Course specification and structure
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PCLMMLDL - PG Certification Media Law

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Postgraduate Certificate Level Masters
Possible interim awards
Total credits for course 60
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
Part-time Distance Learning 2 YEARS  
Full-time Distance Learning 1 YEARS  
Course leader  

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

RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE

This distance-learning programme has been designed in response to the growing demand for legal education in the media sector, specifically the areas of: copyright, advertising law, media ethics, privacy and data protection. By taking a practice-focused approach throughout, study of these modules 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 the sector, giving written legal opinions to clients in the style of a professional legal advisor. Students will also be able to participate in the extracurricular experiential learning offered within the Law School, including the Pro Bono Clinic and the Mooting Club.

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 course is centred on the needs of the modern professional lawyer or anybody within the media field whom needs or wants to develop their existing knowledge of the legal perimeters governing this constantly changing industry. This could span a potentially large cohort of students in a range of different industries from a range of jurisdictions.

The course is designed to merge commercial practice with theoretical understanding, and is ideal for anyone already working within the media sector who needs to expand their legal knowledge; and for anyone thinking of practising in this field of law.

We expect that all the modules offered will be in demand, but if there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the School reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

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

COURSE AIMS

The purpose of the course is to deliver an academically rigorous programme of study, which provides students with the opportunity to study the major disciplines in Media Law to relate these to the professional practice.

The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive, critical understanding and in-depth knowledge of the legal issues which govern the media industry. They will develop skills and gain knowledge in an area of considerable commercial and social interest which will in turn enhance graduating students’ employability potential in the media sector.

Topics will include the regulations governing both print and virtual media, with an in-depth analysis of media ethics, media regulation, privacy laws, freedom of expression, copyright, data protection and defamation. Students will consider the misuse of social media, and analyse the issues relating to extra-territorial cybercrime such as WikiLeaks.

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 media sector and employment market.

The course has been devised with reference to the QAA 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 below.

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

LEARNING OUTCOME 1

To demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of the broad range of areas of Media Law.

(QAA i, iii, iv and v)

LEARNING OUTCOME 2

To evaluate the commercial and government policy implications of Media Law and appreciate its economic, human rights and social balance. (QAA iii, iv, viii and xii)

LEARNING OUTCOME 3

To synthesise relevant case and statute law in order to present conflicting arguments.

(QAA i, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x and xi)

LEARNING OUTCOME 4

To apply the law to problem scenarios relevant to aspects of Media Law. (QAA i, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x and xi)

LEARNING OUTCOME 5

To demonstrate the ability to apply creative thinking to practical problems. (QAA i, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x and xi)

LEARNING OUTCOME 6

To have the confidence needed to take leadership decisions in challenging situations.

(QAA i, ii, vi, vii, viii and xi)

LEARNING OUTCOME 7 (ULO)

To demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and to act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline. (QAA i, ii, vi, vii, viii and xi)

LEARNING OUTCOME 8

To be critically cognisant of the social and environmental effects of their decisions and to remain active citizens of the places they live and work. (QAA iii and iv)

LEARNING OUTCOME 9

To adopt an appropriate research strategy and techniques to support a sustained academic and professional argument on critical issues within the area of Media Law. (QAA i, v and vi)

APPENDIX

QAA: Subject Benchmark Statement for Law: November 2019

A law student's skills and qualities of mind

i intellectual independence, including the ability to ask and answer cogent questions about law and legal systems, identify gaps in their own knowledge and acquire new knowledge, and engage in critical analysis and evaluation

ii self-management, including an ability to reflect on their own learning, make effective use of feedback, a willingness to acknowledge and correct errors and an ability to work collaboratively

iii awareness of principles and values of law and justice, and of ethics

iv knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts, values, principles and rules of public and private laws within an institutional, social, national and global context

v study in depth and context of substantive areas of law

vi ability to conduct self-directed research, including accurate identification of issue(s) which require researching, retrieval and evaluation of accurate, current and relevant information from a range of appropriate sources, including primary legal sources

vii ability to work with a range of data, including textual, numerical and statistical

viii ability to recognise ambiguity and deal with uncertainty in law

ix ability to produce a synthesis of relevant doctrinal and policy issues, presentation of a reasoned choice between alternative solutions and critical judgement of the merits of particular arguments

x ability to apply knowledge and understanding to offer evidenced conclusions, addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems

xi ability to communicate both orally and in writing, in relation to legal matters, including an ability to listen and respond to written and oral stimuli, including questions and instructions

xii engagement with their own personal and professional development, and academic integrity.

Principle QAA benchmark statements

Law

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 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 may be taken either full-time (one year) or part-time (two to three years). Part-time students may choose how many modules to do in each year.

Courses shall conform to both framework and University Academic Regulation

Modules required for interim awards

Postgraduate Certificate: Any 3 of the modules

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

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.

Other external links providing expertise and experience

n/a

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 financial 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.

Career opportunities

TBC

Entry requirements

TBC

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2021/22 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 29 Jul 2021 Last validation date 29 Jul 2021  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes
Route code LMMLDL

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 07 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LL7181 Research Methods for Lawyers Option 20        
LL7182 The English Legal System and Commercial Law Option 20        
LL7183 Intellectual Property Law Option 20        
LL7184 Defamation Option 20        
LL7185 Advertising Law Option 20        
LL7186 Ethics, Values and the Media Option 20        
LL7187 Social Media and the Law Option 20        
LL7188 Privacy and Human Rights Option 20        

Stage 1 Level 07 January start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LL7181 Research Methods for Lawyers Option 20        
LL7182 The English Legal System and Commercial Law Option 20        
LL7183 Intellectual Property Law Option 20        
LL7184 Defamation Option 20        
LL7185 Advertising Law Option 20        
LL7186 Ethics, Values and the Media Option 20        
LL7187 Social Media and the Law Option 20        
LL7188 Privacy and Human Rights Option 20