Programme specification 2012/2013

School of Oriental and African Studies

The following information forms the programme specification at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of . It gives definitive information relating to a programme of study and is written for a public audience, particularly prospective and current students. It is also used for other purposes such as initial programme approval, and is therefore produced at the start of the programme development process. Once approved, it forms the base- line information for all statements relating to the programme and is updated as approved amendments are made.

CORE INFORMATION Programme title Islamic Law Final award MA Intermediate awards N/A Mode of attendance Full time or part time (two or three years) UCAS code N/A Professional body accreditation N/A Date specification created/updated June 2011

WHY CHOOSE THIS PROGRAMME? Why study at SOAS? SOAS is unique as the only higher education institution in the UK specialising in the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The School also has the largest concentration of specialist faculty concerned with the study of these areas at any university in the world. SOAS is consistently ranked among the top higher education institutions in the UK and the world and it offers a friendly, vibrant environment for students in a diverse and close-knit community. What is special about this programme? The MA in Islamic Law allows students to study Islamic law and its application in a broad range of legal areas, including Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic family law, Law of Islamic finance and human rights, as well as its relationship to society in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. All SOAS courses are designed not only to introduce students to the general fields of law, but also to provide an understanding of how generic legal structures and processes may operate in non-Western social and cultural settings. All teachers on courses offered at SOAS

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are experts in their designated field. Many have years of experience advising governments, international organisations or non-governmental organisation, and many also have been or continue to be legal practitioners in their specialised fields. Who would it suit? Students without an undergraduate degree in law who would like to acquire knowledge and understanding of Islamic law and its applications. Because of its international focus students from all parts of the world come to SOAS to study law, bringing with them a unique range of experience and expertise which frequently enlivens the learning experience. SOAS MA students have progressed into a wide range of fields, including the Foreign Office, the European Chamber of Commerce, Intermediate Court(s) and the Red Cross. Programme structure Students take the equivalent of three full courses (45 credits each), with at least two from the list of programme-specific modules and the third either from that list or from a list of over 50 full and half-unit courses, as well as writing a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic related to Islamic law. Students may be permitted to select one full course, or one half course, or two half courses in place of the equivalent number of Law course(s) (see programme structure) Assessment summary The majority of courses split assessment between assessed coursework (including essays of between 3,000 and 6,000 words) and unseen exams, with some courses assessed by either just unseen exams or just coursework (5,000 to 10,000 words).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS SOAS has general minimum entrance requirements for registration for a postgraduate taught degree and these can be viewed at http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

Undergraduate degree in law not required. Relevant academic work or professional experience will be considered and is likely to be an advantage.

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PROGRAMME AIMS What will this programme give the student an opportunity to achieve?

• To develop broad-ranging knowledge of applications of and issues in Islamic law, in a context of international and . • To be able to engage in theoretical and empirical analysis of international and comparative law, with particular reference to Islamic law. • To be able to explain and debate events and trends in Islamic law.

PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES What will the student learn?

Knowledge & Understanding • Students will acquire specialist knowledge of Islamic law. • This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, knowledge and understanding of the following: a. the theoretical and practical underpinnings of Islamic law; b. the context in which law is made, interpreted, adjudicated, and amended; c. the role played by law, particularly Islamic law in different areas; d. the role and function of legal institutions in managing Islamic law e. the weight and significance of different sources and methodologies. • Students will develop knowledge of how to locate relevant materials and assess their relevance and/or importance.

Intellectual (thinking) Skills • Students should develop rigor in analysis and assessment of legal arguments. • Students should develop the ability to understand, summarise and critically assess differing perspectives on theoretical debates. • Students should develop independence of thought and the confidence to challenge the accepted wisdom. • Students should learn to identify issues and formulate questions for further research through independent work. • Students will be encouraged to bring to bear their own previous experience and knowledge in addressing legal issues in an interdisciplinary manner.

Subject-based Practical Skills The programme will help students develop the ability to: • Write clear research essays and dissertations. • Research in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes and online, and retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources. • Present seminar papers and defend the arguments therein. • Discuss ideas introduced during seminars. • Develop essay and dissertation research questions. • Read legal source materials rapidly and critically. • Present legal arguments in moots and debates.

