1. Front Cover

2. Queen Mary's Mission Statement

3. Welcome

Welcome to the School of Law, Postgraduate Law Programmes

Congratulations on becoming a student at the School of Law! You have joined one of the leading postgraduate law programmes in the world. Our teaching is research-led, with a well-established reputation for innovative work in social justice and commercial law. 

We offer our students an excellent education experience in a variety of areas of law, one that is uniquely shaped by our experience of applying law in practice. We have over 30 different Programmes for you to choose from, underpinned by over 160 individual modules.

We also offer a wealth of extracurricular opportunities, from legal advising to mentoring, internships, networking and career guidance, and we strongly advise you to take advantage of these opportunities.

We hope you have the best of years with us and are confident that you will excel in your studies and will make friendships and memories that remain with you forever.  

Work hard and enjoy the year to come!

Professor Ioannis Kokkoris

Director of Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS)

Professor of Competition Law and Economics

Michael Harker

Professor of Law and Head of the 

Department of Law

3.1. Your Handbook

This handbook should be read alongside:

• The Academic Regulations – covering progression, award, and classification requirements.
• The Queen Mary Student Handbook – providing information relevant to all students across the university.

Please note: Nothing in this handbook overrides the Academic Regulations, which always take precedence.

Where to Find the Regulations

• Academic Regulations: Queen Mary Policies and Regulations
• Student Handbook: QMUL Student Handbook

Accessibility

This handbook is available in large-print format. If you require a large-print copy or other accessible versions, please contact the Student Support Team, PG Law Office (LIF 3.5, Holborn) pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk

Disclaimer

The information in this handbook is accurate as of September 2025. If significant changes are made during the academic year, you will be notified via:

• The PG Law Noticeboard - Announcements

Please note: Queen Mary cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information found in external websites or third-party publications referenced here.

4. Departmental Location and Contact Details

5. Use of Queen Mary ID Card

5. Use of Queen Mary ID Card

5.1. Communications

Queen Mary communicates with students in several ways. It is essential that you check your university email account daily during term time to ensure you do not miss important updates.

6. Contacts

PG Law Office

The Teaching and Learning Services Team is based in the Postgraduate Law Office (LIF 3.5, Holborn campus). Staff are available to help with general enquiries:

Opening Hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00–16:00 (excluding bank holidays)
Drop-in: PG Law Office, LIF 3.5
Email: pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk
Online enquiries: AskQM

To avoid disappointment, please email ahead if you wish to meet a specific member of staff.

Team Contacts by Area

Student Support - pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk

• General enquiries and induction events
• Pastoral support, welfare, and safeguarding
• Extenuating circumstances, scholarships, changes of programme, interruptions, withdrawals, deregistrations
• Student handbook queries
• Module evaluation, course reps, and Student Voice Committees
• Student communications, events, and activities
• Student Engagement

Assessments - Online enquiries: AskQM

• Exam and assessment queries
• Submission deadlines
• Dissertation supervision and allocation
• Extenuating circumstances and academic regulations
• Academic misconduct, appeals, and complaints
• Assessment submission - pglaw-submissions@qmul.ac.uk

Partnerships and Distance Learning - pglaw-global@qmul.ac.uk

• LLM programmes in Paris and Distance Learning
• Online learning programmes and short courses
• European Intellectual Property Institutes (EIPIN) and Pan-European Seal Programme
• Associate and visiting students
• Partnership programme queries

Digital Learning (QMplus) - Online enquiries: AskQM

• Access and setup of QMplus module pages
• Online classes, lecture recordings, and troubleshooting
• Coursework/exam submission issues
• Support with Turnitin self-similarity reports

6.1. Programme of Study: Academic Directors

Programme of Study: Academic Director

6.2. Academic Support Contacts

General Academic Advice

All students are encouraged to seek informal advice from academic staff throughout their studies.

Programme Director

The Programme Director provides academic leadership for your programme, including:

• Overseeing programme content and structure
• Implementing improvements based on student feedback
• Offering guidance on overall academic progress

If you have concerns that cannot be resolved by your Module Convenor, or if your query relates to your overall programme, please contact the Programme Director. They are available during term time and can offer general academic advice and support.

Academic staff may also refer students to the Programme Director if they believe a student is struggling. In some cases, issues may be escalated to the School of Law’s Director of Teaching and Learning or a relevant committee.

Module Convenors

Your first point of contact for any questions or concerns about a specific module.

• Each module has a designated Module Convenor, typically a member of the CCLS academic staff.
• In some cases, teaching may be delivered by Academic Leads (affiliated or external academics), who work closely with the Module Convenor.

How They Support You

• Provide guidance on teaching, assessment, and module content
• Address special requirements or academic concerns
• Offer feedback and support after assessments
• Refer you to additional support services if needed

Module Convenors hold regular office hours during term time. Check your module page or contact them via email to arrange a meeting.

For most module-related queries, your Module Convenor should be your first point of contact.
For programme-wide concerns, contact your Programme Director.
If the matter remains unresolved, it may be referred to the Director of Teaching and Learning.

7. Module Selection

Online Module Selection and Approval Process

To register for your modules, please log in to MySIS and choose from the modules available for your programme. You must select all modules you intend to take for the entire academic year during the module selection period outlined below:

Module Selection Period

• Opens: Wednesday, 24 September 2025 at 09:00
• Closes: Sunday, 28 September 2025 at 23:59

Please ensure you complete your selections within this timeframe. Late submissions may not be accepted.

Module Changes

Students on certain programmes may be allowed to modify their module choices during designated change periods before Semester 2 and Semester 3.

If eligible, you will be notified in advance and given access to update your selections via MySIS during the specified timeframe.

7.1. Change of Programme

There may be an opportunity to change modules before the start a of semester, however, students will be expected to provide a valid reason for a change request and the change does not have be permitted.  Students should keep a check on the PG Law noticeboard, QM+ for an announcement of this process. 

You are encouraged to register for your modules as soon as possible as popular modules may quickly fill up. 

Students may be permitted to change programmes in the first two weeks of the academic year.  There may be restrictions as to whether this is permissible if students fail to meet the entry criteria or have failed to undertake core and compulsory modules.  Postgraduate students are not usually permitted to transfer from a full-time to a part-time or variable mode programme after the end of November. Some changes will continue to be permitted at later points in the academic year, for example where students wish to transfer onto or off of a programme that includes a period in industry/overseas.

Click here for further information: Change of programme  Completed forms should be emailed to: pglaw-progadmin@qmul.ac.uk

7.2. Teaching Delivery

All courses in our three programmes are delivered face-to-face, and in-person attendance is required. However, in certain circumstances—such as public health concerns or unforeseen staff absences—teaching may temporarily move online. If this happens, CCLS will always act in your best interests and take reasonable steps to minimise any disruption to your learning and assessment.

You will be notified promptly of any significant changes to teaching delivery. Please check your QMUL email and QMplus course pages regularly for the latest updates.

All your courses are supported by QMplus, our interactive online platform. Here, you’ll find course materials, announcements, and lecture recordings. Most in-person lectures and tutorials are recorded and made available on QMplus as soon as possible. If you have trouble accessing recordings, please contact the Teaching and Learning Services Office or your Module Convenor for help.

Your Module Convenors and Programme Director are available to answer questions about teaching and assessment—by email, online meetings, or in-person appointments, as needed. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support.

8. Key Dates

Click here:

September 2025 Programmes

January 2025 Programmes - coming Soon!

8.1. Key Dates - SEPTEMBER 2026 Programmes

The dates in this table are for all full time and part time programmes.

Other key Queen Mary dates are available on the ARCS homepage (www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk) and here: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/about/calendar/

Study period/week and examination periods are inclusive of the University semester dates.  Students are expected to be available in the UK during these periods.  If you wish to study outside of the UK then please refer to the 9.6. Short-Term Absence and Authorised Absence (MD up-dated 26/11/25)

Law Teaching Period (MD up-dated 26/11/25)

School of Economics and Finance Semester Dates

Vacation Dates

Teaching and Assessment Key Dates

Semester 1 (A25)

Semester 2 (B25)

Semester 3 (C25)

Study Skill Sessions (Dates maybe subject to Change)

Student Voice Committees (may be subject to change)

8.2. Key Dates - JANUARY 2025 Programmes

The dates in this table are for all full time programmes.

Other key Queen Mary dates are available on the ARCS homepage (www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk) and here: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/about/calendar/

SEMESTER DATES 

Teaching and Assessment Key Dates

Semester 2 (B24)

Semester 2 (C24)

Semester 1 (A25)

Study Skill Sessions

Student Voice Committees (may be subject to change)

9. Student Engagement

9.1. Markers of Student Engagement

9.2. Student Engagement Monitoring Procedure

9.3. What will my student engagement data be used for?

Student engagement data—both online and in-person—is monitored to help identify students who may need additional support and to encourage active participation in their studies.

Purpose of Monitoring

• The primary aim is to support students in engaging or re-engaging with their programme.
• Once a student is admitted, the School has a duty of care, and students have a responsibility to make use of the support available.
• Any outreach from the School will be tailored to the individual’s needs, with the goal of helping them succeed.

When Engagement Falls Below Expectations

If a student is identified as approaching or falling below the minimum engagement requirements set by their School:

• They will be contacted and informed of their engagement status.
• The communication will include support options to help address any underlying issues affecting their participation.

9.4. What will happen if my student engagement data shows a lack of engagement?

If your engagement data indicates that you may be struggling to keep up with your studies, the School will take steps to support you.

Support Process

• You will be invited to a meeting with your Student Support Officer to discuss any issues affecting your engagement.
• The meeting is intended to offer encouragement, advice, and, if needed, referral to Queen Mary support services.
• In exceptional circumstances, a senior member of the School team may also be involved in the support process.

Risk of Deregistration

Students who consistently fail to engage with their studies may be deregistered from their programme in accordance with the Academic Regulations.

Your Responsibility

The School is committed to helping students overcome challenges—but we can only do so if we are informed. If you are experiencing difficulties that affect your ability to engage:

• Speak to an appropriate member of staff as early as possible.
• Early communication gives us the opportunity to intervene and provide tailored support.

9.5. Who will have access to my student engagement data?

We understand the importance of protecting your personal data. Your student engagement data is used solely for welfare and support purposes, helping the University provide tailored assistance when needed.

Who Can See Your Data?

Only two groups of people have access to your engagement data:

1. Support and Academic Staff

   • This includes PG Law Student Support Officers and academic staff directly involved in your programme.
   • Access is limited to staff who work directly with you—not across the entire University.

2. Technical and System Support Staff

   • This includes Queen Mary IT staff and, where applicable, external software providers who maintain the engagement monitoring systems.
   • These individuals access data only for system maintenance and development purposes.

All staff accessing your data must comply with strict data protection regulations.

How Your Data Is Used

• Your data may be anonymised and aggregated with other students’ data to identify trends and improve support services.
• When used in this way, it is not possible to identify you personally.

What Your Data Will Not Be Used For

• It will not be shared with third parties (e.g. employers).
• It will not affect your module marks or student record.
• It will never be used for the Prevent scheme.
• It is processed in accordance with Queen Mary’s Data Protection Policy and Student Privacy Notice.

