LLM Laws
01 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2029
| Course Leader | Hannah Menard, Rachel Thomas |
|---|---|
| Course Team | Lewis Bishop, Alexandra Dobson, Joanne Bates, Rebecca Smith, Hannah Coburn |
| Awarding Body | University of South Wales |
| Teaching Institutions | University of South Wales, Blackburn College |
| Modes of Study | Part Time, Full Time |
Document Version
| Version | 6 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2023 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2029 |
QAA Benchmarks
Educational Aim
The general aim of the course is to provide a balanced and stimulating academic legal education that leads to an effective yet critical understanding of law and its role in contemporary society, along with the development of intellectual and other graduate skills to enhance graduate employability.
The course offers students the opportunity to study specified modules that underpin the practice of law as well as optional modules that enable students, with appropriate guidance, to construct a program that reflects their specific interests and aspirations.
Within the context of this general aim, the course is designed to enable students to:
1. Obtain an in-depth and critical knowledge and understanding of many areas of law, including those that can be considered fundamental to the graduate market such as Cyber Crime and Law of Obligations.? This knowledge and understanding are informed by current practice, scholarship and research including a critical awareness of current issues and developments in the discipline and the more broadly the legal profession.
2. Acquire a critical knowledge and understanding of the foundations of law in England and Wales together with an awareness of the social, political, and economic contexts in which law and legal systems operate and an understanding of the relationship between regional, national, and international law.
3. Develop a student’s intellectual skills such as analysis, evaluation, application, synthesis, and critical thinking skills.
4. Develop competence in several transferable graduate attributes such as analysis, problem solving, project management, research skills and digital literacy, commercial, ethical and social awareness.
5. Develop a range of interpersonal skills in a legal context e.g., effective communication, self-reliance and working with others.
Learning Outcomes
| A1 | Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the rules, procedures and context of the substantive areas of law and of the interrelationship between different areas of law. |
| A2 | Demonstrate a critical awareness of the philosophical, ethical and political issues within the chosen areas of law. |
| A3 | Evidence detailed knowledge and understanding of the sources of law including statute, case-law and of the interrelationship between different areas of law in the national and international context. |
| A4 | Demonstrate intellectual independence and an in-depth understanding of critical commentary in relation to core, specified and optional areas of law. |
| B1 | Evidence intellectual independence and an ability to address complex questions about law, legal systems and legal concepts. |
| B2 | Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks. |
| B3 | Research, analyse and evaluate information relating to legal rules and concepts from a variety of sources of different degrees of complexity. |
| B4 | Locate, understand and apply primary and secondary sources of law relevant to the area of law and present and make a reasoned choice between alternative solutions. |
| C1 | Manage and develop self, responsibilities and time to achieve objectives and to reflect on own learning, making effective use of feedback |
| C2 | Conduct self-directed, ethical research in areas of law, including accurate identification of issue(s) which require researching, and retrieval and evaluation of accurate, current and relevant information from a range of appropriate sources, including primary legal sources. |
| C3 | Utilise digital tools to complete independent research to support a ciritcal awareness of appropriate concepts, arguments and issues in the chosen areas of law. |
| C4 | Synthesise information and make informed judgments by critically evaluating and applying appropriate concepts. arguments and issues whilst working independently and whilst working collaboratively in group tasks. |
Course Structure
Level 7 Modules
| Module Code | Module Id | Module Title | Module Status | Credit Value | Module Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC4T035 | MOD013237 | Dissertation | Running | 60 | core |
| LC4S042 | MOD013226 | Law of Obligations | Running | 20 | specified |
| LC4S043 | MOD013228 | Commercial Law and the International Sale of Goods | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S044 | MOD013227 | Corporate Law and Governance | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S045 | MOD013230 | Cyber Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S050 | MOD013235 | Equality, Rights and Society | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S051 | MOD013231 | Frameworks of International and EU Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S052 | MOD013236 | Independent Study | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S054 | MOD013232 | International Business and Competition Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S055 | MOD013233 | International and Comparative Media Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S057 | MOD013234 | International Family Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S059 | MOD013229 | Transnational Criminal Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S080 | MOD012928 | Advanced Legal Skills and Methods | Running | 20 | specified |
| LC4S081 | MOD012929 | Artificial Intelligence and the Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S082 | MOD012930 | International Intellectual Property Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S083 | MOD012932 | Climate Change and the Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S084 | MOD012933 | Research Methodologies for Law | Running | 20 | optional |
| LC4S174 | MOD004688 | Research Methods | Closed | 20 | specified |
| LC4S188 | MOD009766 | Law of Obligations | Closed | 20 | specified |
| LC4S189 | MOD009767 | Frameworks of International and European Law | Closed | 20 | specified |
Teaching and Assessment
Learning and Teaching Methods
Employer Engagement
Visiting Speakers
There is an established guest lecture series in the Law School. These sessions will appear on the student timetables, as is current practice for the undergraduate students, and can be delivered on campus or online.