Transferable Skills

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The programme will enable students to: • Communicate effectively in writing. • Structure and communicate ideas and arguments effectively both orally and in writing. • Read and comprehend significant quantities of reading rapidly and effectively and develop critical faculties. • Find and use a variety of written and digital materials, especially legal materials, in libraries and research institutes. • Present (non – assessed) material orally. • Develop teamwork skills.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR GAINING AN AWARD How will the student’s study be structured? How will they achieve an award?

Structure, duration and requirements for gaining an award SOAS has standard requirements relating to the structure and duration of taught postgraduate programmes and for the award and classification of these programmes. Details can be found at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/file60379.pdf

Programme structure diagram Students must take courses to a total value of 135 credits and a dissertation. Level Year of Course Course title Credit Status Notes study code Students must take courses to a value of 90 credits from the list below

7 1 or 2 15PLAC150 Human Rights 45 (part- and Islamic time Law students only) 7 1 or 2 15PLAC121 Islamic Law 45 (part- time students only) 7 1 or 2 15PLAC122 Islamic Law of 45 (part- Succession time students only) 7 1 or 2 15PLAC130 Law and 45 (part- Society in the time Middle East students and North only) Africa 7 1 or 2 15PLAC159 Law of Islamic 45

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(part- Finance time students only)

AND ONE further course or TWO half courses to a total value of 45 credits, either from the list above or the Law optional list below**

AND 1 or 2 or 15PLAC99 Dissertation in 45 Should be on 3 (part- 9 Law a topic time relating to students Islamic Law. only)

The availability of optional/elective courses may vary in a given academic session due to factors such as staff absence and student numbers. For an up to date list of courses running in a given academic session please refer to the degree structures as listed on the SOAS website for the degree programmes taught by each Department.

** Students may be permitted to select one full course, or one half course, or two half courses in place of the equivalent number of Law course(s) as follows:

(a) a complementary non-Law SOAS Masters level course, if the MA Law Convenor is satisfied that the complementary course is academically appropriate and is closely related to the specialism of the MA Law programme;

(b) a complementary SOAS postgraduate language acquisition course at the appropriate level, if the MA Law Convenor is satisfied that the complementary language is closely related to either to the specialism of the MA Law programme or to the regional focus of the student's other courses.

In all cases, the choice of course is subject to approval by the MA Law Convenor, the course convenor for the complementary course, a language level test if prescribed, and availability of places. Students choosing a complementary non-Law course must complete Law courses to the minimum value of 90 credits and must complete a dissertation in Law.

MA Islamic Law optional list (all courses level 7 and 45 credits unless otherwise stated):

• Access to Justice and Dispute Resolution: Special Applications 15PLAC157 • Affirmative Action Law 15PLAH024 (22.5 credits) • Alternative Dispute Resolution 15PLAC104 • International Economic Law 15PLAH033 (22.5 credits) • Banking Law 15PLAC105 • Chinese 15PLAC106 • Climate Change, Law and Policy 15PLAC154 • Colonialism, Empire and International Law 15PLAH025 (22.5 credits)

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• Commercial Law 15PLAC166 • Comparative Constitutional Law 15PLAC152 • Development, Environment and the Law in the South 15PLAC158 • Law, Multiculturalism and Intercultural Human Rights 15PLAC109 • Feminist Legal Theory 15PLAC155 • Foundations of Chinese Law 15PLAC110 • Foundations of Comparative Law 15PLAH031 (22.5 credits) • Foundations of International Law 15PLAH021 (22.5 credits) • Human Rights in the Developing World 15PLAC111 • Human Rights of Women 15PLAC112 • Intellectual Property Rights and Development 15PLAC113 • Company Law 15PLAC167 • International and Comparative Commercial Transactions 15PLAC114 • International and Comparative Copyright Law 15PLAC115 • International and Comparative Corporate Law 15PLAC116 • International Criminal Law in Practice 15PLAC168 • International 15PLAC118 • International Human Rights Clinic 15PLAC145 • The Law of Armed Conflict 15PLAH022 (22.5 credits) • International Labour Law 15PLAH029 (22.5 credits) • International Labour Law and Equity Rights 15PLAC169 • International Law and Global Orders 15PLAH019 (22.5 credits) • International Laws on the Use of Force 15PLAH020 (22.5 credits) • International Protection of Human Rights 15PLAC119 • Jurisprudence of International Criminal Tribunals 15PLAC170 • Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Societies 15PLAC123 • Law and Development in Africa 15PLAC160 • Law and Governance in the Developing World 15PLAC125 • Law and International Inequality: Critical Legal Analysis of Political Economy from Colonialism to Globalisation 15PLAC131 • Law and Natural Resources 15PLAC126 • Law and Policy of International Courts and Tribunals 15PLAH026 (22.5 credits) • Law and Society in South Asia 15PLAC129 • Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: the Israeli-Palestinian Case 15PLAC133 • Law, Institutions and Political Economy of Transition 15PLAC134 • Law of the Creative Cultural Industries in the Middle East and North Africa 15PLAC161 • Law of International Finance 15PLAC135 • Migration, Gender and the Law in South East Asia and Beyond 15PLAH023 (22.5 credits) • Modern Chinese Law and Human Rights 15PLAC139 • Multinational Enterprises and the Law 15PLAC140 • Procedural Principles and Ethical Standards 15PLAC141 • Sociological Approaches to Law 15PLAH032 (22.5 credits)