9.6. Short-Term Absence and Authorised Absence

Term-time

Term-time is the period between your official course start date and end date (check in MySIS) - only the Christmas and Easter holidays are vacations (examination periods are part of term-time). The period between the end of final assessments for Semester 3 and your course end date is not a vacation. You use this time to complete a project or dissertation, or prepare and sit exams. You are still known as a student until your course completion date stated in MySiS. 

Please check the 'Key Date'.

Short-Term Absence and Authorised Absence 

10. Assessment (Updated 04 December 2025)

Each module in the PG Law programme has its own assessment method. When choosing your modules and planning your year, please consider how each module is assessed and what suits your learning style.

Assessment methods may include:

• Online examinations
• On-campus examinations
• Essays
• Final Assessment Exercises (FAEs)
• Presentations or in-class activities
• Or a combination of these

For modules assessed by FAE, online, or on-campus exams, you’ll answer a set of questions covering the topics taught during the module.

Exam dates are set centrally and published on your Examination Timetable in the MySIS portal before each exam period. Please note: the PG Law Office and Module Convenors receive the final timetable at the same time as students, so we cannot confirm exam dates before they are officially released.

10.1. Module Assessment Types

Each module has its own assessment method. When planning your studies, please check how each module is assessed and choose those that best suit your strengths and preferences.

Assessment Types

• Online Examinations:
  You’ll answer a set of questions covering topics taught in the module.

• Instructions

• You must download, complete, and upload your answers within the specified time period
• Exam dates and durations are published in your Semester Examination Timetable (see MySIS).
• Submissions made on QMplus up to 10 minutes late are accepted with a 10% penalty. After that, the portal closes and non-submissions receive a mark of 0-FL.

Submission Platform Notes:

• Some online exams (for SOLM and CCLF modules) are hosted on the Cadmus platform. Access these exams via the link on your QMplus module page at the time shown in your personalised timetable. Submissions on Cadmus are automatically submitted at the deadline, and late submissions are not permitted.

• For all other online exams submitted via QMplus, submissions up to 10 minutes late are accepted with a 10% penalty; after that, the portal closes and non-submissions receive a mark of 0-FL.

15-Credit Modules

Total Exam Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes (includes 30-minute submission window)
Maximum Word Limit: 2,500 words
Number of Questions: 2 (subject to module convenor’s discretion)

Breakdown:

• Reading & Research Time: 1 hour
• Writing Time: 2 hours
• Submission Window: 30 minutes

30-Credit Modules

Total Exam Duration: 5 hours (includes 30-minute submission window)
Maximum Word Limit: 3,700 words

Number of Questions: 3 (subject to module convenor’s discretion)

Breakdown:

• Reading & Research Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Writing Time: 3 hours
• Submission Window: 30 minutes

Please ensure you manage your time carefully and submit within the allocated window. 

If you have any questions, contact:

Academic:  the module convenor

Admin: PG Law Assessment Team: AskQM

• On campus Examination

On-campus exams will be conducted in person and will be handwritten in an invigilated examination hall.

15-Credit Modules

• Total Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Includes: 15 minutes of reading time
• Writing Time: 2 hours

30-Credit Modules

• Total Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
• Includes: 15 minutes of reading time
• Writing Time: 3 hours

Please arrive at the exam venue early to allow time for check-in and preparation. Make sure to bring all required materials, including your student ID.

• Final Assessment Exercise (FAE)

FAE's are a type of exam designed to allow students to demonstrate deeper understanding and critical engagement with the subject matter.

Key Information

• Availability: FAEs are accessible for 24 hours from the time of release.
• You must download, complete, and upload your answers within this 24-hour window.
• Submissions up to 10 minutes late are accepted with a 10% penalty. After that, the portal closes and non-submissions receive a mark of 0-FL.

Format and Requirements

• Word limits and timings may vary depending on the module.
• Please check with your module convenor for specific details regarding:
  • Word count
  • Number of questions
  • Any additional instructions

• Course Essays:
  Some modules are assessed partly or fully by essays linked to your taught modules.

• Essays are overseen by one of your module’s teaching staff.
• Essays submitted up to 7 calendar days late are accepted with a late penalty.
• Extensions of up to one week may be granted for valid extenuating circumstances.
• Essay submission dates can be found in the Key Dates section of the Handbook
• If a module has more than one essay component, the module convenor will indicate if the submission dates for these essays differ from the standard deadlines provided in the Key Dates section

• Multiple Choice Quizzes (MCQs):

• MCQs cover topics taught in the module.
• You have a 24-hour window to start the quiz, but once started, you have 2 hours to complete it.
• You cannot pause once you begin.
• Late submissions are not permitted.

• Presentations / Oral Assessments:

• Some modules include a class presentation or oral component
• Dates for presentations are treated as exam dates; attendance is required (in person or online, as specified).
• Your Module Convenor will provide details.
• If you cannot attend due to extenuating circumstances, please refer to the relevant section for guidance.

• Other Assessment Elements: Some modules may include additional in-class or practical elements. Details are provided in your module outline.

For full details on how each module is assessed, see Appendix II: Programme Structure and Overview.

Academic Regulations:
For the full regulations governing assessment, see the Academic Regulations 2025–26.

10.2. Submission of Assessments (Course essay/FAE/Online Exam/Dissertation)

10.3. Notification of Exam Dates

10.4. Examination Access Arrangements

Students with disabilities, specific learning differences (such as dyslexia), or short-term conditions (e.g. broken limbs or pregnancy) may be eligible for Examination Access Arrangements (EAAs). These arrangements are managed by the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS).

The DDS works with students to determine appropriate adjustments, in line with Queen Mary University of London’s legal duty to provide reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act (2010).

Evidence Requirements

To apply for EAAs, students must submit supporting documentation:

• For disabilities or short-term conditions: Medical evidence dated within the last two years.
• For specific learning differences (e.g. dyslexia): A diagnostic report completed after the student’s 16th birthday.

All documentation must be in English.

How to Apply

Students should complete the EAA application form available via MySIS, by the deadline published on the EAA website. This deadline is the final date by which DDS can guarantee arrangements will be in place for end-of-teaching or year-end exams.

Late applications may still be considered, but arrangements might not be implemented until the following academic year.

For full details and deadlines, please visit the Examination Access Arrangements.

10.5. Re-sit regulations

10.6. Resit Procedures

10.7. Course Essay

10.8. Final Assessment Exercise and Online Examination

There is no official style guide for formatting your Final Assessment Exercise or Online Examination submission. However, to ensure clarity and consistency, we recommend the following:

General Formatting

• Font: Use a standard, readable font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri
• Font size: 12-point for the main text
• Line spacing: Double-spaced
• Margins: Minimum of 2 cm on all sides
• Citations: Required for all assessments. You may use either:
  • Inline citations, or
  • Footnotes (no smaller than 10-point font, ideally in the same font as the main text)

Title Page Requirements

Your submission must include a top sheet (title page) containing the following information only:

• Module number (e.g. SOLM001)
• Module title
• Final word count
• Student ID number (not your username — check MySIS or your student ID card)
• Your name must not appear anywhere on the assessment.

You may include colour or graphics on the title page if you wish, but this is optional and not required.

10.9. Dissertation

11. Feedback

Accessing Feedback

• Feedback for your assessments will be available via QMplus, where you submitted your work.
• Feedback may be provided in various formats, depending on the structure of the module.

Types of Feedback

Feedback may be delivered through:

• Lecture and revision sessions:

  • Whole-class feedback
  • Group feedback
  • Individual feedback on tasks or mock answers

• Tutorials:

  • Feedback on individual or group responses to specific topics

Student Responsibilities

• You are expected to actively participate in feedback sessions, whether individually or in groups.
• You should reflect on both class-wide and individual feedback to improve your academic performance.
• If you require additional feedback, you are encouraged to contact the module convenor directly.

12. Viewing your Results

You can view your assessment marks by logging into MySIS using your usual credentials. Your marks will be listed under your academic record.

Important Notes

• Marks shown on MySIS are provisional until they are confirmed by the Degree Examination Board (DEB).
• MySIS will clearly indicate whether your results are provisional or confirmed (official).

For step-by-step guidance on checking your results, visit: Receiving Your Results – Registry Services

13. Critical Thinking and Writing

Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL)

The Queen Mary Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL) programme is a specialised series of classes designed to enhance the accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness of postgraduate Law students’ academic writing and research. CTWL also supports more confident participation in seminars and helps students prepare for exams and dissertations with greater assurance and skill.

A Pathway to Success for PG Law Students

Academic writing at postgraduate level is a discipline-specific skill that takes time to develop. Since assessment is primarily through essays, exams, and dissertations, the Language Centre, in collaboration with the Postgraduate School of Law, has created two tailored modules and a series of supplementary sessions to support students in:

• Strengthening research and writing skills
• Building confidence in academic communication
• Enhancing overall performance across assessments

Programme Objectives

The CTWL programme is designed to achieve three key goals:

1. Support conditional offer holders in meeting their language requirements (see Section 1 for details)
2. Deepen understanding of effective learning strategies for postgraduate study
3. Guide students through the writing process for essays and dissertations, from planning to final submission

Programme Structure

To meet these objectives, CTWL offers:

• Two 10-week modules focused on academic writing and critical thinking
• One-off sessions to support:
  • Dissertation proposal writing
  • Exam preparation and strategy

13.1. Students with In-Sessional Language Conditions 

Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL)

The Queen Mary Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL) programme is a specialised series of classes designed to enhance the accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness of postgraduate Law students’ academic writing and research. CTWL also supports more confident participation in seminars and helps students prepare for exams and dissertations with greater assurance and skill.

A Pathway to Success for PG Law Students

Academic writing at postgraduate level is a discipline-specific skill that takes time to develop. Since assessment is primarily through essays, exams, and dissertations, the Language Centre, in collaboration with the Postgraduate School of Law, has created two tailored modules and a series of supplementary sessions to support students in:

• Strengthening research and writing skills
• Building confidence in academic communication
• Enhancing overall performance across assessments

Programme Objectives

The CTWL programme is designed to achieve three key goals:

1. Support conditional offer holders in meeting their language requirements (see Section 1 for details)
2. Deepen understanding of effective learning strategies for postgraduate study
3. Guide students through the writing process for essays and dissertations, from planning to final submission

Programme Structure

To meet these objectives, CTWL offers:

• Two 10-week modules focused on academic writing and critical thinking
• One-off sessions to support:
  • Dissertation proposal writing
  • Exam preparation and strategy

13.2. Course Content

CTWL for All PG Law Students

While CTWL is mandatory for students with a language condition attached to their offer, the programme is open to all PG Law students, regardless of entry status. This includes native English speakers, many of whom have found the programme beneficial and have attended regularly over the years.

Semester 1 – EAL4791: CTW Literacy Development

This 10-week module focuses on building foundational academic skills for postgraduate study in Law. Key areas include:

• Locating authoritative legal sources early in the module
• Reading strategies for engaging with statutes, cases, and academic journals
• Understanding structure and organisation of legal texts
• Efficient and critical reading to identify relevant material with confidence
• Exam writing techniques and
• Preparing a research proposal for the 10,000-word dissertation

Students will complete weekly writing tasks, receive individual feedback, and engage in online exercises to reinforce language and writing skills covered in class.

