In semester 2 students begin planning and conducting outline researchon their dissertation. The topic chosen must be relevant to their chosenpathway and must be approved by the Course Leader before work can beginon the outline research. This foundation research which is essentiallya stage in designing and planning the dissertation takes place in the Advanced Legal Research Methods Unit, and following successful completion ofthis unit, supervision continues in semester 2. Students must passthis unit before proceeding to the dissertation. The teaching and learning strategy is designed to provide postgraduateswith a challenging and rewarding study programme, and to prepare them forsuccessful transition to further academic study, employment in a law relatedarea, or advancement in other careers.
Teaching is by the seminar method.
There are no compulsory lectures, although students may attend relevantLLB level 3 lectures should they choose to do so. Students will be expectedto prepare well in advance of the seminars which are intended to affordonly a minimum framework of knowledge. Their primary purpose is essentiallydevoted to the encouragement of the discussion and debate of the principlesand the rationale of the subject studied. This learning strategy is alsoadvanced by the compulsory dissertation. This is seen as the culminationof the scheme of study and demonstrates progression within the it.