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• Water Law and Governance in Asia 15PLAC171 • World Trade Organisation Law 15PLAH038

TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT What methods will be used to achieve the learning outcomes? Knowledge & Understanding: • Through attendance in all classes, independent and group study, and class preparation. • In some subjects through non-assessed as well as assessed coursework. • Through in course lectures/ seminars and through coursework. • Through a compulsory but non-assessed Preparatory course on law and legal method. Assessment: Through unseen examinations. Long essays, written course work, seminar presentations and dissertations may also be used/required.

Intellectual (thinking) Skills:

• Through courses which introduce information and ideas that need to be assessed critically and analysed in context. Students are encouraged not simply to summarise evidence and arguments but also develop their own assessments as to the relative value of different strategies/ arguments/ evidence. • Through independent dissertation and course work which entail selecting, designing and refining topics [with advice and assistance from tutors] and elaborating precise research questions/hypotheses. • Through the structure and content of courses of an interdisciplinary nature. Assessment: Through unseen examinations. Long essays, course work and dissertations may also be used/ required

Subject-based Practical Skills: • Through the writing of long essays and dissertations. • Through regular seminar presentations. • Through seminar discussion. • Through independent work for essays/ dissertations. • Through independent work, departmental dissertation guidance notes and meetings, and meetings with supervisor. • Through required regular readings for weekly seminar discussions. • Through the holding of moots and debates in the law and legal method seminars and in some of the taught courses. Assessment: Through unseen examinations. Long essays, course work and dissertations may also be used/ required.

Transferable Skills: • Through preparation for seminars, writing of long essays and other course work, dissertation and examinations.

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• Through individual and /or joint seminar presentations and class participation. • Through preparation for seminars, through discussion in seminars, through correction of course work by tutors and through preparation of answers to exam questions. • Through the formation of study groups. Assessment: Through unseen examinations. Long essays, course work and dissertations may also be used/ required.

REFERENCE POINTS What has been the basis for the design of this programme? The following reference points were used in designing the programme: • School learning and teaching strategy. • Consultation with colleagues. • QAA framework for higher education qualifications. • Needs of non-law graduates and their motivations for undertaking postgraduate legal research. • Demands and expectations of legal professional bodies and potential employers. • Where appropriate, and with modifications, the LLM syllabus.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ENHANCEMENT

SOAS has internal procedures to assure the quality of provision to be offered to students and to enhance the quality in the light of experience following delivery, taking into account the input of external experts and students. The procedures are set out in the School’s Quality Assurance Handbook and can be viewed at http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/qualityassurance/quality-assurance-handbook/.

SOAS is also subject to periodic external review from bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and relevant professional and statutory regulatory bodies.

The procedures described in the Quality Assurance Handbook are in place to provide a high quality student experience for those choosing to study at SOAS, and student input and evaluation of their experiences is greatly valued. Students make an input to the ongoing development of their programmes, and the environment in which they operate, in a number of ways, including: • formal student evaluation as part of the annual programme review; • student representation on School committees at various levels (through the Students’ Union) where many relevant issues are discussed; • student representation at regular departmental meetings; • an active student Law Society.

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FURTHER INFORMATION • SOAS Vision and Strategy Statement; • Postgraduate Handbook; • School of Law MA handbook: • Quality Assurance Handbook; • UCAS website; • QAA website; • Departmental website • Programme webpages • Introduction to SOAS School of Law programmes

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