Semester 1 – Dissertation Proposal Writing (Supplementary Session)

As PG Law students are required to submit their dissertation proposals by late November/early December, the Language Centre offers a dedicated session to support this process.
This session covers:

• Structure and components of a QMUL dissertation proposal
• Academic style and tone
• Planning and approach

Exact dates and times will be published on the CTWL section of the QMplus Dissertation Support Noticeboard.

Semester 2 – EAL4792: CTWL Dissertation Writing

Although titled “Dissertation Writing,” this module is open to all PG Law students, whether or not they are writing a dissertation. Many students take both Semester 1 and Semester 2 modules to strengthen their academic writing across essays and longer research papers.

This 10-week module (February–April) focuses on:

• Planning and structuring dissertations and coursework essays
• Applying academic writing skills developed in Semester 1
• Addressing common challenges in legal writing at postgraduate level
• Improving clarity, accuracy, and formality in written work

Students attend one 2-hour class per week, with opportunities for feedback and practical application of skills.

CTWL Registration

Semester 1 Registration

• Opens: Late September 2025
• Classes begin: Week commencing 29 September 2025
• Register via: MySIS – In-sessional Course Bookings
• Class listings (EAL4791) with times and locations will be available on MySIS
• Class sizes are limited (20–25 students) and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis

Semester 2 Registration

• Opens: Late December 2025
• Classes resume: Late January/Early February 2026, following the exam period

13.3. Contact: School Of Languages, Linguistics And Film (SLLF)

This module is not administered or delivered by the School of Law. All queries should be directed to the School of the Arts (STA).

Contact Information

Administrative Queries

Email: sta@qmul.ac.uk

Academic Queries

Nicholas Lloyd
Module Convenor – Critical Thinking & Writing in Law
Tel: 020 7882 2840
Email: n.h.lloyd@qmul.ac.uk

14. Plagiarism and Referencing

Queen Mary University of London expects all students to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical conduct in their studies. Engaging in academic misconduct undermines the value of your work and the integrity of the institution.

What Is Academic Misconduct?

Academic misconduct refers to any action that compromises the fairness or validity of an assessment. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism
• Falsification or fraudulent reporting of sources or data
• Collusion (unauthorised collaboration)
• Use of third parties, including ghost-writing services
• Impersonation or use of impersonators in assessments

Definition of Plagiarism

Queen Mary defines plagiarism as:

“Presenting someone else’s work as your own, irrespective of intention. This includes close paraphrasing, copying from another person (including another student), or using someone else’s ideas without proper acknowledgement. Self-plagiarism includes reusing work you have previously submitted—at Queen Mary or another institution—without appropriate citation.”

Definition of Collusion

Collusion is unauthorised collaboration between students in the preparation or production of submitted work.
Unless explicitly permitted, all work submitted for individual assessment must be entirely your own.
Study groups and legitimate academic discussions are not considered collusion.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Unless otherwise stated in your module guidance:

• You may use generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) only as a research aid, similar to using search engines.
• You must not include AI-generated text in your assessments unless explicitly permitted.
• If permitted, you must:
  • Reference the AI-generated content appropriately
  • Save and retain your original prompts and the AI output
  • Be prepared to submit these to your module convenor upon request

Unpermitted use of AI-generated content will be treated as an assessment offence, equivalent to using a ghost-writing service.

Consequences of Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct is a serious offence. If suspected, you will be subject to formal investigation.
Possible penalties include:

• Formal reprimand
• Failing the module
• Capping the module mark at the minimum pass mark
• Suspension or expulsion from the programme

For full details, refer to the Academic Integrity & Misconduct Policy.

Avoiding Plagiarism: Best Practices

To maintain academic integrity, follow these key recommendations:

• Record your sources when taking notes and cite them accurately when used
• Be cautious when copying and pasting between documents—ensure references are not lost
• Use quotations and paraphrasing carefully and always provide appropriate citations
• Reference all sources in-text and in your bibliography
• Use Turnitin and other tools to check for potential plagiarism
• When in doubt, ask your module convenor or the Programme Director  for guidance

Academic Integrity Course

All PG Law students are required to complete the Academic Integrity course by 3 November.
This course is designed to help you understand and avoid plagiarism and other forms of misconduct.

For further information on the policy click here: Academic Misconduct 2025-26

14.1. How Turnitin works

Turnitin is an online tool used at Queen Mary to support academic integrity by checking submitted work for potential plagiarism.

Submitting Your Work

A Turnitin assignment is set up by a member of staff, typically via QMplus. You will access the assignment online and upload your work before the deadline.

Once submitted, Turnitin analyses your work by comparing it against:

• Current and archived web content
• Previously submitted student papers
• Published books, journals, and academic articles

Turnitin Reports

For each submission, Turnitin generates two key outputs:

1. Similarity Index

   • This is a percentage score indicating how much of your work matches other sources.

2. Originality Report

   • This provides a detailed breakdown of matched text, showing the source of each match and highlighting areas that may require attention.

14.2. How Turnitin is used within the school

Turnitin is used for the majority of postgraduate assignments that contribute to your final grade. It plays a key role in maintaining academic integrity by checking submissions for originality and proper referencing.

Assignments Typically Submitted to Turnitin

Turnitin is normally used for:

• Essays
• Research papers
• Dissertations
• Other substantial written assignments

Assignments Not Usually Submitted to Turnitin

Turnitin is not typically used for the following types of work:

• formative assignments
• on campus exams
• Short assignments (under 500 words)
• Contributions to online discussion forums
• Paper-based exercises
• Computer programs or coding assignments

Submission Process

For assignments where Turnitin is used:

• All student submissions for that assignment will be uploaded to Turnitin via QMplus.
• Turnitin will automatically generate a similarity index and an originality report for each submission.

14.3. How we use the information provided by Turnitin

Turnitin is a tool that supports academic integrity by identifying potential issues in submitted work. However, only academic staff are responsible for determining whether plagiarism has occurred.

Key Points on Interpretation

• Turnitin provides a similarity index and an originality report, but it does not make judgments about plagiarism.
• Academic staff will review the originality report in detail to assess whether any matches indicate misconduct.
• There is no fixed percentage threshold that automatically indicates plagiarism. Even a high similarity score may be acceptable depending on the nature of the matches.

Understanding Similarity Scores

Turnitin may highlight matches that are not indicative of plagiarism, such as:

• References and bibliographies
• Commonly used phrases
• Quotations
• Data tables
• Standard legal terminology

These matches are typically discounted during academic review, so the initial percentage score alone is not a reliable indicator of plagiarism.

Suspected Plagiarism

If plagiarism is suspected:

• The originality report may be referred to the Head of School/Institute.
• In serious cases, it may be escalated to an Academic Misconduct Panel for formal investigation.

14.4. How you can use the information provided by Turnitin

Before Turnitin is used on your assessed work, you will have the opportunity to view a Turnitin report on a draft version of your submission. This is available via the Draft Submission QMplus.

Key Points

• You will be able to access and review your own originality report before final submission.
• No other student will be able to view your report or submission.
• This process is designed to help you understand how Turnitin works and how to improve your academic writing and referencing.

Support and Guidance

To help you interpret your Turnitin report:

• Please refer to the guidance provided by the E-Learning Unit:
  Course: Turnitin Guidance for Students | MyQMUL

• If you have questions that are not answered by the guidance materials, please rasie an enquiry: AskQM

15. Extenuating Circumstances

Queen Mary University of London defines extenuating circumstances as:

“Circumstances that are outside a student’s control and which may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to undertake or complete any assessment so as to cast doubt on the likely validity of the assessment as a measure of the student’s achievement.”

When to Consider an EC Claim

If you experience circumstances that may affect your ability to complete or perform in an assessment, you should consider submitting an Extenuating Circumstances (EC) claim.

Common valid reasons include:

• Personal or family emergencies
• Physical health issues
• Mental health or emotional wellbeing challenges

Note: The following are not considered valid extenuating circumstances:

• Technical or computer problems
• Misreading your exam timetable
• Planned holidays or social events
• Local transport delays

Further Guidance

For detailed information on what qualifies as valid extenuating circumstances and how to submit a claim, please refer to:
Extenuating Circumstances: A Guide for Students

Reminders and additional guidance will be sent to students throughout the academic year, particularly around examination periods.

15.1. Fit to Sit Policy

Queen Mary University of London operates a ‘fit to sit’ policy, which applies to all assessments, including coursework, essays, exams, final assessment exercise (FAE) and dissertations.

Key Principle

If you submit coursework or sit an exam, you are declaring yourself fit to do so.
Once submitted or attended, an Extenuating Circumstances (EC) claim will not normally be accepted for that assessment.

If You Are Unwell or Affected by Personal Circumstances

If you feel that illness or personal issues may negatively affect your performance:

• Do not submit your coursework or attend the exam.
• Instead, submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim for non-submission or non-attendance.

You must:

• Attend a medical consultation within three days of the missed exam or submission deadline.
• If you become ill during an exam and have to leave, you must also attend a medical consultation within three days.

Important Reminder

If you are experiencing difficulties that may impact your performance, the rule is simple:

Do not submit or attend. Submit an EC claim instead.

For further guidance, please refer to: Extenuating Circumstances Guidance

15.2. Process

Step 1: Seek Advice Before Submitting

Before submitting an EC claim, it is strongly recommended that you speak with the PG Law Student Support to discuss your situation.

To request an appointment, email: pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk

Step 2: Submit Your EC Claim

To submit an EC request:

• Log your claim via the Extenuating Circumstances task in MySIS
• Follow the instructions provided on the platform
• It is your responsibility to ensure your claim is submitted correctly and on time

Make sure your submission complies with the Postgraduate School of Law guidelines and deadlines.

Step 3: Confirmation and Confidentiality

• Once submitted, you will receive a formal acknowledgement — keep this for your records.
• All EC claims are treated confidentially and are only reviewed by the EC Sub-Board of the School of Law (or the School of Economics and Finance for joint programme students).
• EC claims are not normally discussed at full examination board meetings.

Step 4: Deadlines

• EC claims must be submitted by the published deadline for the relevant semester.
• Claims must be received no later than three working days before the EC Sub-Board meeting.
• EC deadlines are listed in the Key Dates section of this handbook.

You cannot submit a retrospective EC claim once you know your results. Late claims will not be considered.

Step 5: Outcome

• The School aims to provide an outcome within 5 working days of submission.
• You may be asked to provide additional evidence or information to support your claim.

15.3. Standard EC claim

Supporting Evidence Requirements

A standard EC claim must be supported by relevant documentation. Examples of acceptable evidence include:

• Medical certificate or doctor’s note
• Death certificate
• Police report and crime reference number
• Written evidence from a person in authority (e.g. counsellor, solicitor, employer)

While documentation can be submitted after the initial claim, claims without any supporting evidence cannot be considered.

It is in your best interest to provide comprehensive and clear documentation to support your claim.