As a School, we have been associated with the Global Governance/Tomorrow Matters events and students have been invited to post-talk events which allows them to make links with political and legal local and national context and their curriculum.
Students at Blackburn University Centre are invited to join remotely, and all speaker opportunities are made available to them.
Volunteering
Students are provided with opportunities to volunteer throughout course. Regular announcements are posted on the course organisation site and students are invited to sign up. Examples include volunteering within LAC, StreetLaw project and Cardiff Lawyers Care Homelessness Clinic.
Students at Blackburn University Centre also have the same information, all students are enrolled on the course organisation site.? More local opportunities are published through Blackburn’s Moodle site.
Fieldwork
Not applicable.
Fieldtrips
Trips have included a trip to the Supreme Court for a Mooting Competition and Cardiff Crown Court. We hope to have opportunities to do more in the future.??The Blackburn team has run trips that include a visit to Parliament.
Work Placements
We advertise work placement opportunities through course organisation sites and students are encouraged to apply. Examples include Civil Service job opportunities in Wales?and Hugh James internships.
Students at Blackburn University Centre also have the same information, all students are enrolled on the course organisation site.? More local opportunities are published through Blackburn’s Moodle site.
Work-based Learning
There is no compulsory work-based learning module on this course.
Sandwich Years
No.
Employer Forums
We make available through the course organisation sites information relating to opportunities within the local and national legal sector including National Pupillage Fairs, Lincoln’s Inn Open Days, Grays Inn Scholarship Day, the annual Legal Wales Conference with networking opportunities and free online LawWorks training sessions on cv writing, applying for training contracts.
Students at Blackburn University Centre also have the same information, all students are enrolled on the course organisation site.? More local opportunities are published through Blackburn’s Moodle site.
Means of Assessment
Dissertation
Portfolio
Reserach Proposal
Presentation of academic poster
Cast Study
Essay
Classroom Test
TCA (online)
Annotated Bibliograph
Student Choice
Report
Learning Support
Induction
All students will be given a full induction to the course in their first week, enabling them to adjust to university life, get to know the teaching team, meet their peers, plan their studies, and understand how the University works. This is complemented by the First Experience University induction programme. The induction will include a full explanation of the course handbook, a tour of Blackboard and its resources, and team-building activities to help foster a sense of cohort and course identity among new and existing students. Induction activities will extend into the first weeks of term where appropriate like the library tour and meet the librarian/career advisor talks. Induction for returning students (on the part time course) will be held in the form of a half-day session during induction week and will serve as an introduction to the curriculum, teaching teams, assessment diary and skills development.? Induction activities will also extend into the first few weeks of term like sessions delivered by the study skills team and library refreshers. Induction at Blackburn University Centre follows a similar structure with an experienced course team enabling an effective induction to each year of study.
Personal Academic Coach1
No Personal Academic Coach (PAC) for postgraduate courses.? Course Leader will provide support and signpost students to support within the University. Students at Blackburn University Centre are also assigned personal tutors to monitor progress.? There is also a student engagement officer assigned to each student and these will monitor engagement in the course.
Learner Analytics
Learner analytics will be used by module leaders and the course leader to identify students who may not be engaging on the course. The course leader will review the information and contact the student about individual modules or engagement across the course. Whether or not the issues relate to a single module or the course, the course leader will advise the student about the best course of action. In most cases, this will be to contact module leaders for academic support and the Advice Zone to discuss applications for extenuating circumstances and advice on appropriate support services. Students at Blackburn University Centre are also assigned personal tutors to monitor progress.? There is also a student engagement officer assigned to each student and these will monitor engagement in the course.
Office hours
There will be course leader office hours made available per week.? In addition, each member of the course teaching team will have at least one scheduled office hour per teaching week on campus or online. These office hours will be drop-in sessions for which students will not need to book. Students will also be able to book an appointment to meet with members of the course team, as well as using online tools like the discussion forums on Blackboard. At Blackburn, office hours when teaching staff are available for individual student queries are indicated within module pages on Moodle.
Tutorials
Tutorials will be scheduled for some modules and align at Treforest and Blackburn. They will be used to discuss feedback on assessments or project- and portfolio-based coursework in progress
Seminars
Seminars will be the bedrock of learning and teaching on this course. In seminars, students will be given the opportunity to discuss subjects and skills in depth. They may sometimes be asked to take the lead in running seminars. Students will be expected to prepare for the seminars by completing the reading and tasks set in advance of the classes.
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment will be scheduled for all modules. It may take the form of coursework plans or partial drafts on which the module team make comments before the final version is completed. Activities and tasks set in advance of seminars may also be classed as formative assessment; feedback on these will be given during seminar discussions.
Progress meetings
Students will attend an individual progress meeting once per block to discuss academic progress and any issues that they have.? These meetings will also enable students to ask questions and/or discuss future options and we will signpost the students to appropriate sources of information.
