Support will be given by the course co-ordinator and particular lecturer, but the students are expected to demonstrate a high level of independent research. Most students on the course will also carry out their dissertation on a legal topic. This is around 15,000 words in length and, once again, students choose the particular topic and approach. The high standard of independent research which we expect from the essays is also expected in the dissertation. We look at these issues in the course and these are assessed by similar essays to that of the legal IT elements.
Students can undertake a dissertation in IT applications in law.
Recent projects have looked at computerization in Norwegian courts, computerization of land registry, artificial intelligence etc. Students have sometimes produced programs rather than write dissertations, and examples of these have been legal expert systems and web based advisory programs. The course co-ordinator is Philip Leith, and most of the first semester is taught by him. He has a background in sociology and computer science as well as law. Other members of the law school will take part in the teaching in the second semester and we usually have guest lecturers from other universities.