Language Requirements for Evidence

All supporting evidence must be provided in English.
If your documentation is in another language, it is your responsibility to obtain a certified translation.

Dissertations and EC Claims

Please note: Dissertations can only be considered under standard EC claims (not under late or retrospective claims).

Further Guidance

For more information on what constitutes valid evidence and how to submit a claim, please refer to: Extenuating Circumstances: A Guide for Students

15.4. Self-certification

What Is Self-Certification?

Self-certification allows students to submit an Extenuating Circumstances (EC) claim without documentary evidence, based on personal circumstances that have affected their ability to complete assessments.

Key Rules and Limitations

• You may submit up to two self-certified EC claims per academic year, and only one during any examination period.
• Each self-certification can cover a maximum of seven calendar days.
• You cannot submit consecutive self-certification claims (i.e. two back-to-back seven-day periods).
• You cannot normally use self-certification more than once for the same assessment.
• A single self-certification claim may cover multiple assignments, provided all deadlines fall within the same seven-day period.

Important Notes

• Self-certification does not guarantee approval. Each claim is reviewed by the School to ensure it meets the criteria outlined in Queen Mary’s Extenuating CircumstancesPolicy.
• Any claims beyond the permitted self-certifications must be submitted as a standard EC claim, with supporting evidence (see Section 14.1).

Further Guidance

For more information on self-certification and EC claims, please refer to:
Extenuating Circumstances: A Guide for Students

15.5. Non-attendance or non-submission EC claim

If you do not submit an assessment by the deadline, or miss an exam or in-class test, this is normally recorded as a fail. However, if you have valid extenuating circumstances, you may submit an EC claim to explain your non-attendance or non-submission.

Submitting Your Claim

When submitting your EC claim via MySIS, please follow these instructions:

• Select ‘Non-Attendance’ for:

  • Exams
  • Final Assessment Exercises (FAEs)
  • In-class tests
  • Presentations

• Select ‘Non-Submission’ for:

  • Essays
  • Dissertations

• Leave the 'Late Date' field blank.

Impact on Assessment Attempts

If Your EC Claim Is Accepted for a First Attempt:

• You will be granted a new uncapped first attempt at the next available opportunity.
• You will still be entitled to a resit attempt if needed.
• You may also submit a further EC claim if circumstances persist.

If Your EC Claim Is Accepted for a Resit Attempt:

• You will be granted a new capped resit attempt at the next available opportunity.
• You may also submit a further EC claim if needed.

Important Note for Resits in the Following Academic Year

Students who are required to resit assessments in the next academic year due to accepted EC claims:

• Are not entitled to attend lectures or classes.
• Will retain access to QMplus materials via the QMplus Archive

15.6. Extensions and Late Submission Policy

Key Points to Note

• Essays and dissertations may be submitted up to 7 calendar days after the deadline.
  However, they will be recorded as late, and a penalty of 5 marks per day will be applied (see Mark Deduction section below).

• Students may request a 7-day extension for essays and dissertations.
  This must be submitted before the original deadline.

No late submissions are permitted for:

• Online exams
• Final Assessment Exercises (FAEs)

A 10-minute grace period is allowed for these assessments. Submissions within this window will incur a 10-mark penalty. After 10 minutes, the submission portal closes and a non-submission (fail) is recorded.

Extension EC Claim (Essays and Dissertations Only)

To request an extension:

• Submit an EC claim via MySIS before the deadline.
• Select ‘Extension Needed’ as the EC Impact.
• Enter your new proposed deadline in the Extension Date field.

Late Submission EC Claim (Essays and Dissertations Only)

If you submit your work late due to extenuating circumstances:

• Submit your work within 7 calendar days of the deadline.
• Then submit an EC claim via MySIS before the EC deadline.
• Select ‘Late Submission’ as the EC Impact.
• Enter the actual submission date in the Late Date field.

Do not submit your EC claim before submitting your work. Claims submitted prematurely will be declined. You may resubmit your claim once your work has been uploaded.

Mark Deduction for Late Submission

• A 5% deduction (i.e. 5 marks out of 100) is applied for every 24-hour period or part thereof that the work is late.
• A late penalty may be revoked if a valid EC claim is submitted with supporting evidence.

Impact on Module Outcome

• A student may submit work of passing standard but still fail the module due to the late penalty.
• If eligible for a resit, the student will not need to resubmit the assessment. Instead, the minimum pass mark (50) will be awarded for the resit.
• If not eligible for a resit, this provision does not apply.

Non-Submission After 7 Days

• If work is not submitted within 7 days of the deadline, a mark of 0-NS (Non-Submission) will be recorded.
• The student must resit at the next available opportunity.
• If extenuating circumstances apply, refer to the Non-Submission EC Claim guidance.

Feedback-Sensitive Assessments

In some cases, assessments may cease to be valid once feedback has been provided to the class. If feedback is given before the 7-day cut-off, any submission made after feedback will receive a mark of 0FL (Fail due to Late Submission).

Schools must inform students in advance where this variant policy applies. Otherwise, the general late submission policy will be used.

16. College Policies

The following are the College Policies at CCLS.

16.1. Interruption & Withdrawal of Studies

Thinking About Interrupting or Withdrawing?

If you are considering interrupting or withdrawing from your programme of study, you should first contact the PG Law Student Support & Engagement Team for advice and guidance.

Email: pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk

Useful Resources

For detailed information and access to the relevant forms, please refer to the following links:

• Interruption of Study
• Withdrawing from Study

Important Deadlines

• Please refer to the Key Dates section of this handbook for Registry deadlines.
• Forms must be signed off and submitted before the published deadlines.
• If forms are submitted after the deadline, you will remain registered for the upcoming January or May examination periods.
  • Failure to attend these exams may result in a mark of 0 being recorded.
  • These marks may be used in determining progression and award outcomes.

16.2. Deregistration

Deregistration from Programme of Study

You may be deregistered from your programme if you fail to meet essential requirements, such as:

• Attendance
• Coursework submission

Before deregistration occurs:

• You will receive formal warnings
• You will have the right to present your case to the School or Institute

Click here for more information on De-registration

Deregistration Due to Tuition Fee Non-Payment

When you enrol or re-enrol each academic year, you agree to Queen Mary’s Tuition Fee Regulations: Tuition Fee Regulations

Failure to pay your tuition fees by the specified deadlines may result in deregistration under College Ordinance C3: College Ordinance C3

Important Note on Deadlines

Please refer to the Key Dates section for Registry deadlines related to:

• Interruption of Study
• Withdrawal from Study

Forms submitted after these deadlines may result in continued registration for the January or May examination periods. Failure to attend scheduled exams may result in a mark of 0, which could affect progression and award outcomes.

16.3. Religious observance and study

Please click on the link for further guidance: Religious observance

Students must check their QM emails for an announcement about submitting the online ‘Notification of Religious Holidays form’, see Key Date section for deadline.

16.4. Updating personal details

Personal Information and Data Protection

When you apply to Queen Mary and during (re-)enrolment, you provide personal information such as contact details and background information. This data is stored in systems like MySIS, and it’s essential that you keep it accurate and up to date.

Throughout your studies—and even after graduation—you may provide or we may collect additional personal data. This includes work submitted for assessment. Occasionally, tutors may use anonymised student essays (or excerpts) for teaching purposes. While we hope you’ll support fellow students by allowing this, you may opt out by contacting the PG Law Office.

We also monitor other markers of engagement to support students. If you engage with support services through the PG Law Office, notes may be recorded and shared with relevant staff. You may also use Queen Mary’s Report and Support Tool, or be identified by another user, which could result in the processing of personal data—including special category data or data related to criminal offences. Please refer to the Privacy Notice for full details.

Data Security and Disclosure

All personal data is held securely and will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent, unless required by law. For example, we submit an annual student record to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which includes data on ethnicity and disabilities to monitor national equal opportunities policies. This information is kept confidential and helps us provide tailored support and services.

During online enrolment or re-enrolment, you will be asked to read a Privacy Notice outlining how your data is used and to whom it may be disclosed. You must read this carefully.

All personal data is managed in accordance with data protection legislation. For more information, visit www.qmul.ac.uk/privacy or contact Queen Mary’s Data Protection Officer at: data-protection@qmul.ac.uk

16.5. Representation

Your Voice Matters at CCLS and Queen Mary

We value your feedback and ideas for improvement. There are several ways you can share your views and help shape your experience—and that of future students.

One key opportunity is to become a Course Representative, elected by fellow students. Course Reps speak on behalf of the student body at School, Faculty, and University-wide levels through various committees, groups, and meetings.

For more information, visit: Course Representatives

Ways to Share Your Feedback

• Student-Staff Liaison Committees (SSLCs)
  A forum where students and staff discuss issues affecting the student experience.

• Module Experience Survey
  End-of-module surveys to provide feedback on teaching and content.

• Course Representatives
  Elected students who represent peers and raise concerns or suggestions.

• Personal Feedback to Tutors
  Direct conversations or emails to share thoughts on your learning experience.

• Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
  An annual national survey facilitated by Advance HE, giving you the chance to reflect on your experience and suggest improvements.

• Student Ambassadors (optional)
  Represent Queen Mary at open days and other events.

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)

The PTES is conducted annually and gives postgraduate taught students the opportunity to share what they value about their time at Queen Mary—and what could be improved. Your feedback is invaluable and helps us enhance the student experience for future cohorts.

We strongly encourage you to complete the survey when invited.

Take the PTES Survey

16.6. Code of Conduct

Code of Student Discipline 

The Code of Student Discipline applies to all forms of misconduct, whether they occur on or off Queen Mary premises. It also covers misconduct carried out electronically, including (but not limited to) actions via:

• Internet platforms
• Email
• Social media
• Chat rooms
• Text messages

Please refer to the full Code here: Code of Student Discipline

Report + Support: Tackling Harassment, Gender-Based Violence, and Hate Crime

Queen Mary is committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment for all staff and students. We do not tolerate bullying, harassment, or hate in any form.

We understand these behaviours can take many shapes. Any allegation of harassment, hate crime, bullying, or victimisation will be taken seriously—regardless of the seniority of those involved. Disciplinary action may be taken in line with Queen Mary’s policies.

Using Report + Support

Report + Support is a secure online platform where anyone at Queen Mary can:

• Report incidents of harassment, gender-based violence, or hate crime
• Access information about support options

If you have experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment, violence, or hate crime, please visit: QMUL Report and Support

Our Collective Responsibility

All members of the Queen Mary community share a responsibility to:

• Promote a culture of dignity and respect
• Treat others fairly, with courtesy and consideration
• Challenge inappropriate behaviour when it is safe to do so

Learn more about our commitment here: Our Commitment

16.7. Student conduct in lectures and classes

Aim:
To significantly reduce—ideally eliminate—disruptive behaviour during teaching sessions.

Minimum Standards of Behaviour

While instruction is in progress, students must not:

• Speak without being recognised by the instructor
• Use mobile phones
• Use laptops for non-academic purposes
• Arrive late to the lecture room

These four rules represent the minimum standard for acceptable conduct and must be enforced across all courses.

