Course specification and structure
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PAABACLC - Advanced Diploma in Professional Development in Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Law and Compliance

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Advanced Diploma in Professional Development Level Masters
Possible interim awards
Total credits for course 40
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School Guildhall School of Business and Law
Subject Area Law
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Distance Learning 1 YEARS 6 YEARS
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE

Interest in corruption and anti-corruption has grown over the recent years, particularly so in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis and ensuing political and economic uncertainty. The Advanced Diploma in Professional Development in Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Compliance is designed for legal, compliance and risk management practitioners in any industry sectors, including but not limited to financial services, construction, manufacturing, oil, gas and natural resources, as well as the pharmaceutical industry and professional services. It will also be of interest for practitioner from the not-for-profit and charities sectors. It provides a solid, practical understanding of what bribery and corruption are, how they occur and what can be done to prevent bribery and corruption from happening in organisations.

By taking a practice-focused, industry-led approach throughout, study of this course will give a professional edge to anyone seeking employment or advancement in this highly competitive field, giving them the confidence and knowledge to transform their lives.


LEARNING TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Overview

Students will be taught by a combination of online lectures, interactive online seminars, one-to-one supervision, and self-study of a comprehensive module, with students encouraged to read from specified case law and legal journals. Students will be given the opportunity to discuss theoretical issues as well as practical problem solving. Students will be supported in undertaking on-line research using electronic law databases and encouraged to use on line legal resources on a regular basis. There is a virtual learning environment (VLE) containing handbooks, lecture notes, weblinks, discussion groups, study skills materials and assessment criteria.

Experiential Learning

Students will be encouraged to respond to realistic case-studies relating to their sector. The programme makes use of an Active Learning and Authentic Assessment strategy. Active learning is a process that puts student’s learning at its centre. It focuses on how students learn, not just on what they learn. Active learning is engaging and intellectually exciting. It helps students to become 'lifelong learners’ and encourages success. Students are encouraged to ‘think hard’, rather than passively receive and regurgitate information. This approach ensure that students have opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in professional situations, as well as the cognitive and performance skills relating to graduate attributes.

Study Support

Students will have regular access to module tutors by email and by one-to-one video conferences to support their studies. They will also engage with one formative assessment for each module, which will be marked promptly with opportunities for feedback either by email or individual online discussion.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Each of the modules will have a bespoke manual, written exclusively for London Met by an expert in the field. Students will also have 24/7 access to the extensive online law library, including the professional primary and secondary source data-bases of Westlaw, Lexis Library and iLaw. Blended learning pervades the delivery of the module and is actively encouraged as students will engage with digital materials, use on-line discussion groups (blogs) and achieve a competent standard of digital literacy during their studies.

MARKET DEMAND AND EMPLOYABILITY FOCUS

The Bribery Act 2010 received Royal Assent in April 2010. The Act creates a new offence under section 7 which can be committed by any commercial organisations if they fail to prevent persons associated with them from committing bribery on their behalf. It is a full defence for an organisation
to prove that despite a particular case of bribery it nevertheless had adequate procedures in place to prevent persons associated with it from bribing.

The modules have been designed to be relevant to professionals working in any industry sectors, including but not limited to financial services, construction, manufacturing, oil, gas and natural resources, as well as the pharmaceutical industry and professional services.

The distance learning nature of the course is designed so that it can be accessed conveniently and realistically by busy professionals, providing full support to enable them to pursue the course to completion.

Students will gain confidence to act independently in relevant areas of legal practice, including the enhanced ability to articulate and communicate their opinions and advice with persuasive eloquence, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to devise creative solutions to complex problems. This in turn will enhance their employability and promotional prospects in a competitive sector where substantive knowledge and effective advocacy is always at the fore.

Course aims

The purpose of the course is to deliver an academically rigorous programme of study, which provides students with the opportunity to comprehend the theoretical as well as practical elements of anti-bribery and anti-corruption law and compliance.

Students will develop an in-depth and practical understanding these areas. They will be able to learn both the substantive legal principles and also detailed compliance requirements and obtain practical guidance and understanding of compliance issues. The course aims to develop skills and enable students to gain knowledge in an area of considerable commercial interest which will in turn enhance graduating students’ employability potential in the financial services and other regulatory sectors.

