Module LAWM640 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
LAWM640: Dissertation
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The aim of this module is to pursue, under the guidance of an academic supervisor, an individual programme of research on a topic within the scope of a named degree programme, approved by the programme director, applying appropriate research methodologies and drawing on appropriate materials. The module seeks to encourage and inspire deep and critical engagement with legal/socio-legal research and scholarship and the production of an original, substantial and significant contribution to legal/socio-legal knowledge as appropriate to your degree programme.
By taking this module, you will have the opportunity to develop an extensive knowledge of the law (and/or socio-legal research where appropriate) in your chosen research area, together with the skills and methodological tools to analyse, categorise and critically evaluate the law in an extended formal piece of legal or socio-legal writing. You will also have the opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the values of legal/socio-legal research in the development of the law in the UK and beyond.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of the law and legal/socio-legal research methods applicable to the project that you will have selected and constructed, building on prior legal/socio-legal knowledge, and using research skills and theoretical perspectives; 2. Undertake complex critical evaluation of the main legal rules, institutions and procedure/methods relevant to the specific area of law/socio-legal study chosen for critical evaluation in the dissertation, using specialist literature and current research going beyond prior knowledge; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of legal/socio-legal concepts, values, principles, institutions and procedures, and the ability to evaluate systematically the relationships among them, as well as their limits; 4. Show clear evidence of virtually autonomous research underpinning self-directed learning by selecting and integrating appropriate research methods for investigating, analysing and critically evaluating complex legal/socio-legal problems; 5. Plan and structure analysis clearly and effectively at an advanced level by identifying and solving complex legal/socio-legal problems that require critical evaluation; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. Manage relevant learning resources/ information/ learning strategies confidently and independently in order to develop own analyses and arguments at an advanced professional level; 7. Communicate and engage in written debate effectively, confidently and autonomously with strict adherence to the values and principles of academic integrity in a manner appropriate to the discipline; 8. Plan, clarify and undertake a range of research tasks confidently and independently, reflect critically on the learning process, structure and communication making use of feedback effectively. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comments and discussion of progress with supervisor | N/A | 1-8 | Students will have 3 meetings with supervisors, during which they will receive oral and written comments on the task submitted for the meeting. During each meeting, the student and the supervisor will agree on the next task to be undertaken. Written comments on a sample chapter of the dissertation will be given. |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment will be by way of a Masters level dissertation | 100 | 15,000 words | 1-8 | Written feedback, with oral comments available on request |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | Dissertation (15,000 words) | 1-8 | Resubmission by early January |