Instructor Authority and Additional Disruptions

Disruptive behaviour may take other forms beyond those listed above. This policy is intended to support instructors’ authority, not limit their professional judgement. Instructors are encouraged to address any behaviour that negatively affects the learning environment.

Further Guidance

For more information, please refer to:

Code of Student Discipline
Code of Conduct Policy

17. Student Voice

Student Voice and Representation

Your feedback is highly valued by the School of Law and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). There are multiple ways for you to share your views and contribute to improving the student experience.

Ways to Get Involved

You can share feedback and ideas through:

• Student Voice Committees (SVC)
• Course Representatives
• Module Experience Surveys
• Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
• Personal feedback to academic tutors
• Student Ambassadors (e.g., for open days)
• Staff-Student Liaison Committees
• Health and Safety Committee

More information: Your Voice – QMUL

Course Representatives – PG Law

During the first weeks of the programme, we will invite volunteers from each PG Law programme to act as Course Representatives. We aim to have representation from each area we teach.

Each PG Law programme has one or more student reps who work closely with:

• The Student Support Team
• The Professional Development (PD) Team

Together, they help organise events and initiatives that enhance the educational, social, and professional experience of their cohort.

Focus Areas

• Social activities
• Charitable initiatives
• Career-related events

The PD Team also collaborates with reps to deliver programme-specific career events and, where possible, secure exclusive work experience and mentoring opportunities with leading legal professionals. Additionally, the PG Law Careers Team runs weekend workshops on key professional skills such as:

• Effective negotiation
• Accounting for lawyers
• Time management

Training and Recognition

All student reps receive full training from the Students’ Union, in collaboration with the School of Law, before the first SVC meeting. This training prepares reps to:

• Represent their peers effectively
• Liaise with staff and committees

From the pool of volunteers, two main Course Representatives will be nominated and confirmed.

Recognition

Course Reps who complete their training and attend at least one SVC meeting will be invited to the Education Awards Ceremony at the end of the year and receive a certificate. Additional awards are available for those who go above and beyond in their role.

Reps also gain access to additional training sessions that support skill development in areas such as:

• Personal Development Planning
• Communication
• Chairing Meetings
• Negotiation Skills

These sessions contribute to the QM Skills Award, recognising the valuable skills reps develop during their time in the role.

Meetings and Responsibilities

• Reps are expected to attend SVC meetings at LIF once per term, where they can raise concerns directly with programme directors and key staff.
• The two main Course Reps may also be invited to attend QMUL-wide committee meetings (usually no more than two per year).
• Reps should introduce themselves to classmates during lectures and remain approachable for peer feedback.

A list of Course Reps and their QMUL email contacts will be posted on the QMplus Noticeboard.

Look out for email invitations to volunteer for this rewarding opportunity!

17.1. Module Experience Surveys

What are Module Experience surveys?

Module Experience surveys allow you to give your experiences directly to your teacher who is normally the Module Organiser. You complete a survey for each module you take once you’ve finished it, normally at the end of the semester.

The surveys are completed on a platform called Evasys and you can access all the surveys open to you using your Queen Mary login details. Once the survey window is closed your Module Organiser is expected to respond to your feedback by email within fifteen working days.

Access the Evasys dashboard. 

Your responses are confidential. Members of staff who receive your feedback will not be able to identify you. More information on confidentiality of these surveys and where that may not apply can be found on MyQMUL.

Why should you complete the surveys?

Module Organisers receive the results and comments from surveys as soon as they close. This feedback can help them make changes to how the module is taught next time. If something was amazing or didn’t work so well your voice helps improve it for other students on your course. Your teachers care about doing a good job so honest, constructive feedback helps them understand what worked and what could be better.

How you should give your feedback?

Please provide feedback in line with Queen Mary’s values of inclusivity, integrity and accountability.

Remember: This feedback will go directly to your Module Organiser, so you should use constructive language when giving feedback. Focus on:

• what worked
• how could things improve.

When giving feedback, reference specific experiences or examples, this helps staff understand the context and take meaningful action.

Where does your feedback go?

Your Module Organiser will receive your classes’ responses in the first instance and you will be sent their feedback via email.

Your Module Organiser then discusses your feedback with your course/programme director before your School/Institute reviews the results of all the modules running that semester. Around the same time your Student Voice Committee should also be able to discuss results with staff in your School/Institute.

17.2. Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)

The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is conducted every year. It is facilitated by Advance HE, the national body that champions teaching excellence. The PTES gives you, as a postgraduate taught student, an opportunity to give your opinions on what you like about your time at Queen Mary, as well as those aspects that you feel could be improved. Please do consider completing the survey; your feedback really is invaluable and will help us make a difference for future generations of Queen Mary students.

http://my.qmul.ac.uk/your-voice/feedback/postgraduate-taught-experience-survey/

For all enquiries and to contact please e-mail: pglaw-support@qmul.ac.uk

18. Marking Criteria

Assessment Marking Criteria
These guidelines cover the criteria for the assessment of taught modules through examination, as well as extended written work. The criteria build upon and supplement the Queen Mary Assessment Handbook, which is available in the Assessment Handbook (2025-26).

The marking criteria below are designed to apply to all forms of assessment, as appropriate. Assessments are evaluated on six areas:

• the accuracy and relevance of the submission
• evidence of independent or original analysis;
• the quality of the logic and analysis of the submission;
• the use and scope of relevant sources;
• the organisation and structure of the submission;
• accurate, appropriate and consistent referencing and citation of sources; and the English language level of the written text 

The following is broken down into the levels of award that can be achieved under:

• Distinction (70 and above)
• Merit (60-69)
• Pass (50-59)
• Fail (0-49)

18.1. Distinction

Distinction (70 and above)

18.2. Merit

 In addition to the above, Merit answers to problem questions will also satisfy the following criteria:

• Most of the issues raised by the question have been identified, and the application of the relevant legal rules and principles is generally accurate and competent
• There is a conclusion that summarises the argument

18.3. Pass

In addition to the above, a Pass answer to a problem question is one that:

• Misses relevant issues
• Fails to apply or otherwise address relevant legal rules and principles
• Fails to make proper use of the relevant legal rules and principles

18.4. Fail

Fail (0 to 49)

Failure in the condonable Fail range (i.e., 40-49) should be limited to submissions that almost meet the minimum requirements of the assessment criteria.

A non-condonable Fail mark (i.e., 0-39) is appropriate for a submission which indicates no understanding of the issue or significantly misinterprets the question.

There will be little or no mention of any relevant law, with no analysis or application of value. The quality of the written English may be so poor as to be unintelligible.

Such a mark may also be appropriate where the submission is of just a few lines, commonly where a student has run out of time before being able to answer the question properly.

19. Award Postgraduate Taught Programmes

Postgraduate Degree Classifications

Award requirements for LLM/MA/MSc

To be eligible for a Master of LLM (LLM), Master of Arts (MA) or Masters of Science (MSc), a student must meet all of the following requirements:

       i.        take 180 credits, including a minimum 150 credits at level 7. Any credits below level 7 must be at levels 5 or 6; a maximum 15 may be taken at level 5.

      ii.        either:

     iii.        achieve a Classification Mark of 50.0 or higher.

Award requirements for PG Diploma

To be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma a student must meet all of the following requirements:

       i.        take 120 credits, including a minimum 90 credits at level 7. Any credits below level 7 must be at levels 5 or 6; a maximum 15 may be taken at level 5.

      ii.        either:

      iii.        achieve a Classification Mark of 50.0 or higher.

Award requirements for PG Certificate

To be eligible for a PG Certificate, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

       i.        take 60 credits, including a minimum 45 credits at level 7. Any credits below level 7 must be at levels 5 or 6.

      ii.        either

iii.            achieve a Classification Mark of 50.0 or higher.

Overall Classification

Postgraduate awards are classified using the Classification Mark, as below. The Classification Mark is the mean average mark for the full programme of study.

Examination Boards may use the borderline classification policy to recommend a higher award classification than that indicated by a student’s Classification Mark where specified criteria are met and the Subject Examination Board agrees, with collective academic judgement, that the higher classification better reflects the student’s overall performance. The specified criteria are as follows:

• Each student with a Classification Mark within 1.5 per cent of a borderline (except at the pass/fail border) is determined to fall within the ‘zone of consideration’ and will be considered as a possible case for application of the borderline policy;
• A student falling within the zone of consideration and with at least half of their final year credits (half of ‘all’ credits for postgraduate taught awards) with marks at the level of the upper classification (or higher), will be raised to the higher classification.
• Where a student studies on a part-time basis, all modules comprising the full-time equivalent final year will be used in the borderline policy.

To view the award regulations for Queen Mary degrees, please visit the Directorate of Governance and Legal Services webpage at https://www.qmul.ac.uk/governance-and-legal-services/policy/

For more information on Queen Mary’s award regulations, please visit this webpage: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy/

19.1. Exit Award and Condoned Failure (Updated 5 November 2024)

Exit awards

1. Students who fail to achieve their intended award may qualify for an exit award where sufficient credits have been passed and a classification mark has been achieved.
2. For a PG Certificate, students must pass 60 credits with a classification mark of 50% (up to 15 credits may be condoned, with a mark of 40-49).
3. The exit award will be automatically applied where the student does not pass at the final attempt if they pass the required number of credits.

For more information on Queen Mary’s academic regulations, please visit this webpage: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy/

Condoned failure

Failure may be condoned in up to 30 credits of modules of an MA, MBA, LLM, MPA, MRes, or MSc masters award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and,

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and,

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ‘core’ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulations.

Failure may be condoned in up to 30 credits of modules of a PgDip award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and,

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and,

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ʻcoreʼ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulations.

Failure may be condoned in up to 15 credits of modules of a PgCert award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and,

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and,

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ʻcoreʼ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulation

19.2. Examination Boards and Results

Your Results

Subject Examination Boards (SEB)

Once all your assessments have been completed, there will be a Subject Examination Board (SEB) which will consider the provisional results in full. At this time the SEB will also consider any recommendations made by the Extenuating Circumstances Sub-Board and any previous related SEBs.

Degree Examination Board (DEB)

The SEB will report its provisional results and recommendations to the Degree Examination Board (DEB) who in turn will confirm the official final results. These will be available to both graduating and continuing students via MySIS shortly after the DEB has taken place (generally at the end of March, July and at the end of October). In addition, all graduating year students will receive an official transcript of results directly from the Academic Registry by post to the address held on MySIS. Please make sure your address on MySIS is up to date.

The marks are officially confirmed by the Degree Examination Board (DEB).
 
Note: there can be a slight delay with the issue of transcripts due to the sheer volume being processed at one time.
 
Any student in debt to the College at this time will not be permitted to receive their results.
 
The first Subject Examination Board (SEB) usually meets around June to consider results from both assessment periods (Semester 1: A25 and Semester 2: B25), along with marks for all coursework and exams. At this stage, recommendations from the first Extenuating Circumstances Board (EC) are also taken into account.
 
Final confirmation of marks takes place at the Degree Examination Board (DEB), held in July.

Official publication of results (see Publication of Results): This marks the start of the period during which appeals are permitted. Late summer resits and resubmissions of course essays/FAEs will be scheduled as required thereafter.

