Legal Aspects of Medical Practice (LLM)

How will I be taught?

Your modules will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops, and individual and joint written oral presentations, during weekend teaching blocks. Modules are typically led by experienced staff actively engaged in research relevant to their subject area.

Distance learning delivery, in the form of e-modules supported by Learning Central, will support and enhance your learning between block weekends:
• a distinct e-module is aligned to each taught module;
• an additional e-module is available at programme level, providing materials relevant to the programme as a whole, as well as learning materials which will be developed throughout the course of the programme.

Studying at postgraduate level is intensive and challenging and it is important that you take full advantage of the teaching that is provided in order to succeed.  Attendance at all classes is compulsory and we will expect you to be well prepared and able to contribute to discussions and presentations.

How will I be assessed?

We make use of both formative and summative assessment.

Formative assessments do not contribute towards your degree but are designed to give you the opportunity to develop your skills, practice for your summative assessments and enable you and your tutors to assess your progress in your modules.  Formative assessments will normally involve written coursework or a class test or may comprise individual student presentations. In addition to these formative assessments, multiple choice question quizzes (which allow you to self-test your substantive knowledge) may be available on the e-learning platform.

Summative assessments contribute towards your final award. Your results in these assessments:
• determine your formal progression through the programme; and
• determine your final award.

Each of the LLM Legal Aspects of Medical Practice modules delivered during stage one are summatively assessed. The Dissertation (up to 15,000 words) comprises the stage two summative assessment.

How will I be supported?

Your learning will be supported during weekend teaching blocks and, beyond this, through e-learning.  All taught modules are supported by Learning Central, a virtual learning environment that is available on and off campus and through which you will be able to access a wide range of module materials and communicate with other members of your cohort via a discussion group facility.  In addition, a programme level Learning Central module will provide a range of materials for use throughout the lifespan of the programme.

You will receive dedicated pastoral support through our personal tutor scheme. You will be assigned a personal tutor who will be able to provide support, as required, between phases of face to face learning via email, phone, and skype.  Your personal tutor will operate designated office hours and will also make appointments with you outside of these general office hours, on request. Your personal tutor will also be able to signpost you to other areas of student support, should you need it.

A designated Disability and Diversity Officer ensures that reasonable adjustments are made for students with disabilities. The University has a range of services to support you, including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service and excellent libraries with specialist law librarians and resource centres.

In addition, we offer an extensive programme of careers lectures and workshops with an in-house Law Careers Consultant.
Feedback
Oral feedback will be provided during seminars, and you will also receive written feedback on both your formative and summative assessments.  Individual feedback on formative work will help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your learning, as well as how you might improve your performance in summative assessments.  Written feedback will be made available no later than four weeks from the submission of your assessment.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge & Understanding: 

On successful completion of the Programme you will be demonstrate the ability to:
• explain in detail, and with clarity and precision, the principal features of topics from medical law and ethics you have studied and any relevant proposals for regulatory/legal reform;
• display an understanding of the current principles and developments in medical law and ethics;
• critically evaluate and interpret the interaction between law and ethics;
• critically engage with sources of law so as to be able to discuss critically the wider context of legal rules relevant to medical law, healthcare and ethics;
• evaluate different methodologies and perspectives within legal scholarship and their application to topics studied on the programme.

Intellectual Skills: 

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
• appraise, analyse, interpret and apply the main principles and legal rules relevant to medical law, healthcare, and ethics, with appropriate references to independently identified primary and secondary materials.
• critically evaluate the doctrinal coherence and significance of the corpus of medical law and ethics;
• critically evaluate legal and healthcare issues and the implications of proposals for reform in a social, cultural and political context;
• critically evaluate problems and issues involving multiple interacting or complex legal, ethical, or healthcare factors.

Professional Practical Skills: 

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
• design and undertake independent research using primary and secondary materials relating to specific issues in medical law, ethics and healthcare practice;
• independently develop and analyse legal issues which involve complex interacting factors of law, healthcare and ethics;
• independently identify relevant primary and secondary sources on a new legal topic and demonstrate this ability by writing an essay, report or presenting an informed oral opinion;
• summarise sustained critical expositions of particular topics of study and explain and evaluate the findings clearly, logically and coherently in a way which is appropriate for a professional situation.

Transferable/Key Skills: 

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
• reflect on your own learning and the ability to conceive of ways to fill gaps in your knowledge or understanding;
• arrange, and take responsibility for, structuring, managing and reporting, orally or in writing, the outcome of independent research.