Course Title: Environmental Policy and Law

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Environmental Policy and Law

Credit Points: 6.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
JUST2215	City Campus	Undergraduate	120H Civil, Environmental & Chemical Engineering	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006

Course Coordinator: Ed Horan

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99253936

Course Coordinator Email: edmund.horan@rmit.edu.au

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

Course Description

This course provides the formal vehicle for students to explore environmental policy and law issues in detail. Students will be able to discuss with and receive feedback from legal and engineering practitioners in environmental law and policy.
Students will cover real world problems and review environmental regulation and policy. Students will see what a policy “looks like” and differentiate the different components of a policy and the different processes involved in policy development. They will also learn how a policy translates into law and regulation.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Course Capabilities

At the conclusion of this course you will be:

- aware of legislation and the legislative process
- familiar with a range of environmental policy and legal issues
- able to research aspects of a complex issue
- abble to develop a reasoned position in support of a particular issue
- experienced in critical examination of the work of others
- able  to present a reasoned and substantiated case for a particular issue both orally and in document form
- have knowledge about the process and sequence of developing policies, legislation and regulation

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able:

LO1 identify the process of law and the different types of law
LO2 review environmental policy controls on manufacture and production
LO3 describe the role of incentives in environmental control
LO4 research relevant material in environmental policy
LO5 develop a case for a policy on a particular topic
LO6 argue the position for a particular case in the development of environmental policy
LO7 critically examine arguments for and against a particular environmental policy
LO8 synthesize and integrate the best evidence and reasoning into a case for a policy
LO9 present orally and in document form a preferred position based on substantiated reasoning and evidence

Overview of Learning Activities

Learning Activities

researching aspects of environmental policy
developing arguments for a particular policy
critically examining the work of colleagues
presenting orally and in document form
demonstrating substantiated reasoning

Overview of Learning Resources

Prescribed References
- Class handouts
Recommended References
Further suggestions for reading will be provided in lectures. Students are expected to read sources other than the prescribed texts.

Overview of Assessment

Written exam (closed book)
Value: 50%
Exam period at end sem1
Criteria: Demonstrated achievement of Learning Outcomes 1-8

Assignments totaling 50% on environmental law issues and the development of environmental policy as directed in class
Submission and return dates and format will be provided in class.