In October, the second SEB will meet to consider all results, including any Semester 3: C25 modules, resits, and dissertation marks, if applicable. At this time, they will also consider recommendations from the second Extenuating Circumstances (EC) Board.
The marks and classifications are then officially confirmed by the Degree Examination Board (DEB), which is held in October, when awards are made.
 
See Publication of Results -  this is the date from which the period permitted for appeals begins

19.3. Formal result notification/degree certificate

Transcript

You can obtain your official digital transcript of marks through the HEAR system. You will receive an email at your QM email address from GradIntelligence with instructions to register.

For further details, please visit the Registry web page at: HEAR - Your digital transcript - Registry Services

HEARs are typically issued in April, August, and November and provide verified information about your academic results up to that point. More information about the timelines can be found here - HEAR publication dates - Registry Services

Degree Certificate

Degree Certificate

Once you are successfully awarded, your official degree certificate will be produced. This will be given to you either at your Graduation Ceremony or via your registered home address on Mysis – if you’re unable to attend the ceremony.

Your Degree Certificate will state the name of your degree programme, for example: “LLM in Banking and Finance Law”.

If you are registered on a general programme, your degree certificate will state for example: “Masters of Law”. Please note that the degree certificate will not show the individual subjects taken.

19.4. Viewing your Results

To view your assessment marks, log in to MySIS with your usual credentials, where they will be listed. Please note that these marks are provisional and subject to change until they are confirmed by the Degree Examination Board. MySIS will indicate whether the results are provisional or confirmed (official).

For guidance on checking your results on MySIS, please visit the Registry Services web page at: Receiving your results - Registry Services

20. Graduation and Alumni

Your Alumni Network

As a future alumnus of Queen Mary University of London, there are many ways to stay connected with your peers and the wider alumni community—both during your studies and after graduation.

Get Involved

• Alumni Chapters
  Queen Mary has 28 Chapters—social and professional networking groups—mostly organised by geographical region. These help students and alumni connect locally and participate in events.
  There are also two Distance Learning Chapters.
  Find out more and join a Chapter

• LinkedIn Groups
  Join the CCLS Alumni LinkedIn Group to stay updated on community news, upcoming conferences, seminars, and events.
  Join CCLS Alumni LinkedIn

• CCLS Alumni Web Pages
  Explore opportunities to get involved, read alumni news, and learn about upcoming activities.
  Visit the CCLS Alumni Pages

Share Your Story

We’re always looking for student and graduate testimonials to inspire future students.

View current testimonials
Interested in sharing yours? Let us know!

Stay Connected

Look out for the Alumni Team at events throughout the year, including pop-up stands in the CCLS Reception.
You’ll also receive a leaflet during Induction outlining the benefits of being part of the CCLS community.

Interested in alumni engagement? Contact the Alumni Team: alumni@qmul.ac.uk

Graduation

Queen Mary holds two graduation ceremonies each year:

• Summer Ceremony
• Winter Ceremony (usually mid-December)

The Ceremonies Office will contact you a few months before your graduation with booking details for you and your guests.

You may need to book your place before your results are confirmed—this is standard practice due to event timelines. If you do not pass, you can withdraw from the ceremony.

For full details, visit the Graduation

21. Departmental Prizes

The University and the School of Law offer a range of prizes following the release of results. The University presents several Drapers Awards for Excellence, while the School of Law awards The Roy Goode Prize to the best Postgraduate Law student overall. Also, the School of Law usually awards a prize to the top student in each Postgraduate Law programme. Please note that all awards are at the discretion of the School of Law and may depend on the grades achieved.

21.1. QM Extra

Students may also get recognition of the following extra-curricular activity on their HEAR transcript under the QM Extra scheme:

• Postgraduate Law Course Rep
• Programme prize winners
• Sir Roy Goode prize winner
• qLegal Innovation Projects Programme  qLegal Law Tech Extern
• qLegal Advisory Programme
• qLegal Public Legal Education Programme
• PG Law Professional Skills Achievement Programme
• Preiskel Essay Competition Participation

More may be added through the year so please do check the full list of QM Extras and criteria here: HEAR extracurricular achievements - Registry Services (qmul.ac.uk)

22. Appeals and Complaints

An academic appeal is the formal process by which a student can request a review of a decision made by an academic body. This may relate to:

• Progression
• Assessment outcomes
• Award decisions
• Other decisions under Queen Mary policies

Before Submitting an Appeal

• Speak to your School or Institute first. Many concerns can be resolved informally without initiating a formal appeal.
• Your School/Institute can provide feedback on marks or degree classification and help clarify any queries.
• Note: Appeals cannot be used to request feedback on academic work.

Grounds for Appeal

Appeals based on academic judgement (e.g. believing a mark is too low) are not eligible.

There are two valid grounds for an academic appeal:

1. Procedural Error
   Queen Mary’s processes were not followed correctly, and the error significantly affected the decision.

2. Exceptional Circumstances
   You experienced serious adverse circumstances that impacted your ability to study, and you had a valid reason for not disclosing them earlier.

Appeals must be submitted within 15 working days of receiving your results or decision. Late submissions require a valid reason and supporting evidence.

Submit your appeal via AskQM: AskQM Portal

More information: Appeals, Complaints and Conduct Office – Governance and Legal Services

Final Review

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a Formal Appeal, you may request a Final Review, provided you have received an outcome letter stating this option.

Student Complaints

Students may raise complaints about academic or non-academic matters under the Student Complaints Policy.

Complaint Process

1. Informal Resolution
   Speak with a member of staff in your School or Institute. Most issues can be resolved informally.

2. Formal Complaint
   If unresolved, submit a Formal Complaint via the AskQM portal for investigation under the Student Complaints Policy.

3. Complaint Review
   If dissatisfied with the outcome of the Formal Complaint, you may request a Complaint Review via AskQM.

Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)

If you remain dissatisfied after the Complaint Review, you may submit a complaint to the OIA.

• You’ll receive a Completion of Procedures Letter from Queen Mary, which includes guidance on submitting to the OIA.
• More information: www.oiahe.org.uk

Independent Advice

For confidential advice, contact:

Annie Mitchell (Please note Annie is a QMSU staff member, not a student officer.)

Advocacy and Representation Manager, Queen Mary Students’ Union

a.c.mitchell@qmul.ac.uk

23. Student Health Services

Student Health Service

The Student Health Service (SHS) is a free National Health Service (NHS) providing a wide range of medical services. Students living in Queen Mary accommodation at Mile End or Whitechapel and students living in the borough of Tower Hamlets (postcodes E1, E2, E3 and E14) are encouraged to register with the Student Health Service. Out of area registrations may be possible in some cases. Registrations for the SHS can take place online.  The SHS on campus is located in the Geography Building, Mile End (number 28 on map). If you live outside of Tower Hamlets, and you wish to register with a doctor close to where you live, you can find a list of local doctors through the NHS website. Please, visit the Student Health website for further information.

Lost Property

If you have lost something at Queen Mary, please contact the Security Control Room at your campus. If the item has not been handed in, the Security Team  will assist you in completing a lost property report that can be referred to by your insurance company if you need to make a claim. We will keep your contact details and a description of the lost property on file in case the item is handed in later. Please see http://www.security.qmul.ac.uk/ for more details. Your School/Institute may also have its own lost property store.

Parking on Campus

There are no parking facilities available for students unless you are a Blue Badge Holder.

Smoking on Campus

Only in designated areas, other than those areas which are clearly signed. QM is a smoke free campus. You cannot smoke in the QM halls of residence or any other QM building.

Advice and Counselling Service 

The Advice and Counselling Service offers confidential, professional support services to all Queen Mary students. We have helpful advice and guidance for financial, immigration and other practical issues as well as emotional, mental health and wellbeing support on our website (https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/). You will also find information there about our services and how to contact us.

Money and practical advice

Managing practical and financial matters while also focusing on your studies can be challenging. Welfare Advisers provide confidential advice and guidance about funding your studies; planning and managing your budget; tuition fees and fee status; and the practical implications of a change to your studies. We offer dedicated support for students who no longer have contact with their family (estranged), and students who have experience of local authority care, and students from a refugee background. We also provide support for students experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage. Check our website (https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money/) to see the range of advice and guidance we offer, and how to contact us.

Visa and international students’ advice

Immigration rules change frequently and can be complicated. International Student Advisers provide confidential advice and guidance about visas for study (and visas for dependents) as well as other immigration issues, financial advice, and practical matters relating to life in the UK as an international student. Check our website (https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/international/) to see the range of advice and guidance we offer, and how to contact us.

Counselling 

Life can seem like a struggle at times, and it is normal to sometimes feel a bit low or anxious. Sometimes, though, emotional and psychological issues can become too challenging, and may have a negative effect on your studies and well-being. Our Counsellors can help you to make sense of difficult experiences and feelings by providing the opportunity to think and talk reflectively, which can bring relief and meaningful changes.

The first step is meeting confidentially with one of our Counsellors to discuss what type of support might be most useful to you. This might be short term counselling, group therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy or a referral for longer term support or specialist services outside Queen Mary/ in the NHS. For many students, just one or two sessions can really help. Our Counsellors are all highly experienced in working with students, and all types of issues.

Mental Health

We also have a mental health team who can advise and support you to manage a mental health condition while you are studying at Queen Mary. Our Mental Health advisers can advise you about the local NHS and other support services available in Tower Hamlets and the neighbouring boroughs as well as offering a range of interventions to help you manage your mental health.  

Sexual assault and harassment advice

The Sexual Assault and Harassment Adviser (SAHA) is a specialist adviser who provides emotional and practical support to any student who has experienced sexual assault or harassment, whether that’s happened recently or in the past. The SAHA can support you whether this happened at university or not.

The SAHA can provide you with practical support, such as advice around your safety, impartial information and support around your options for reporting both within the University and externally, and signposting/referring you to appropriate support services both within the University and out. The SAHA can also provide emotional support, including supporting you to understand and manage the impact of sexual violence, working with you to develop positive coping strategies and helping you to re-build your self-esteem and trust in yourself and others. 

Contacting the Advice and Counselling Service 

For more information about available services and contact details please visit the Advice and Counselling Service’s website:

www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

23.1. Disability and Dyslexia Service

The university’s Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) offers advice, guidance and support for students with disabilities, including specific learning differences like dyslexia and dyspraxia, as well as mental health diagnoses, from application through to graduation. The range of support that the DDS is able to provide includes:

• Support and guidance in applying for the Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA)
• Support for international disabled students
• Liaison with staff in Queen Mary’s Schools and Institutes regarding ‘reasonable adjustments’
• Support in ensuring that course materials are fully accessible
• Diagnostic assessments for students who think that they might have specific learning differences
• Specialist one-to-one study skills support for students with dyslexia and other specific learning differences
• Specialist mentoring support for students with mental health diagnoses and autism
• On-site and online DSA needs assessments
• Access to ‘non-specialist’ human support, e.g. note-taking
• Access to assistive technology
• Guidance in accessing Examination Access Arrangements, e.g. additional time

Contact

Telephone: 020 7882 2756

Web: www.dds.qmul.ac.uk/

Email: dds@qmul.ac.uk

24. Student Services

The following are the students services.

