| Unit name | Migration Law and Policy - International, European, and Human Rights Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0112 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Acosta Arcarazo |
| 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?
The issue of migration is a highly debated subject on a global scale. However, many of these discussions are based on misunderstandings, false assumptions, and myths perpetuated over time. Therefore, it is important to equip ourselves with the right tools to develop an informed and nuanced understanding of this complex issue. This unit aims to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of migration. By the end of this unit, you will have a deeper insight into the various factors that drive migration, the challenges faced by migrants, and the impact of migration on societies and economies. All these issues will be discussed from a legal perspective, primarily international and regional law.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is an optional unit that can be chosen by students in different LLM streams. However, it is a perfect fit for those studying the LLMs in International Law; International Law and International Relations; or Human Rights Law.
An overview of content
This unit is about exploring the different aspects of migration law and policy at an international, regional and human rights level. The main focus of the discussion will be on international law. However, we will also look into how different regions, especially Africa, Europe, and Latin America, regulate migration through regional human rights conventions or organisations that have free movement norms. In this unit, we will cover various topics such as nationality, free movement of people, family reunification, labour migration, undocumented migrants, trafficking and smuggling, and refugee law.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
By taking this unit, you'll gain a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of international migration law. You'll learn about key concepts and principles, including the principle of non-refoulement. This will help you develop your legal reasoning skills, which will prepare you for further study or work in the legal profession, international organizations, NGOs, governments, or think tanks. You'll be able to Analyse actual or hypothetical scenarios and present how international migration law operates in different contexts.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
There will be a variety of learning materials during the course. This includes not only books, chapters, and academic papers, but also opinion columns, blogs, policy briefs, videos and podcasts.
The seminars will be conducted following an open debate in which all students are expected to participate. There will be some predetermined questions to reflect on, but students can bring other related topics for debate, either from the preselected readings or from others.
Students will also be asked to prepare a few short presentations for some of the classes. This is intended to provide students with a variety of tools and to help in their learning.
The discussions will cover the entire world. They will also be practical in nature, building on the real-world experience of global consultancy projects of academic staff. This will give the course a practical angle as well.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Seminars in this unit are centred around assessment-style problem and essay questions, which give you the opportunity to test your knowledge and practise important legal skills. These tasks provide immediate feedback through peer discussion and oral feedback from academic staff. The formative assessment gives you the opportunity to develop your skills and prepare for the assessment. The formative will consist of an introduction of 300 words + essay plan for your final assessment. You will then receive feedback that you will be able to use when completing your 4,000 words final essay.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The summative assessment will consist of a research essay (4,000 words). This assessment will cover all Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit.
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 with new assessment questions.
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. LAWDM0112).
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.
