School Of Computing, Engineering And MathematicsProfessional Practice and Building LawWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 301104.2
Discipline: BUILDING SURVEYING
Student Contribution Band: 2
Level: 7
Credit Points: 10
Unit Enrolment Restrictions
Students must be enrolled in the Master and Grad Dip Building Surveying; Master and Grad Dip Bushfire Protection; Master and Grad Dip Fire Safety Engineering or Master of Architecture (Urban Transformation).
Students enrolled in the Master or Graduate Diploma in Building Surveying must have completed 40 credit points prior to enrolling in this unit
About this Unit
The basis of this unit is to ensure students become accustomed to reading and interpreting building and related laws. The unit provides students with background knowledge of the negligence, administrative law, life safety, proportional liability, contracts and statutory interpretation as it applies to building surveying, fire engineering and bushfire protection. The unit studies the codes of professional conduct, ethic, conflict of interest and the rules of evidence within the legal constraints when acting as certifiers and or experts.
These professions can act as expert witnesses and consequently need to understand codes of professional conduct, ethic, conflict of interest and the rules of evidence. Additionally they are potentially required to brief solicitors or other legal professionals and will ultimately have a duty to the court or tribunal.
The unit requires students to, locate, read and interpret legislative provisions, tribunal and court precedent decisions and case studies associated with these professions.
Moreover, this unit studies the functions that are governed by Administrative law, their actions and decisions of government decision makers, which gives rise to administrative review and duty of care.