LAW 760 : Directed Study
Law
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Before enrolling on this course you must get the prior approval of the Faculty's Associate Dean (Taught Postgraduate), should have prepared an outline of the proposed research, and have found an academic supervisor to support your study.
You are expected to read widely on the agreed topic, generate a question which raises significant issue/s, and use literature to inform your findings, discuss its significance, and offer a conclusion. Your supervisor will provide guidance about the nature of the research and the standard expected, as well as give you ongoing advice and feedback throughout the research and writing process. The responsibilities of both the student and the supervisor, along with the exact format of the directed study, are set out for you in the Guide to Theses and Dissertations.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
Capability 6: | Communication |
Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Undertake a focused, systematic study on a legal topic or issue in answer to a question of their own choosing. (Capability 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1)
- Present the results of that study in a written form suitable for an interested, but not necessarily informed, legal reader. (Capability 3.1, 4.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
- Research with a degree of autonomy within a supervisory relationship. (Capability 4.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
- Demonstrate and apply legal research methodology and project management skills. (Capability 3.1, 4.1, 5.1 and 8.1)
- Demonstrate critical and informed review, analysis, consolidation and synthesis skills to propose a solution to a complex issue. (Capability 4.1, 5.1 and 8.1)
Assessments
Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
---|---|---|
Directed Study | 100% | Individual Coursework |
100% |
Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
Directed Study |
All written work must comply with the New Zealand Style Guide (available online at http://www.lawfoundation.org.nz/style-guide/index.html). Be sure to follow Appendix 7 on style: e.g. typed using with 1.5 spacing; all quotations should be indicated by quotation marks and the source given. Always attribute all material referenced with proper acknowledgement of your source. All work submitted in the postgraduate programme is submitted to Turnitin.com for plagiarism and citation checking through CANVAS. We recommend that ALL work first be submitted through grammarly.com (i.e. BEFORE Turnitin) and any errors indicated should be carefully considered with changes made where appropriate.
The directed study should be typed with 1.5 spacing. Students should note that all quotations should be indicated by quotation marks and the source given. Never use material without giving a proper acknowledgement of your source. All work submitted in the postgraduate programme is submitted to Turnitin.com for plagiarism and citation checking through CANVAS.
Maximum Word Limits
Please note that the maximum word limits include all words in the main text and include, footnotes and endnotes but NOT appendices, bibliographies, contents, and title which are excluded. Please note the number of words of your paper on the first page of the thesis.
Directed Study - 15 points
The standard word limit for a 15-point Law postgraduate directed study is 7500 words. Any words over the strict word limit will not be read or assessed.
Workload Expectations
This is a standard 15-point course. As a general guide, you should expect a workload of three hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience or Online
This course is offered in two delivery modes:
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled meetings, or through other means of contact, in order to maintain progress and complete components of the directed study.
Online
Attendance is required at scheduled online meetings, or through other means of contact, in order to maintain progress and complete components of the directed study.
This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.