LAWS20009 Law and the Environment
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- Final exam 55%
- About 2.5 class hours a week
Is LAWS20009 hard?
LAWS20009: About average. Makes it easier: Only 2.5 class hours a week. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it takes a lot of time. The easier and harder points roughly balance out.
What you learn
How law shapes our treatment of the environment and animals: climate cases, Indigenous land, rights of nature and protest law.
After it you can
- Apply legal ideas like duty of care and property rights
- Analyse the link between law, democracy and climate
- Write a submission to a parliamentary inquiry
What you need first
None
How it’s assessed
Participation 15%, Assignments 30%, Final exam 55%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 3 students on StudentVIP (2018–2025)
- Reviewers found the topics interesting and the tutorials the best part, but some lecture content and readings felt unfocused.
- The final task is long and heavily weighted, and marking criteria felt unclear to some; the latest reviewer did well but wouldn't take it again.
- Best suited to people keen on environmental law or thinking about law later; be ready to cite and apply cases.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate LAWS20009
Quick answers
- When is LAWS20009 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- What do I need before taking LAWS20009?
- No prerequisites.
- Does LAWS20009 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 55% of the mark. Assessment: Participation 15%, Assignments 30%, Final exam 55%.
- Is LAWS20009 hard?
- From 3 student reviews on StudentVIP: Reviewers found the topics interesting and the tutorials the best part, but some lecture content and readings felt unfocused.
- What do students say about LAWS20009?
- Reviewers found the topics interesting and the tutorials the best part, but some lecture content and readings felt unfocused. The final task is long and heavily weighted, and marking criteria felt unclear to some; the latest reviewer did well but wouldn't take it again. Best suited to people keen on environmental law or thinking about law later; be ready to cite and apply cases.
- How many class hours a week does LAWS20009 have?
- 2.5 h a week in class
- Can I take LAWS20009 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science.
- Can I rate LAWS20009?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
PickMySubjects is a free, unofficial planner made by a UniMelb graduate.