The aims of this course are:

• To develop to an advanced level the students’ skills of independent research and analysis;

• To allow students to develop an advanced understanding of anti-bribery and anti-corruption law and compliance through independent research;

• To develop students’ facility of critical thinking through taught provision and independent research:

• To offer the course in modes of study that accommodate students’ other commitments and career development.

• To assist students in evaluating their learning and embedding personal development in their professional practice in research/project activities.

The programme promotes the use of a range of teaching, learning and assessment methods, which develop the students’ intellectual abilities, self-confidence and ability to study independently.

The course has been devised with reference to the subject benchmark statement for law. The subject specific knowledge and skills, cognitive abilities and non-subject specific skills outlined in the benchmark statement are referenced in the relevant sections of this document.

Course learning outcomes

The course will equip students with the skills and attributes that will enable them to compete with success in the complex and challenging financial legal sector and employment market.

On completion of this course, students should be able to do the following:

• LO1 - Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and to act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline; (ULO)

• LO2 - Confidently discuss the definitions, nature, manifestations and causes of bribery and corruption;

• LO3 - Apply the law related to bribery and corruption to issues both systematically and creatively;

• LO4 - Communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;

• LO5 - Demonstrate self-direction and originality in identifying legal and regulatory requirements related to bribery and corruption;

• LO6 - Act autonomously in identifying sources of law as well as relevant guidance related to anti-bribery & anti-corruption requirements in their industry;

• LO7 - Continue to advance their knowledge and understanding of bribery and corruption;

• LO8 - Develop new skills to a high level and show the qualities and transferable skills necessary for professional development, which require:
o the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;
o decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and
o the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.

• LO9 - Apply to anti-bribery & anti-corruption compliance requirements in a practical setting.

Principle QAA benchmark statements

N/A

Assessment strategy

Assessment strategy

The course adopts the four assessment strategy principles of the School that are developed in the spirit of ESJ. These are:

i) The School is committed to ensuring that each student should not have more no more than 2 assessment points per 20 credit module.

ii) We provide balanced forms of assessment, both in terms of its overall volume (measured in terms of assessment points and output required and the types used.

i) Group activities are part of the learning and teaching strategies, but assessment is at the level of the individual. Thus, assessment focused on individual reflections and learning from participating in a group activity.

ii) Flexibility/choice in assessment methods will be introduced wherever possible in order to facilitate different learning studies and support personalization.

Assessment of the Advanced Diploma in Professional Development in Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Law and Compliance modules will be by a combination of coursework essays, experiential projects and portfolios.

The range of assessment methods to be employed on this course reflects the range of skills required by the discipline of law and the standards expected.

In line with our policy on facilitating formative feedback to students, the assessment strategy is designed to provide formative feedback on a piece of contributing summary assessment before another summative component is due to be submitted.

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

N/A

Course specific regulations

The course is designed to be taken part-time over one academic year, with one module per semester

Courses shall conform to both framework and University Academic Regulations.

Modules required for interim awards

This course does not have an interim award. To gain the Advanced Diploma in Professional Development in Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Law and Compliance students must complete both of the following modules:


• Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Law and Practice
• Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Advanced Project

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

This course has two modules. Every module on this course has embedded within it reflective learning components and personal development planning relevant to the year of study. It will be encouraged in module handbooks and self-study questions and through assessment methods.

Students will be directed to reflect on knowledge specific learning, personal and employability skills development. Students will be encouraged to engage positively with all feedback opportunities and to reflect and learn, resulting in the developing of further learning strategies.

Career, employability and opportunities for continuing professional development

London maintains a solid position as one of the world’s leading centres of law and is unrivalled in European terms. Although there have been some major challenges in the sector over the past two years, legal services in London remains a strong service provider and a strong recruiter.

Students graduating from this course are likely to be legal or compliance professionals looking for a specialisation in their sector or a step up the career ladder. Some students may be undertaking this course as a specialisation without being a registered practitioner and looking for work within the wider legal profession or legal supply chain, and may go on to take professional qualifications later.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2021/22 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 10 Aug 2021 Last validation date 10 Aug 2021  
Sources of funding FUNDED ENTIRELY BY STUDENT TUITION FEES
JACS codes 100692 (legal practice): 100%
Route code ABACLC

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 07 October start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LL7180 Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Law and Practice Core 20        
LL7P31 Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Advanced Project Core 20        

Stage 1 Level 07 January start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LL7180 Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Law and Practice Core 20        
LL7P31 Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Advanced Project Core 20