Postgraduate Course: Project-Based Report (LLM Human Rights) (LAWS11327)

Course Outline
School	School of Law	College	College of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course type	Dissertation	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	60	ECTS Credits	30
Summary	1. Description As an alternative to the conventional dissertation, students can apply to complete a project-based report with an NGO, government department, political party, or business over the spring and summer. Students will undertake a research project on human rights topic linked to the activities of their respective host. The research projects will need to be officially approved by the programme directors, and students will have a relevant member of staff as a contact, in parallel with the arrangement for dissertation supervision. 2. Organisation Project opportunities will be made available on a competitive basis, with applications at the start of Semester Two. Possible partners include organisations in the non-profit sector (e.g. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam International, Mercy Corps); UK government (Ministry of Justice, FCO); Scottish government (e.g. Ministry of Justice), political parties, businesses. Placements will be competitive and candidates would be shortlisted on the basis of their marks for the previous semester, with employers making the final decision based on the studentsż personal statement. Students may also set up projects directly, subject to a formal process of approval by the programme conveners.
Course description	Not entered

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites		Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: 25
Course Start	Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 600 ( Dissertation/Project Supervision Hours 5, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 12, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 581 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	Assessment will be on the basis of: a) a project diary of maximum 2000 words (20% of final mark) This involves a fortnightly progress report throughout the placement, sent to the academic supervisor, reflecting both knowledge gained and personal development in the work situation. b) an analytical report of between 7000 and 8000 words (80% of final mark), including a literature review (maximum 2500 words) which the student should have completed before beginning the placement. This can take the form of: - a policy report or briefing paper relevant to the organisation, - a project report drawing on data collected on behalf of the organisation, or - a project evaluation report examining a specific project established by the organisation. It will be marked in Law according to criteria including - does the report include a clear definition of the task? - is the overall report of a high standard and quality? - has the report demonstrated the use and application of appropriate methods? - is the report of value to the host organisation? Has the student demonstrated the report's value to this organisation? - is the report clearly written and well-presented? Detailed guidelines for the report (similar to dissertation guidance document) will be provided to participating students.
Feedback	Not entered
No Exam Information

Learning Outcomes
Students will: - learn to undertake independent work on a topic chosen in conjunction with a host organisation, but drawing on knowledge and insights from the academic study of Human Rights. - display and extend their research skills, training and knowledge acquired in the previous coursework, and apply them to the agreed project; - employ relevant knowledge, concepts, and analytical approaches from their chosen field to inform their project report; - exercise and consolidate their time-management, task-management, and self-motivational skills in the planning, conduct, and execution of their research; - develop and refine their communication and verbal presentational skills; - demonstrate attention to the relevant data analysis, referencing, and bibliographic skills necessary to complete the report