in this course may include assignments, class presentations and an end of semester examination.