LLM Law, International and Comparative Law

What will I cover in this module?
At level 7 students need to develop their existing legal research skills and general skills so as to achieve the 'masterly' level necessary to complete their postgraduate programme. This module seeks to aid students in their development of these key skills and assists them with their personal and professional development.  The module will also provide a stepping stone for students who wish to present their work at conferences and in this regard this element of the module would be of direct relevance to PhD students in the early stages of their research careers. The module will also include sessions relating to getting work published and will set out practical advice on this.

How much work will I need to do each week?

The module is delivered by twelve three hours sessions and a one hour synchronous and/or asynchronous activity per week.  Six one hour tutorials will be included in the three hour sessions, whilst synchronous and asynchronous delivery is divided into eight hours of discussion board activity and four one hour WImba classes. 

As stated, there will be a series of formal lectures, online resources and tutorials. The formal lectures will cover the indicative content relating to studying at masters level, together with career and personal development. The online resources will comprise of the university's existing materials relating to research as well as bespoke materials which deal with issues relevant to legal scholarship. Students who have not studied law before or who are lawyers from non-common law jurisdictions will follow the programme of online study relevant to them. Common lawyers will follow an alternative programme of online study. Students will then be allocated a tutor and will attend tutorials with fellow students who are either common law lawyers or non-lawyers/civil lawyers. Tutorials provide an opportunity for students to develop the skills and knowledge covered by the online resources.  Finally, the module provides a significant opportunity for interactivity in that one quarter of the scheduled learning activities are dedicated to synchronous and asynchronous delivery.

Scheduled learning and teaching activities:24%
Guided independent study:76%

How will I be assessed?

The module is assessed by way of two written coursework pieces of summative assessment.  Formative feedback is provided on the diary as it records the development of the student as a researcher.

Coursework 1: 60%
The first of assessment is made out of a reflective diary followed by practical exercises; the weighting for this assessment is 60% of the overall mark for the module (2,500 words).

Coursework 2: 40%
The second piece of assessment comes in the form of drafting a research proposal.  The weighting for this is 40% of the overall mark for the module (2,500 words). 

Reading list

Key texts

M Salter and J Mason, Writing Law Dissertations (Pearson Longman 2007)

J Knowles, Effective Legal Research (Sweet & Maxwell 2009)

M McConville and WH Chui, Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh University Press 2007)

C Hart, Doing your Masters Dissertation (Sage 2005)

J Grix, The Foundations of Research (2nd edn, Palgrave Macmillan 2010)

Essential Texts

JW Harris, Legal Philosophies (2nd edn, OUP 2004)

MDA Freeman, Lloyd's Introduction to Jurisprudence (8th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2008)

K Zweigert & H Kötz, An Introduction to Comparative Law (Tony Weir tr, 3rd edn, Clarendon Press 1998)

P De Cruz, Comparative law in a Changing World (3rd edn, Cavendish 2007)

C Wild and S Weinstein, Smith and Keenan's English Law: Text and Cases (16th edn, Pearson 2010)

B Ballenger, The Curious Researcher (4th edn, Pearson/Longman 2004)

A Bradney, F Cownie, J Masson, A Neal and D Newell, How to Study Law (5th edn, Thompson/ Sweet & Maxwell 2005)

N Dochartaigh, Internet Research Skills (Sage 2007)

S Hanson, Legal Method, Skills and Reasoning (3rd edn, Routledge-Cavendish 2010)

C Hart, Doing a literature search (Sage 2001)
L Webley, Legal Writing (2nd edn, Routledge-Cavendish 2010)

R Murray, Writing for Academic Journals (Open University Press 2005)

G Hall and J Longman (eds), The Postgraduate's Companion (SAGE 2008)

JP Lomio, HS Spang-Hanssen and GD Wilson, Legal Research Methods in a Modern World: A Coursebook (3rd edn, Djøf 2011)

Recommended Reading

G Allan and C Skinner (eds), Handbook for Research Students in the Social Sciences (The Falmer Press 1991)

J Bell, Doing Your Research Project (Open University Press 2005)

L Blaxter, C Hughes and M Tight, How to Research (Open University Press 2006)

RG Burgess, In the Field: An Introduction to Field research (Allen and Unwin, 1984)

P Clinch, Using a Law Library (2nd edn, OUP 2001)

L Cohen, L Manion, and K Morrison, Research methods in education (5th edn, Routledge Falmer 2000)

M Denscombe, The Good Research Guide for small-scale research projects (3rd edn, Open University Press 2007)

M Denscombe, Ground Rules for Social Research: Guidelines for Good Practice (Open University Press 2010)
 
S Foster, How to Write Better Law Essays (2nd edn, Pearson Education 2009)

C Hart, Doing a Literature Review: A Comprehensive Guide for the Social Sciences (Sage 2001)

C Hart, Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination (Sage 1998)

G Holborn, Butterworths legal research guide (2nd edn, Butterworths 2001)

AD Jancowicz, Business Research Projects (2nd edn, International Thomson Business Press 1995)

M Lichtman, Qualitative Research in Education: A User's Guide (2nd edn, Sage 2010)

LA Machi and BT McEvoy, The Literature Review (Sage 2009)

T May, Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process (3rd edn, Open University Press 2001)

C Neville, The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism (Open University Press 2007)

R O'Dair, Legal Ethics and Materials (CUP 2001)

A Hunt, Explorations in Law and Society (Routledge 1993)

E Orna and G Stevens, Managing information for research (2nd edn, Open University Press 2009)

S Rumsey, How to find information: A guide for researchers (2nd edn, Open University Press 2008)

S Stein, Law on the Web: A Guide for Students and Practitioners (Prentice Hall 2003)

R Veit, C Gould, J Clifford, Writing, Reading and Research (6th edn, Pearson/Longman 2003)
 
N Walliman, Your Research Project (2nd edn, Sage 2005)

T May, Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process (4th edn, Open University Press 2011)

How many credits is it worth?
20

What will I cover in this module?

Independent Studies form an essential and major component of the LL.M. It is the vehicle by which you conduct a major piece of independently researched work which will be a dissertation or employment based report.

Independent study will provide you with an opportunity to utilise and enhance the knowledge and intellectual skills gained during the course by means of an extensive investigation of a significant topic within the context of commercial law and practice.

Your dissertation is individually negotiated, agreed and supervised by an appropriate Independent Studies Supervisor. Your progress is approved and monitored under the following general headings:

• Selection of a suitable topic, identification of potential scope and appropriateness.
• Relevant literature search and evidence of a thorough approach to reading. Variety of materials selected as appropriate.
• The research methodology, sources of information and timescale for research.
• Gathering relevant and appropriate evidence and critical analysis of data.
• Evaluation of evidence against concepts.
• Feasible conclusions and recommendations, and sound findings.

Learning outcomes

• Propose a realistic research issue and plan for its execution.
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of relevant literature and theories.
• Develop an appropriate research methodology to investigate the problem or issue, and give justification for the choice of methods.
• Gather data in a manner consistent with the research methodology, and subject the data to appropriate analysis.
• Evaluate the success or otherwise of the methodology employed and reflect upon the results obtained from analysis of the data gathered.
• Place the results in context in relation to theories and concepts referred to in the literature search.
• Report work carried out for independent study by the presentation of a written dissertation which is logically structured, stylistically sound and well presented, utilising the established conventions of scholarly academic studies.
• Show throughout the report how the theories and practices identified during the certificate and diploma stages of the programme can be applied to a dissertation at masters level.

How many credits is it worth?
60