| Unit name | Law and Governance for Mental and Social Well-Being |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0132 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Miss. Scanlon |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit critically examines concepts of mental capacity and mental health and the vital ways in which laws and other forms of governance intersect with our mental and social wellbeing. It looks to address controversial questions, such as the compulsory admission and treatment of persons with mental illness, including the use of coercive practices, and the basis on which decisions should be made for those who are deemed to lack mental capacity to decide about their health and welfare. The focus is on national laws and policy regulating mental capacity, mental health, and wellbeing, but relevant international human rights instruments, and their influence on national frameworks and modes of governance are also examined.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
For students on the Health, Law, and Society LLM, this is an optional unit that will be of particular interest if you want to learn about law and governance of mental capacity, mental health, and wellbeing. For students on other programmes, it provides the opportunity to learn about law and policy relating to mental capacity, mental health and wellbeing and the influence of international instruments on domestic laws and policies.
An overview of content
This unit aims to embed knowledge and critical understanding of law and governance of mental capacity, mental health and wellbeing, considered in theoretical, historical, and socio-political contexts, under the broad umbrella of social welfare. The unit approaches these questions through a range of practical, legal, and critical pathways, explaining the relevant legal frameworks, their application, and the basis of empirical and theoretical challenges to current mental health law and policy. Studies are related to national and international governance instruments, including those based in human rights, and address concerns about how social responsibility for mental health and well-being is and should be manifested. The unit is characterised by its strong combination of teaching and research-led learning methods.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
This unit will advance your substantive and critical knowledge and understanding of mental health and capacity law within its wider historical, social, and political contexts. The topic focus is varied, and includes the study of national and international frameworks, to help expand your knowledge and insight.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
Your learning on the unit is achieved through mixed methods of teaching and learning, incorporated in lectures, guided independent reading and exercises, and seminars. The unit aims to enable you to attain, synthesise, and critically engage with ranging materials and ideas. As such, you will receive clear framing and guidance in lectures and teaching materials. This will enable you to undertake your own independent reading and study. And your learning will be secured through preparation for, and participation in, fortnightly seminars where you will: discuss and debate critical questions; check and advance your understanding; engage in tasks that promote breadth and depth of understanding.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative task (formative):
The unit offers a range of tasks, consolidated in fortnightly seminars, to advance both your substantive knowledge and understanding and your critical reasoning skills. In addition, there is a 500-word formative exercise, to be submitted approximately mid-way through the unit. This comprises an outline plan for a Law Reform Project. This does not contribute to your final grade. Rather, it enables you to practise and apply the skills required for the summative task. You will receive individual feedback on your plan, as well as broader general feedback and essay preparation and writing guidance.
Task which counts towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit is assessed by a single, 4,000-word Law Reform Project. This is a structured body of work that allows you to demonstrate attainment of all the unit’s learning outcomes. The Law Reform Project has three main parts. Overall, you: identify and problematise a specific area within mental health and capacity law; propose and detail a law reform; and justify the adoption of the proposed reform. Detailed guidance concerning this structure is provided within the unit materials.
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis, and the student will ordinarily be permitted to submit revised work.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWDM0132).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
