Stage 6 - Legal Studies


Course Overview

Legal Studies enables students to develop knowledge and understanding of the domestic and international legal systems and how they have been shaped over time. Students investigate the key features of the law and understand how the law interacts with aspects of society.

Through the study of Legal Studies, students:

  • develop an understanding of the foundations of law, the criminal justice system, and international relations and human rights.
  • explore the role of the law in society and how laws are made and changed.
  • develop an understanding of how the law operates in practice.
  • develop skills in analysis and reasoning to make judgements about the extent to which the law achieves justice for individuals, groups and society.
Course Content

Year 11 Focus Areas
Students are required to study all 4 focus areas of the course.

  • Investigating the law
  • Disputes under the law
  • Changing the law
  • Experiences with the law

Year 12 Focus Areas
Comprises a study of:
1. 120 indicative hours across 3 focus areas
2. TWO options.

  • The criminal justice system (core)
  • International relations and human rights (core)
  • Options: 
    • Students must study TWO options from:
    - Consumer law
    - Family law
    - Housing law
    - Peace, conflict and the law
    - Workplace law
Assessment

Both the Year 11 and Year 12 Courses will be assessed using the following:

  • Research Tasks
  • Stimulus Response
  • Topic Tests
HSC Examination
  • 3 hour paper
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills

Prerequisite knowledge is not required to study Legal Studies. As a stand-alone course, Legal Studies starts with ‘basic legal concepts’ and builds from there. In fact, an interest in news and current affairs is likely more important than prior knowledge. Written communication and critical thinking skills are essential, as students need to evaluate the effectiveness of the law in achieving justice.


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