Useful links
This unit provides an introduction to public health law. The unit begins by asking 鈥榃hat is public health law?鈥�. It explores the historical concerns and conceptual focus of public health law, and how they have evolved over time. Next, the unit considers the sources of public health law, with a particular focus on global health governance, and the role of the World Health Organisation. The global and national sources of public health law are examined through a series of case studies. Case studies include: the global governance of pandemics and public health emergencies; access to essential medicines in low-income countries; and the impact of constitutional rights on governments鈥� capacity to protect public health. We also consider how common law can function as a source of public health law, through a series of cases relating to liability for transmission of sexually transmissible infections (STIs). The unit then considers two foundational topics in public health law, beginning with Australia鈥檚 legal framework for responding to public health emergencies, with a focus on Covid-19. This topic includes a simulated or 鈥榲irtual epidemic鈥� that requires students to apply Australia鈥檚 legal framework for public health emergencies to a novel factual scenario. Secondly, the unit provides an introduction to the tobacco epidemic and to tobacco and nicotine control law, including different kinds of tobacco litigation in Australia and the United States, and key legislation. Key topics include: The definition and role of public health law; Case studies illustrating the sources of public health law; Australia鈥檚 legal framework for managing Covid-19 and outbreaks of contagious diseases with pandemic potential; and an introduction to tobacco control law. Throughout the unit, students will be trained to identify legal issues and to critically evaluate how law can be used as a tool to protect the public鈥檚 health, without losing focus of civil liberties and other competing public and private interests. A flexible assessment regime allows students to focus on their own areas of interest within the unit. Refer to the Sydney Law School timetable - https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
|
None |
|---|---|
|
Corequisites:
?
|
None |
| Prohibitions:
?
|
None |
| Assumed knowledge:
?
|
None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Semester 2 2027
|
Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
|
Find your current year census dates
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you鈥檙e selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about聽modes of attendance聽on our website.
To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an .