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| Module Availability |
The work is initiated and carried through by the individual student with supervision. Meetings with the supervisor will be arranged by the student in accordance with the agreement of the supervisor. |
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| Assessment Pattern |
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Unit(s) of Assessment
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Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)
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A 15,000 word formal word-processed dissertation, supported by a viva presentation and oral defence of the dissertation which will be taken into account in the mark finally awarded.
The mark awarded for the module reflects quality of the dissertation and the student’s performance in the viva.
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100%
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Qualifying Condition(s)
Students are required to submit a provisional topic for approval, and the Department retains the discretion to refuse to permit a student to undertake a dissertation. The Department will review both the suitability of the topic for a dissertation, options for supervision of the project and the student’s academic profile and performance in coming to a decision about whether the student should be given permission to undertake the dissertation.
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| Module Overview |
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| Prerequisites/Co-requisites |
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| Module Aims |
The dissertation is an opportunity for students to study in-depth an aspect of the law of personal interest. Developing and demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of the area chosen is the primary objective of the module. |
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| Learning Outcomes |
At the end of the module, students are able to:
- Identify legal sources from UK, European and, where appropriate, other jurisdictions;
- Identify and retrieve up-to-date legal information using paper and electronic resources;
- Distinguish primary and secondary sources;
- Show insight into presenting legal materials drawn from a wide variety of primary and secondary sources and doctrinal commentary;
- Demonstrate developed research skills in assimilating, processing and utilising knowledge;
- Demonstrate competence at incorporating and applying, as appropriate, ethical values, philosophical principles and political constraints to research material;
- Analyse, evaluate and apply the material and to produce a logical, structured and original piece of written work.
- Demonstrate presentation skills
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| Module Content |
The student should choose an appropriate research subject with the approval of the supervisor. The subject should be an aspect of the law of a UK, European or other jurisdiction or a comparative study of an aspect of law across relevant jurisdictions. A student wishing to opt for the dissertation should indicate accordingly on the option form. A student seeking to undertake the dissertation module will have to produce an outline topic in accordance with the module’s prerequisite requirements, and should recognise that not all dissertation proposals will be accepted.
The student should then produce a 15,000-word word-processed dissertation which draws on primary and secondary sources, academic commentary and which analyses and evaluates the material and is a logical, structured and original piece of work.
The following requirements are in place to structure the process:
- Students are required to submit an outline topic or a preliminary title to the Department office by the first week of the Autumn Semester. Any student not submitting an outline topic or preliminary title will not be allocated a Supervisor.
- Students should note the deadline for submission of the dissertation. Two bound copies of the dissertation are to be submitted before a deadline to be specified by the Director of Studies level 3. Students should note that this deadline is during the Easter vacation and any student who is away from Guildford at this time will have to submit the dissertation at the end of the teaching weeks. There is no provision for the late receipt of dissertations, and that any work received late will not be marked and no credits will be awarded for the module. Individual extensions to the deadline for submission will only be given on exceptional medical grounds, for which evidence will be required.
- Students should also note the viva is a compulsory part of the dissertation assessment process.
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| Methods of Teaching/Learning |
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| Selected Texts/Journals |
The student builds his/her own bibliography from sources relevant to the subject.
On legal research:
Michael Slater and Julie Mason, Writing Law Dissertations – An Introduction and Guide to the Conduct of Legal Research (Harlow: Pearson Longman, 2007) |
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| Last Updated |
17.07.07 |
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