24.1. Faith at QMUL

Queen Mary welcomes over 30,000 staff and students on its campuses in London and is committed to encouraging religious understanding, freedom of speech and open social interaction. 

Queen Mary is proud of its diverse multicultural population. With a variety of faiths among staff and students, our facilities are designed to be places where people of all faiths are welcome to use the spaces for contemplation, reflection, meditation and worship.

Please, visit Faith at QMUL for further information, including facilities and services, policies and guidelines and other useful information.

24.2. AskQM Frontline Enquiry Team

The AskQM Frontline Enquiry Team is the first line of support for students at Queen Mary University of London. As well as supporting students online via the new student enquiry management system, AskQM, we also provide an in-person and telephone service for our students.

Where to find us

AskQM Lincoln's Inn Fields is located on the Lincoln's Inn Fields Campus in East London. We are located in room 3.5, third floor of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) (building 1 on the campus map).

The nearest station on the London Underground is Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly lines. There are also several bus routes that stop nearby. You can plan your journey using the Transport for London website.

In-person opening hours

• Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 16:00 
• Saturday - Sunday: Closed

24.3. Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships

Student Loans

If you have applied for funding through Student Finance, your first instalment will be released after you have fully enrolled for the academic year.

If your payment is delayed and you are unable to resolve the issue directly with Student Finance, please contact the Student Enquiry Centre for assistance: AskQM Team

Queen Mary Bursaries

Queen Mary Bursaries are assessed using household income information provided by Student Finance.

If you do not wish to take out a student loan but would still like to be considered for a bursary, you must request a household income assessment.
Full details: QMUL Bursary Information

This page includes:

• Eligibility criteria
• Award amounts
• Payment schedules

Queen Mary Financial Assistance Fund

If you are experiencing exceptional or unforeseen financial hardship, you may be eligible for support through the Financial Assistance Fund.

This fund is designed to help students with specific financial needs, though not all applications can be approved, and not all costs may be covered.

More information and application form: Financial Assistance Fund – Registry Services

CCLS Bursary Fund

The Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) offers emergency financial support to students studying in London or Paris who are facing unexpected financial difficulties.

• Support of up to £1,000 per eligible student
• Aimed at covering essential costs such as food, accommodation, equipment, and travel
• Designed to help students continue their studies without financial disruption

Full details and application form: Financial Assistance Fund – Registry Services

Dean’s Benevolence Fund (DBF)

The Dean’s Benevolence Fund provides financial support to students affected by unexpected extenuating circumstances.

Support may be offered as a grant, an interest-free loan, or a combination of both.
Please note: DBF is not intended to supplement standard student finance.

Contact: Kate McFarlane
Tel: 020 7882 2124
Email: k.mcfarlane@qmul.ac.uk

Contact and Support

For queries related to bu

24.4. I.T. Services

We aim to provide exceptional support and innovative solutions to make your academic journey smoother and more enjoyable.

From the moment you step foot on campus, our comprehensive range of services is available. We understand that seamless access to email and the internet is essential for your studies, and we have implemented state-of-the-art technology to ensure a fast and reliable connection. Our high-performance computing resources are tailored to support your research endeavours, enabling you to push boundaries and make ground-breaking discoveries.

We have strategically placed computer rooms throughout the campus to cater to your needs. Equipped with the latest technology, these rooms are readily available for you to utilise. Logging in with your Queen Mary username and password grants you access to all the applications necessary for your coursework. We want to empower you with the tools you need to succeed.

Your IT Account: Details of your Queen Mary username and password will be emailed to your personal address before enrolment. Don't hesitate to contact the service desk – details below – if you have not yet received these.

Please see here for IT Service

• Find an available PC on campus
• Laptop Loan Service – for Students
• AppsAnywhere and Free and Discounted Software for Students
• Print, Copy and Scan
• WIFI
• Mobile app
• IT Services Handbook

Policies: The use of IT facilities is covered by University regulations prohibiting, among other things, software piracy and unauthorised computer use. IT Services policies are published here: http://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/governance/policies/index.html.

Contact the IT Service Desk

IT Live Chat: www.its.qmul.ac.uk

Self Service: https://servicedesk.qmul.ac.uk/

Email: servicedesk@qmul.ac.uk

Telephone: 020 7882 8888 (24/7)

24.5. Communications IT services and support LIF

We have an on-site support person from the IT Services department who will be able to deal with a small category of issues and requests Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. Please notify the CCLS Reception about the issue who will contact the support person for you. Support can be provided on-site at LIF for the following:

• Wi-Fi
• Printing facilities
• IT Suite computers
• Basic issues with personal laptops / tablets / phones
• QMplus support is provided locally at CCLS (see section 3.8) or by the Service Desk

The IT Service Desk based in Mile End Campus will be able to deal with everything else and are your first point of contact if the CCLS support person is unavailable:

Tel: +44 (0)207 882 8888 (an internal-only phone can be found opposite the student printer in the LG floor IT Suite, dial 8888).

IT Live Chat: https://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/support/

Email: its-helpdesk@qmul.ac.uk  (non-QMUL addresses will be rejected)

Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.00pm

Out of Hours phone support service, called NorMAN, can be reached by dialling the usual IT Service Desk number, 0207 882 8888. They can be contacted between 7pm - 7am on weekdays; all weekends, College Closures and Bank Holidays.

24.6. QMplus Online Support for Modules and Noticeboards (FOR ALL)

At QMUL we extensively use the QMplus system, a Moodle based VLE, for communicating module and other important information to students. 

The Early Weeks

During the first few weeks of Teaching Period one in particular, there could be changes to class venues or rooms. Once notified to the PG Law Office, these amendments will be posted onto the relevant QMplus Noticeboard under the Important Announcement heading. 

Access to noticeboards and all other QMplus pages described below is via: http://qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/

24.7. QMplus Support for Module Teaching

Online delivery of module materials most, if not all, PG Law programme modules are taught through a mixture of materials that will be given to you, along with online activities. There is also an online discussion for each module. You can access all online materials through QMplus, including updated reading lists as appropriate and many other useful teaching tools. 

The QMplus module page is updated by the teaching academic(s) or teaching assistants involved with the module. 

24.8. PG Law Noticeboard

This page will publish external opportunities for conferences etc. and highlight Internal QM events which may be of general interest.  (Such as student parties!)

It is also a point of contact for all PG law students, regardless of individual programme of registration, to include taught and research students – the following link should take you to the page but it will appear on all students QMplus dashboard

PG Law Taught Programmes Noticeboard | MyQMUL

24.9. Access to ALL QMplus module pages during module selection period/Inductions

Until your module choices have been officially registered at the end of the induction period, you will be able to access ALL individual module QMplus pages as a guest user. 

To access a module page as a guest: go to QMplus and use the search box to find the module pages you want to view. You can simply search when ‘All Modules’ is selected for the relevant module code, e.g. SOLM000. Clicking on the search result will prompt you to enter a password. Please use the guest access password shown below.

QMplus Guest Access Password: PGLAW

Once guest access to ALL modules is closed down, you will ONLY have access to the QMplus module pages for your registered modules. There can be a delay in the removal of access so please do not worry if you continue to have access for a while - this does not mean your module choices have not been recorded correctly.

24.10. QMplus Access/Logins

From mid-October, you will be able to login normally with your own username and password to all available QMplus pages.

You should then use your QM allocated Username and Password to enter the QMplus system. Please note your username consists of lowercase letters and numbers (ex. lcw123) and is the first part of your College email address. This will then take you to the QMplus landing page for Postgraduate Law.

You will also find many useful links on the landing page – including PGLS, past exam papers, MYSIS, Law Library and more.

24.11. CCLS QMplus Helpdesk

Although some problems will have to be resolved centrally by IT services as above, most other problems/questions can be resolved by our QMplus Digital Learning Advisor, who is based in LIF 3.5.

The DLA can help you with any problems accessing your modules or Programme noticeboards, finding and downloading materials, uploading assignments, using the forums and chat features, posting messages, updating your QMplus profile page and diagnosing problems. Please note that this academic year these drop-in sessions may be held remotely through Microsoft Teams.

During induction weeks, the DLA will be running troubleshooting drop-in sessions for any students who are experiencing difficulty with using QMplus. Students are particularly encouraged to see her at these times to help to solve early issues.

In-person assistance is available to students between 13:00 - 16:30 Mon-Wed during the teaching period.  Virtual assistance is available to students between 13:00 - 16:30 Thurs/Fri during the teaching period.  Students wishing to contact the DLA can either drop in or send a ticket via AskQM. Please note that one-to-one appointments will likely be held remotely over MS Teams. 

To contact, please use Ask QM and follow these steps when creating a ticket:

Please make sure that when contacting for assistance, you include all necessary information:

Teaching timetable

The teaching timetable will be given to you at induction. Any changes to the teaching timetable will be notified to you via your QMUL email account or via your individual module QMplus pages once your modules have been chosen.  A copy of the timetable will also be available on the Joint Programmes Noticeboard on QMplus.

Class cancellations

Notification of any class cancellations or change of venue etc., will normally be notified to you at class level OR via the QMplus page for the individual module concerned. If QMplus is NOT used by your taught module, then the academic will usually contact you direct (via email).

Reading Lists

The individual module outlines given out at induction and during the initial lectures will contain reading lists, as will most individual module QMplus pages.

Course materials (hard copies and/or books) 

If you are informed during your lecture to collect course materials then this will either be held at CCLS Reception or the PG Law Office LIF 3.5.

Centre for Commercial Law Centre reception +44 (0)20 7882 8100

Examinations – format and past papers

If you have any questions about the examination paper format prior to sitting them, you should refer them to either the teaching academic concerned or to one of the Programme Directors. You will automatically have access to the Past Examination Papers Library within QMplus.

Postgraduate Law Programme Noticeboards

For each programmes we use specific QMplus noticeboards throughout your study year, to post announcements specific to your studies and other events, these will also be received as an email to your QM email account.

The early weeks

During the first few weeks of teaching period one in particular, there could be changes to class venues or rooms. Once notified to the PG Law Office, these amendments will be posted onto the QMplus Noticeboard under the Important Announcement heading.  Only the most urgent announcements will be added here as this will also generate an automatic email to ALL students. 

You are advised to check the QMplus Noticeboard PG Law Taught Programmes Noticeboard regularly during the first few weeks of the programme as other information may be added that does NOT generate a reminder email but could be important. (Please note, however, that it is sometimes difficult to notify students in advance of any last minute changes).  However, please note that once your taught modules have been confirmed, notification of any class cancellations or change of venue etc. on an individual module will normally be notified to you at class level OR via the QMplus page for the individual module concerned.  

Dissertation Support Noticeboard

This noticeboard is used to support and notify you of issues relating to the Dissertation element of your programme. Both the CTWL staff and the PG Law Tutor(s) will use this board to notify you of changes/availability. It also has some useful guidance documents on dissertation writing generally.  It is also the point of submission for your dissertation title/proposal AND the dissertation itself: PG Dissertation Support Noticeboard 2025/26

Individual Programme Noticeboards 

You will automatically have access to a noticeboard which is specific to your programme of study. For example, if you are studying LLM Intellectual Property, you will have automatic access to the ‘Intellectual Property Law Noticeboard ’.

