LQ7P01 - SQE Dissertation (2025/26)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2025/26, but may be subject to modification | |||||||||||||||
| Module title | SQE Dissertation | |||||||||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | |||||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 60 | |||||||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | |||||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 600 | |||||||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2025/26(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module offers a balance between the teaching of substantive law, practice and practical This module focuses on writing a project/ dissertation on a specialist area of legal practice of between 12,000 and 15,000 words at M level.
Module aims
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to do the following:
• develop an awareness and understanding of developments within a specialist area of legal practice;
• apply academic understanding and research techniques to the analysis of law, policy and practice within the area of legal specialism;
• use your specialist skills and knowledge to help you to stand out in the job market.
Syllabus
There is no prescribed syllabus for this module as it is largely an independent study module.
You will receive guidance in:
1. The importance of legal research
2. The choice of topic
3. Writing a research proposal
4. Primary and secondary source research
5. Writing a literature review
6. The choice of the right methodology
7. OSCOLA referencing
8. Structure and planning of the writing up
9. Writing a research essay
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Overview
You will be taught by a combination of on-campus and online lectures, interactive seminars, one-to-one supervision, and self-study, and encouraged to read from specified case law, practitioners’ text books and legal journals. (Evening students will study entirely by distance learning.)
You will be given the opportunity to discuss theoretical issues as well as practical problem solving. You 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 containing handbooks, lecture notes, weblinks, discussion groups, study skills materials and assessment criteria.
Experiential Learning
You 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
You will be appointed a subject specialist supervisor once your title has been approved, who will guide you and support your research and the writing of your dissertation. You will also have regular access to your supervisor by email and by one-to-one video conferences.
You will engage with at least one formative assessment, which will be marked promptly with opportunities for feedback either by email or individual discussion.
Studying Research Methods.
You will usually complete your dissertation in the semester after you finish your SQE Part 2 studies, though if you start the course in Spring, you may instead take the dissertation in the summer semester between SQE Part One and SQE Part Two if you wish to complete the whole course in 12 months.
During the first 4 weeks of the LQ7P01 module, there will be taught classes on academic legal research methods, research methodology and choosing a dissertation title.
You may attend these classes on an extracurricular basis whilst taking either the SQE Part One or the SQE Part Two parts of the course so that you can embark upon researching for your dissertation without having to wait for your dissertation semester to start if you wish to do so. Otherwise, you can wait until the classes are offered as part of the taught curriculum for the LQ7P01 module itself.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to do the following:
1. identify a developing or critical area of legal practice suitable for research;
2. analyse particular aspects of the subject by use of academic and research methodology;
3. evaluate the results of the research in a clear and meaningful way, identifying its relevance to legal practice;
4. demonstrate an ability to communicate complex information in writing with clarity and accuracy through the production of a well-written, structured and fully referenced dissertation;
5. bring to such analysis originality, creativity and an awareness of the complexities of the inter-relationship between the academic principles of law, the wider policy and socio-economic context of the law and the implications for legal practice.