Students at Blackburn University Centre are also assigned personal tutors to monitor progress.? There is also a student engagement officer assigned to each student and these will monitor engagement in the course.
Research Supervision
Students will have individual and group supervision sessions during their dissertation process.? The two research modules: Advanced Legal Skills and Methods and Research Methodologies for Law will prepare students for the dissertation.? Students will have 18 hours of project supervision during the period of their dissertation to support their progress towards completing the research.
Online Resources
Students will be able to access course materials, like the course handbook, course timetable, assessment diary, marking criteria, staff-student liaison meeting minutes and copies of course-level announcements, through the course organisation site on Blackboard.
At a modular level, students will be able to access learning and teaching materials and tools via the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment. These will include the module programme, lesson plans, TalisList, recordings of lectures and seminars, module-specific resources, tools for producing and submitting coursework (like Turnitin), staff contact details, discussion boards, and copies of modular-level announcements.
Most items for learning and teaching will be made available by the Library (through FindIt) or academic online resources. Students will also have access to the Student Development and Study Skills Service and USW Careers to help develop their skills.
Students will be able to access online resources provided by the University through their UniLife dashboards. The course and module leaders will be able to monitor engagement on the course via the Learning Analytics tool.
Blackburn students have access to the full use of library services and databases including Law Trove.
Blackburn University Centre uses Moodle as the main repository for module materials, but students also have access to the Blackboard site.
Students studying at Blackburn are enrolled onto Blackboard sites with a B’Code such as LC3S303_2022_BLA_SEP_v1:Banking and Finance Law(2022/23), for ease of administration at exam boards and to avoid any confusion arising from Blackboard announcements directed at Treforest students. Module leaders in Treforest populate B
Advice Zone
Advice Zones are the first point of contact for advice and information regarding university life. Advice Assistants offer confidential, impartial guidance and advice on a range of issues including extenuating circumstances. Advice Assistants are also able to answer and advise on queries, questions or concerns regarding booking appointments with specialist teams such as Counselling, Disability and Dyslexia, Money Advice and Progression Advice.
Blackburn students engage with the Advice Zone in the same way.
Disability
The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for USW students who have disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g.,?dyslexia) and autism.?A confidential service where students can discuss their individual requirements. DDS can advise on what support is available and help students apply for it.
The Disability Service also has a key role in ensuring the University meets its commitment to providing an inclusive environment for disabled students. See?our?Policies and Equality Scheme.
Blackburn University Centre has local disability advisors.
IT/Library
The course team consists of a Law librarian, who provides excellent support to module leaders and students.
José López Blanco is the Faculty Librarian for Law, Criminology, Humanities, Public Services, Sociology, Social Policy and Youth Work. He has responsibility for liaising with academic staff to support the learning, teaching and research activity of the Law Department with the help and expertise of other members of the Library Services team.
Students are introduced to the law librarian during induction and signposted to them through course announcements, videos and guest lectures throughout the year.
Module leaders work closely with the law librarian to provide ‘themed’ displays in some modules which align with delivery of certain topics like race and gender.? Students are signposted to the librarian as a resource and research students in particular are required to book 1:1s with the law librarian.
The Law Collection at Treforest is maintained in a separate sequence as per the requirements contained within the Society of Legal Scholars’ ‘Statement of Standards for University Law Library Provision’ and contains materials on the law of England and Wales and the European Union, there are also some overseas materials. ? There is also considerable information available online via the Library’s FINDit Databases page through services such as LawTrove, Heinonline, Lawtel UK, LexisNexis and Westlaw UK.? The Law collection in print and online form is accessible to all University of South Wales students. Students receive a library induction and workshop from the librarian to help them find information to support their studies. Ongoing help and guidance to use library services is available from the librarian and from staff at the Library Desk, in person, via telephone, e-mail, or instant message chat service.
The Law Librarian is available to assist students at Blackburn via online meetings.? All guidance and recordings are made available to Blackburn students through course or module sites.
Course Exit Points
| Award | Criteria | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Laws | 180 credits of which at least 150 must be at Level 7 and no more than 30 at Level 6 | Final |
| Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education | 60 credits with at least 40 at Level 7 and no more than 20 at Level 6 | Exit |
| Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education | 120 credits of which at least 90 must be at Level 7 and no more than 30 at Level 6 | Exit |
Progression Route
MPhil
PhDMBA (Master of Business Administration)
DBA (Doctor of Business Administration)
Entry Requirements
Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:
A minimum 2:2 Honours degree in any discipline, or a relevant professional qualification such as the Institute of Legal Executives and others that include some element of law.
For applicants who do not possess formal qualifications, relevant professional experience may be taken into account via the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)/Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) mechanism (University regulations will apply).
The course welcomes international applicants and requires an English level of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component or equivalent.
Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS Check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions.? Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.
Inclusive Curriculum Statement
The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/
Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution
N/A
Methods Of Quality Standards
N/A
Quality Of Standards Indicators
N/A