University of the West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
(Template revised October 2005)
Code: UPPN5J-60-M Title: Dissertation in Human Rights Version: 1
Level: M UWE credit rating: 60 ECTS credit rating: 30
Module type: Project
Owning Faculty: Humanities, Languages & Social Sciences Field: Politics
Valid from: September 2007 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards: awards up to MA in Human Rights
Pre-requisites: UJNT5A-15-M International Law and Human Rights;
UPPN5F-30-M Theories of Human Rights
Co-requisites: none
Excluded combinations: none
Learning outcomes:
On completion of the module students are expected to demonstrate:
• The ability to define an appropriate area of research and frame an appropriate research question (assessed through Component A)
• The ability to initiate and conduct bibliographical research (assessed through Component A )
• The ability to locate and critique problematics relevant to the field of human rights (assessed through Components A)
• The ability to use appropriate methodologies for their chosen area of research (assessed through Components A)
• The ability to organise research activity into manageable stages and complete within a specified time-scale (assessed through Component A).
• The ability to structure, write and reference an extended piece of research that reaches the required academic standards (assessed through Component A).
Syllabus outline:
This will vary according to the subject chosen.
Teaching and learning methods:
There will be a series of research seminars, which will provide a structured forum for the discussion of research projects and strategies. In addition, students will be allocated an individual supervisor who will oversee the dissertation process from the point of proposal, through the initial research activity, to the submission of draft chapters. This will be achieved through weekly one-to-one tutorials for a period of six weeks leading to the first assessment. Then through written feedback on dissertation drafts submitted by students.
Reading Strategy:
All students will be encouraged to make full use of the print and electronic resources available to them
through membership of the University. These include a range of electronic journals and a wide variety of
resources available through web sites and information gateways. The University Library’s web pages
provide access to subject relevant resources and services, and to the library catalogue. Many resources
can be accessed remotely. Students will be presented with opportunities within the curriculum to develop
their information retrieval and evaluation skills in order to identify such resources effectively.
Any essential reading will be indicated clearly, along with the method for accessing it, e.g. students may
be expected to purchase a set text, be given or sold a print study pack or be referred to texts that are
available electronically, etc. This guidance will be available either in the module handbook, via the
module information on UWEonline or through any other vehicle deemed appropriate by the
module/programme leaders.
If further reading is expected, this will be indicated clearly. If specific texts are listed, a clear indication
will be given regarding how to access them and, if appropriate, students will be given guidance on how to
identify relevant sources for themselves, e.g. through use of bibliographical databases.
Students will be advised on reading specifically relevant to their placement.
Indicative Reading List:
The following list is offered to provide validation panels/accrediting bodies with an indication of the type and level of information students may be expected to consult. As such, its currency may wane during the life span of the module specification. However, as indicated above, CURRENT advice on readings will be available via other more frequently updated mechanisms.
R.K. Smith and C. van den Anker Essentials of Human Rights London: Hodder, 2005
R.P. Claude and B.H. Weston Human Rights in the World Community 2nd ed. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992
H. J. Steiner International Human Rights in Context, 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000
M. Freeman Human rights . An interdisciplinary approach Polity, 2002
T. Evans (ed.) Human Rights Fifty Years On Manchester University Press, 1998
Assessment
This is a project module with only one component of assessment.
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A (Controlled conditions)
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Research proposal (2000 words) 20%
2. Completed dissertation (15,000 words) 80%
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Complete dissertation (15,000 words) 100%
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Not permitted
Specification confirmed by ………Approved by PAC Chair’s action…Date ……12.09.07………..
(Programme Director)