Programme Specification for the 2021/2 academic year
LLM International Law
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | LLM International Law | Programme code | PTL1LAWLAW13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Full Time |
Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
Programme start date | |
| NQF Level | 7 (Masters) |
2. Description of the Programme
Studying a Master of Laws in International Law offers a rewarding learning experience with opportunities to deepen your understanding of international law, and to improve skills necessary at all levels of professional engagement with contemporary and future challenges of international law.
The Exeter LLM is a rigorous programme of postgraduate study designed for the most ambitious and capable students. Delivered by some of the eminent scholars in international law, our LLM in International Law allows you to create a bespoke programme of learning addressing your specific academic and professional needs, readying you to fulfil your career ambitions or for doctoral study.
In order to enhance students’ research and learning experiences and to create a vibrant community of postgraduate students enrolled in this programme, students will be affiliated with one of the research centres for the duration of their programme. This will provide a forum where students can present their dissertation outline, promoting discussions and receiving constructive feedback from fellow students and members of academic staff.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
- To provide you with a comprehensive understanding of international law and pressing legal challenges in our globalised world.
- To enable you to identify, locate and critically appraise legal materials and connect these to contemporary problems of international law.
- To enable you to assimilate extensive documentary legal and non-legal materials; to extract from them the material points; and to make reasoned judgments autonomously as to their application to contemporary problems of international law.
- To enable you to apply principles and rules of international law to solve and analyse contemporary problems of international law.
- To enable you to reason logically, supporting the analysis with authority.
- To provide you with the necessary intellectual and practical skills, such as problem-solving and legal reasoning, to enable you independently to develop a reasoned approach to contemporary problems of international law.
- To provide you with the opportunity to enhance and develop your writing skills by completing a dissertation, and your oral skills by presenting seminar papers and/or your dissertation outline.
- To prepare you for employment in private practice, corporate or public employment by developing your transferable and problem-based learning skills.
4. Programme Structure
There are two start dates for this programme, September and January. Both are delivered over three terms and are University-based throughout this time.
September starts follow the standard teaching pattern. Taught components of the degree are delivered over the first and second terms leaving the third term and most of the summer to research, write and submit your dissertation.
For January starts the taught components of the degree are delivered in the first term (January to March) and the third September to December) leaving the summer term and most of the summer to research, write and submit your dissertation.
During the programme you will be required to study taught modules totalling 120 credits and complete a 60 credit Dissertation Module. All the students are required to attend and pass a week-long, intensive induction module prior to the commencement of the first term of the year.
During the programme you will be required to study taught modules and write a dissertation which together will total 180 master level credits. The dissertation, of up to 15,000 words, is worth 60 credits and can be written on a topic of your choice, under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field. Remaining credits are obtained from a combination of taught modules, the majority of which comprise 30 credits and are taught across the first two terms.
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
Stage 1
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWM640 | Dissertation | 60 | Yes |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWM063 | Human Dignity and Human Rights in the EU | 15 | No |
| LAWM094 | Human Dignity and Human Rights in the EU | 30 | No |
| LAWM081 | International Investment Law and Arbitration | 30 | No |
| LAWM097 | International Law of Armed Conflict | 30 | No |
| LAWM127 | Law of the Sea | 30 | No |
| LAWM128 | International Tax Law | 30 | No |
| LAWM671 | International Human Rights Law | 30 | No |
| LAWM716 | The International Law of Military Operations | 30 | No |
| Total Credits for Stage 1 |
|---|
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of international law and pressing legal challenges in select areas of international law. | Weekly seminars | 1. Essay or exam as appropriate 2. Essay or exam as appropriate |
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
3. Demonstrate the ability and skills to identify, locate and critically appraise legal materials and connect these to contemporary problems of international law. | Active engagement in seminar discussion Formative assessment | 3. Essay or exam as appropriate 4. Essay or exam as appropriate |
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
5. Demonstrate the ability to reason logically and support the analysis with appropriate authority. | Active engagement in seminar discussion Formative assessment | 5. Essay or exam as appropriate 6. Essay or exam as appropriate 7. Dissertation |
7. Programme Regulations
University Regulations on the number of credits to be taken and at what level for each stage of the programme can be found in the Credit and Qualifications Framework.
Progression
Condonement is the process that allows you to be awarded credit (and so progress to the next stage or, in the final stage, receive an award), despite failing to achieve a pass mark at a first attempt. You are not entitled to reassessment in condoned credit. Regulations on condonement can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.
Assessment and Awards
For undergraduate degrees assessment at stage one does not contribute to the summative classification of the award. Details of the weightings for each year of all programme lengths can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes and the classification of awards can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.
You can also read details of Generic Marking Criteria.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
Personal and Academic Tutoring
It is University policy that all Colleges should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. The role of academic tutors is to support you with individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support fo the duration of your programme, and this support extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.
Information on the College Personal Tutoring system, library provision, ELE resources and access to College support services can be found on the College webpages for current students.
Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC)
SSLCs enable students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Learning Resources
The University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the Streatham and St Luke's campuses, together with a number of specialist collections in certain Colleges. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical subscriptions.
IT Services
A wide range of IT services are provided throughout the Exeter campuses, including open-access computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Helpdesks are maintained on the Streatham and St Luke's campuses, while most study bedrooms in halls and flats are linked to the University's campus network.
Student Support Services
The University provides many support services including health and wellbeing, multifaith chaplaincy, family support, the Students' Guild and international student support.
10. Admissions Criteria
All applications are considered individually on merit. The University is committed to an equal opportunities policy with respect to gender, age, race, sexual orientation and/or disability when dealing with applications. It is also committed to widening access to higher education to students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience.
Candidates for undergraduate programmes must satisfy the undergraduate admissions requirements of the University of Exeter.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
12. Indicators of Quality and Standards
Certain programmes are subject to accreditation and/or review by professional and statutory regulatory bodies (PSRBs).
13. Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards
The University and its constituent Colleges draw on a range of data to review the quality of education provision. The College documents the performance in each of its tuaght programmes, against a range of criteria on an annual basis through the Annual Student Experience Review (ASER).
Subject areas are reviewed every five years through a College Academic Audit scheme that includes external contributions.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
College of Social Sciences and International Studies (CSSIS)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
LLM International Law
19. UCAS Code
Not applicable to this programme.
20. NQF Level of Final Award
7 (Masters)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | ECTS credits |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 11/3/2019 |
Date of last revision | 10/11/2020 |
|---|