Unit rationale, description and aim
Australia has removed almost 10,000 people in the last decade. The removal of non-citizens from Australia is a significant undertaking, raising policy, law and human rights considerations that will be identified, explored, reviewed, critically analysed and assessed in this unit. The unit will require higher order legal and policy skills and would be suitable for graduate students. It will require deep understanding of what laws and principles need to be invoked, and when and where to do so and why.
This subject will also introduce students to the real world of human rights advocacy in “crim-migration” contexts. In doing so, this unit aims to provide a link between prior learning in relation to migration laws and active engagement in advocacy in support of people whose human rights have been violated through the removal regime.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Analyse factual contexts and apply principles to d...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically evaluate strategies and develop courses...
Learning Outcome 02
Develop and activate solutions
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Indicative topics might include:
1. Constitutional foundations
2. Review of key laws (the Migration Act)
3. Review of key regulations (Direction 110 and its predecessors)
4. Analysis of crucial case law through the integration of migration and criminal law
5. Key contemporary human rights challenges and work to do
6. Develop of strategic responses
7. Human rights advocacy in this context
8. Reform
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit’s assessment structure is designed to link legal knowledge with practical and analytical skills in migration and crimmigration contexts. The discussion forums provide a space for regular critical reflection and exchange, helping students test their understanding of core concepts while receiving formative feedback. The written task develops depth of analysis by requiring students to examine statutory frameworks, case law, and policy through a critical lens, highlighting the interplay between legal rules and broader human rights and socio-legal concerns. The oral presentation then shifts the focus to professional skills, challenging students to present complex arguments persuasively and to connect legal analysis with real-world advocacy. Together, the assessments foster the ability to interpret law, evaluate competing issues, and craft informed responses to pressing migration removal issues, directly supporting achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes and graduate capabilities.
To pass the unit, students must achieve an overall mark of at least 50%. The final grade will be based on the total marks from all assessment items completed. While you don’t have to complete every assessment item, only the assessments you submit will contribute to your final grade.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1 – Interactive Discussion Forum Asses...
Assessment 1 – Interactive Discussion Forum Assessments
Details: Students are required to contribute weekly discussion posts examining the complex legal, policy, and human rights issues surrounding the removal of non-citizens from Australia. Posts should demonstrate careful consideration of factual scenarios, analysis of applicable laws and principles, and reflection on the practical and ethical challenges inherent in “crimmigration” contexts. Students are expected to incorporate insights from readings, lectures, and independent research, using proper referencing to uphold academic integrity. Interaction with peers’ posts encourages critical reflection and helps students develop nuanced perspectives on contemporary issues in migration law and advocacy. Students will be required to submit a portfolio of their forum responses at the end of the semester which will also include a reflection.
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is to cultivate students’ ability to interpret and apply legal and policy principles to real-world situations (LO1), critically assess potential strategies and courses of action (LO2), and propose practical, well-reasoned solutions (LO3). By requiring reasoned, evidence-based contributions and engagement with peers’ ideas, the assessment ensures that students not only consolidate their knowledge but also enhance their analytical, problem-solving, and professional skills, while maintaining academic integrity throughout the learning process.
Format: Weekly discussion forum posts and reflection.
10%
Assessment 2 – Written Critical Analysis Details...
Assessment 2 – Written Critical Analysis
Details: This assessment requires students to demonstrate their ability to identify, interpret, and critically analyse relevant areas of migration law, including the intersecting field of ‘crimmigration law’. It further assesses students’ understanding of advanced aspects of the removal regime, as well as the broader policy and social issues that shape migration governance, such as human rights concerns and border criminology perspectives. In doing so, the assessment measures students’ capacity to integrate legal knowledge with critical theoretical and socio-political insights.
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is to measure students’ capacity to apply legal knowledge and critical perspectives to core issues in migration and crimmigration law. It requires students to demonstrate their ability to analyse statutory frameworks, case law, and policy in relation to the removal regime, human rights, and border criminology. This ensures alignment with the unit’s learning outcomes by assessing both legal interpretation and broader socio-legal analysis.
Format: written assessment.
40%
Assessment 3 – Persuasive Presentation Det...
Assessment 3 – Persuasive Presentation
Details: This oral assessment asks students to demonstrate their knowledge and analysis of migration law, with particular attention to the intersection with crimmigration. Students are expected to explain and evaluate complex elements of the removal regime alongside key policy debates and social dimensions (this could include human rights and border criminology). The task also tests students’ ability to present legal and theoretical insights clearly and persuasively in an oral format, reflecting both subject expertise and professional communication skills.
Purpose: The purpose of this oral assessment is to evaluate students’ ability to apply and communicate their knowledge of migration and crimmigration law. It assesses their capacity to interpret complex legal frameworks and connect these to broader issues. This assessment is designed to directly measure achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes by requiring students to apply legal knowledge, critical analysis, and oral communication skills to core issues in migration and crimmigration law.
Format: Oral Presentation
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Mode: Online Lectures, discussion forums (individual and group work activities), electronic consultation, library tasks.
Duration: 4 hours per week over 12 weeks or equivalent. To fully benefit from your learning, you are expected to spend 150 hours in total for this unit.
The unit is designed to be delivered in a weekly online module. The unit is designed to be delivered in weekly online mode. We have taken a multimodal learning approach to provide accessibility and flexibility as well as a student-focused approach that increases depth of learning and engagement through actively utilising Canvas.
Within an integrated learning framework, lectures will provide core content relating to the topics identified above and begin the process of exploration, which will be followed by detailed explanation and further investigation in discussion forums. Through direct interaction between students and teachers, students are encouraged to engage in critical analysis of the foundational knowledge they acquire; to test that knowledge by applying it to factual situations; to produce solutions supported by legal authorities and arguments; and to reflect on their learning. Each component is intended to build on knowledge and skills and progressively scaffold student learning.