Module LAW3198 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
LAW3198: Business and Human Rights Law
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- The origins and evolving nature of the modern corporation.
- The intersection of business practices and human rights protection, with case studies from several sectors, including, for example, the garment industry, pharmaceuticals, and the extractive industries.
- The evolution and shortcomings of accountability under State-centric human rights and the limits of corporate social responsibility.
- The development and implementation of an international legal framework specific to business and human rights, and the role and responsibility of business in upholding international human rights law.
- Judicial and non-judicial remedies.
- Challenges, limitations and future developments in the field.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26.5 | 123.5 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 11 | 11 x 1 hour lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 7.5 | 5 x 1.5 hour seminars |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 8 | 4 x 2 hour workshops |
| Guided independent study | 73.5 | Preparation for scheduled learning and teaching sessions, including pre-reading and the completion of learning activities |
| Guided independent study | 50 | Preparation for assessments |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Web-based and electronic resources:
- ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
- British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Business and Human Rights: www.biicl.org/categories/business-and-human-rights
- Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: www.business-humanrights.org/en
- Institute for Human Rights and Business: www.ihrb.org
- UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Business and Human Rights: www.ohchr.org/en/issues/business/pages/businessindex.aspx
- UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/WGHRandtransnationalcorporationsandotherbusiness.aspx
- UN Forum on Business and Human Rights: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Forum/Pages/ForumonBusinessandHumanRights.aspx
Other Learning Resources
Other resources:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976) 999 UNTS 171.
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 3 January 1976) 993 UNTS 3.
- UN Human Rights Council, ‘Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, John Ruggie, Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework’ (21 March 2011) UN Doc A/HRC/17/31.
- Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises (Zero Draft Text) (16 August 2018): www.ohchr.org/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/wgtranscorp/session3/draftlbi.pdf
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research poster | A1 (including visuals and a maximum of 500 words) | 1-8 | Individual oral and written feedback; whole cohort oral feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research paper | 100 | 2,500 words | 1-8 | Individual written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research paper | Research paper (2,500 words) | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
