Postgraduate Module Descriptors 2012/13
LIB403: Environmental Law
| Module Title |
Environmental Law |
| Module Code |
LIB403 |
| Module Tutor |
Peter Halstead |
| School |
Accounting and Law |
| CAT Points |
30 |
| Level of Study |
7 |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| Restrictions |
None |
| Brief Description |
The aim of this module is to provide an appreciation of the laws governing environmental law in the national, continental regional and global spheres. We will examine the development and influence of the laws governing principles, history, sources and administration, together with specific themes such as international law and environmental protection, crime and public participation, and individual sectoral areas such as air pollution, contaminated land, waste disposal, water pollution and nature conservation. Consideration will be given both to legal and theoretical issues and the practical implications and application of law and policy, nationally, in the EU and globally. The module provides rigorous academic challenge and practical relevance for students who may in future wish to apply their knowledge of environmental law. There are no prerequisites or co-requisites for this module but students unfamiliar with environmental law will be expected to learn the basics by guided self-study of the primary texts. |
| Indicative Syllabus |
The main strands are :
1 Introductory themes - discussing what is meant by environmental law, its history and current challenges, values and principles, sources & administration
2 Integrated themes – studying international law and environmental protection, regulation and the EC, environmental crime, public participation and the relationship between public and private law
3 Sectoral coverage – to acquire detailed understanding of specific aspects including local controls and remedies, the role of town and country planning, waste management, air pollution and quality, water pollution and quality, contaminated land, waste disposal, nature conservation and landscape management
4 Process – environmental assessment and integrated pollution prevention and control |
| Learning Outcomes |
On completion, you should be able to demonstrate these learning outcomes: Knowledge and understanding of the:
- fundamental doctrines and principles of national, regional and international environmental law, and its social, economic and political context;
- crucial contemporary issues and / or new insights into environmental law;
- major values and principles of the various systems;
- comparative context of environmental law.
Intellectual/ thinking skills – able to:
- analyse, interpret and critically evaluate complex legal issues systematically and creatively;
- make sound judgments of the evidence, whether fully present or in the absence of complete data, whether in concurrence or competing, to arrive at logical conclusions;
- evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them, and where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses;
- continue to advance your knowledge and understanding of environmental law at all levels.
Subject specific /Practical and professional skills – able to:
- comprehensively understand the techniques applicable to your own research and to advanced scholarship to create and interpret knowledge in the relevant areas;
- apply legal knowledge learnt with originality;
- demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;
- communicate your conclusions clearly to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
- continue to develop skills to a higher level.
Transferable/key skills – able to:
- exercise initiative and personal responsibility;
- make decisions and provide solutions in complex and unpredictable situations;
- learn independently;
- read complex materials;
- communicate;
- make effective use of numerical and statistical information, as the basis of an argument;
- work with information technology;
- work with others.
|
| Learning and Teaching Activities |
Total Learning Hours = 300
Staff/Student Contact Time = 12%
Student Independent Study Time = 88% |
| Assessment (For further details see the Module Guide) |
001: 40% Coursework: Standard: 3000 words or equivalent
002: 60% Coursework: Standard: 5000 words or equivalent
|
| Special Assessment Requirements |
None |
| Indicative Resources |
The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide. |
