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LAW-30084 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 19 April 2024

LAW-30084 - Dissertation (Single Module) - ISP
Coordinator: Stella Coyle Room: CBC1.028 Tel: +44 1782 7 34363
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This is your chance to pursue an area of academic interest by developing your own questions and undertaking the necessary research before submitting a dissertation (extended essay), case note, or commentary not exceeding 5,000 words.
This is a single semester module requiring you to demonstrate independence of thought and action. Although you will receive guidance from a member of academic staff whose interests and expertise relate to your agreed topic, you will need very good self-discipline to undertake it successfully.
Please ensure that you have read the module handbook and completed the application process as set out before selecting this module. Your subject matter and approach must be agreed with your supervisor and your proposed title approved by the external examiner.

Aims
This module provides students with an opportunity to devise and undertake their own extended research project, under the guidance of a supervisor. It gives students an opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills in ways not normally tested by taught modules, including the ability to:
a) organise their own work over several months;
b) locate (with guidance where appropriate) essential material;
c) organise a large amount of material on a single topic or theme;
d) make use, where appropriate, of the inter-disciplinary nature of the Keele degree programme; and
e) communicate clearly and effectively.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/law-30084/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

identify and apply an acceptable research methodology in the social sciences: 1
produce a coherent and persuasive piece of self-directed work: 1
create and pursue a viable research question to a successful conclusion: 1

Study hours

Workshops (methodology): 4 hours
Individual supervision: 8 hours
Self directed research reading and dissertation preparation: 138 hours

School Rules

The module is not available to students registered for LAW-30083 (30 Credit Dissertation)

Description of Module Assessment

1: Dissertation weighted 100%
Dissertation, case note or commentary, with a word limit of 4,000 words.
Students will produce a piece of work of not more than 4,000 words in length (excluding footnotes), based on their own research. Each dissertation will be marked independently by two members of staff: (i) a member of staff other than the student's supervisor and (ii) the student's supervisor. The Module Leader will review the feedback and marks of both markers and seek to agree a final mark with them (if the Module Leader was one of the original markers, an independent member of staff will undertake this role). If a final mark cannot be agreed, the Module Leader will invite a third person to mark the dissertation before deciding upon the final mark.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 19 April 2024