Note: Some programme pages are combined for related areas, please see list below. (These combinations are largely the same as those used during inductions) 

These pages will be used to send you notices and invitations which are specific to your area of study so do remember to check them regularly.  

AI and the Law

Art, Business and the Law LLM

Banking and Finance Law LLM

CCLS Paris Admin Info

Commercial and Corporate Law and International Business Law LLM

Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM

Competition Law LLM

Criminal Justice, Human Rights and Immigration Law LLM

Energy and Climate Change Law, Environmental Law and Public International Law LLM

Fashion Law LLM

Human Rights LLM

Intellectual Property Certificate

Intellectual Property Law LLM

International Trade and Economic Law LLM

International Maritime Law, Insurance Law LLM

Specialist IP Programme

Law and Finance MSc AND Law and Economics LLM

Law of the Creative Industries

Management of Intellectual Property MSc

Regulation and Compliance LLM/MSc

SQE Preparation Noticeboard

Tax Law LLM

Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law LLM

Trade Mark Law and Practice Certificate

Visiting Scholars and Researchers

If you feel that this may benefit your study, you can request to be added as a guest on ONE additional programme page.  Please email the QMplus Helpdesk at qmplus.cclshelpdesk@qmul.ac.uk

These requests will be monitored and approved by the QMplus team.

24.12. QMplus Helpdesk and help with access

Should you have problems logging into QM services generally, (for example, email issues or unable to login to QMplus at all), please contact IT services via: https://helpdesk.its.qmul.ac.uk/helpdesk/ or through the 'Help and Support' links at the bottom of QMplus).

24.13. Libraries

Library Services at Queen Mary is your source for knowledgeable, helpful staff, study environments supporting a range of modes of learning and research, and access to your core and wider reading needs, as well as specialist support for managing and sharing your research.

Academic Skills

The Library Learning Support and Engagement team works in a number of ways with taught students at any level, undergraduate or postgraduate, from any subject discipline, to develop the skills and practices needed to become more effective in their academic work and excel at university.

Areas covered include: writing for academic purposes, finding and evaluating relevant literature and sources of information, adapting to university, effective reading and note-making, maths and statistics support, presentation skills, time management, critical thinking, understanding marking criteria, using feedback, writing in different disciplines, revision and exam preparation and avoiding plagiarism. 

Faculty Liaison Librarians, Senior Academic Skills Advisers and Information Skills Assistants offer support and developmental opportunities in the form of one-to-one tutorials, workshops, drop-ins, and online resources. In addition, we host Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Fellows who offer writing advice to both taught and research students.

For more information on the services and resources available, and how to access them, visit https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/academic-skills/

Where do I study?

We manage a range of study environments that support different modes of study, including our three London campus libraries at Mile End, Whitechapel, and West Smithfield; each has a character and ambience of its own.  From individual silent study, to small group study, to hybrid working, our spaces are open seven days a week for long hours to meet your needs. On our Mile End campus, we provide a number of reserved and bookable study spaces for postgraduate use only.    

Find out more about Libraries and library-managed study and research spaces

Queen Mary Library Services also provides you with access to other libraries, such as those at Senate House or the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

How do I find the reading materials I need for my course?

Our collections cover core reading texts and media set via reading lists, wider reading for context and deeper understanding, as well as research texts and other material to support broader exploration. Our collections are a mixture of physical and electronic editions. Where we do not hold an item that you would like to access, we may be able to purchase it, borrow it via Inter-library loan from elsewhere, or provide you with access via membership to another university or research library. 

Start searching the collections using Library Search

Find out how to get access to materials which Library Services do not currently own.

Your reading list is a good place to start, or see the guide for your subject on our website for a wider overview of the types of resources supporting your area of study. 

How do I find help?

All the up-to-date information on our services is available on our website. If you need help getting answers to questions, you can contact us remotely via webchat or email, and in person at the Welcome Desks in each of our libraries.

Contacts for Library Services

Website: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/

Email: library@qmul.ac.uk 

Webchat: https://qmul.libanswers.com/

Telephone: 020 7882 8800

24.14. Institute of Advance Legal Studies (IALS)

The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library (IALS)

To join this library, you will have to show your QM student ID card and complete the online IALS Library Registration Form.

The IALS Library:

• Receives funding directly from QM to enable them to provide all PG Law students with excellent quality library support.
• Receives reading lists for all PG Law modules and undertakes to make available all core reading and a wide and interesting variety of supplemental literature.
• Is one of the largest and broadest single subject law libraries in Europe, with access to over a quarter of a million books and over three thousand serials, across a wide range of legal topics and jurisdictions.
• Actively monitors circulation statistics, and purchases multiple copies of heavily used course books.
• Will, where possible, obtain electronic access to key resources to facilitate students' research, and enthusiastically pursue a policy to make as many of our electronic resources as possible available to QMUL students offsite.
• Can offer expert advice, training and assistance in your legal research.
• Offers a postgraduate only working environment to facilitate your studies.

Contact:

• Laura Griffiths, Assistant Librarian
• Academic Services Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library
• University of London
• 17 Russell Square, LONDON WC1B 5DR
• Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 5820
• Fax: +44 (0) 20 7862 5770
• Email: ials@sas.ac.uk
• Web: www.ials.sas.ac.uk

24.15. Accommodation

The teams main responsibilities are:

Housing Services, based in the Housing Hub, Feilden House, Westfield Way at Mile End, manage halls applications, room allocations, room transfer requests, summer accommodation, residential fees as well as providing a comprehensive alternative housing service.

Residential Services, based at the Residences Reception, France House, Westfield Way at Mile End, look after you once you have moved into Queen Mary Halls and has three key areas you will interact with during your stay; Residential Operations, Residential Life and Residential Welfare and Support.

If you are a resident in University accommodation you should consult the Residents’ Handbook for comprehensive information on all aspects of living in halls including contact details for the relevant teams:

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/residences/handbook/.

Contact Housing Services

Email: housingservices@qmul.ac.uk

Contact Residential Services

Email: residences-reception@qmul.ac.uk

www.qmul.ac.uk/residences

25. Programme Overview

General Academic Support 

All students are free to seek advice from academic staff on an informal basis. Academic staff have office hours during which they are available to students. If you would like to schedule an appointment an appointment with an Academic, please email them directly. Check the faculty web pages for staff email addresses: http://www.law.qmul.ac.uk/people/ or check your course QMplus page for more details.

If you are seeking advice on matters relating to your programme of study within the School, we would suggest you first contact the PG Law Support Team.  Contact details can be found here.

25.1. Postgraduate Law Programmes

For Programme Structures and modules, click here: Programme and Module Description Book 2025-26

26. Careers & Employability at CCLS

Postgraduate students at Queen Mary’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) benefit from a dedicated Careers & Employability service tailored to the needs of the PG Law students.

Whether pursuing a legal practice, transitioning to a new sector, or exploring international options, students receive expert support to navigate their next steps with confidence.

The Careers & Employability team provides a collaborative structure that brings together careers guidance, employer engagement, mentoring, and internships under one cohesive structure.

26.1. Meet the Team

Meet the Team

The CCLS Careers & Employability team provides specialist employability support for all CCLS postgraduate students. Together, the team supports students from enrolment through graduation and beyond, helping them clarify goals, build employability, and make informed career decisions.

The team comprises of:

·         Careers Consultants Sera and Dara, who lead the core careers offering, including one-to-one specialised guidance, core careers skills workshops, employer events, recruiter events, networking evenings, panel discussions and online resources.

·         Programme Officer, Linh, which connects students with legal professionals and practical work experience opportunities via the Mentoring & Internship Programmes.

PG Law Careers Services:

As Careers Consultants, Sera and Dara provide the core careers offerings and tailored guidance for all stages of career development.

• Dara is a qualified lawyer with over 30 years’ experience, offering deep insight into legal practice and recruitment.
• Sera holds two law degrees and specialises in career transitions, international job markets, and coaching.

26.2. PG Law Careers Services

As Careers Consultants, Sera and Dara provide the core careers offerings and tailored guidance for all stages of career development.

• Dara is a qualified lawyer with over 30 years’ experience, offering deep insight into legal practice and recruitment.
• Sera holds two law degrees and specialises in career transitions, international job markets, and coaching.

What they offer:

One-to-One Career Appointments
Students can book 25-minute confidential appointments (in person or online) to receive tailored advice and guidance. These sessions are designed to help with:

• CV, cover letter, and application reviews – ensuring materials are targeted, well-structured, and appropriate for different legal markets.
• Interview preparation and mock interviews – practicing common questions, building confidence, and learning how to communicate strengths clearly.
• Career planning and decision-making – exploring potential roles, industries, or countries that align with students’ interests and qualifications.
• Strategic presentation of academic experience – highlighting research, language skills, and international backgrounds to stand out to employers.
  
  

Appointments are open to all CCLS postgraduate students and available to alumni for up to three years after graduation.

Skills Workshops & Career Preparation
The consultants deliver interactive sessions across the academic year to help students build the tools and confidence to succeed. These workshops cover:

• Application techniques –Writing compelling and tailored legal CVs and cover letters
• Interview and assessment skills – preparing for online assessments, video interviews, and law firm recruitment processes.
• Networking and LinkedIn strategies – learning how to build a professional presence and connect meaningfully with legal professionals.

26.3. Employer & Alumni Engagement

The team runs a range of insight events that connect students with legal professionals and recruiters, including:

• Alumni panels featuring former CCLS students sharing career journeys, job search tips, and sector-specific insights.
• Networking sessions with practising lawyers, in-house counsel, NGO professionals, and policy experts.
• Employer-led talks offering practical advice on hiring expectations, sector developments, and how to stand out as a candidate.
• Recruiter events where students can meet, engage and network with recruiters to understand the Bhind the scenes of the recruitment process.
• Specialist career events tailored to practice areas like arbitration, tech law, ESG, and international human rights.

26.4. Online Career Resources

As Careers Consultants, Sera and Dara provide the core careers offerings and tailored guidance for all stages of career development.

• Dara is a qualified lawyer with over 30 years’ experience, offering deep insight into legal practice and recruitment.
• Sera holds two law degrees and specialises in career transitions, international job markets, and coaching.

What they offer:

One-to-One Career Appointments
Students can book 25-minute confidential appointments (in person or online) to receive tailored advice and guidance. These sessions are designed to help with:

• CV, cover letter, and application reviews – ensuring materials are targeted, well-structured, and appropriate for different legal markets.
• Interview preparation and mock interviews – practicing common questions, building confidence, and learning how to communicate strengths clearly.
• Career planning and decision-making – exploring potential roles, industries, or countries that align with students’ interests and qualifications.
• Strategic presentation of academic experience – highlighting research, language skills, and international backgrounds to stand out to employers.
  
  

Appointments are open to all CCLS postgraduate students and available to alumni for up to three years after graduation.

Skills Workshops & Career Preparation
The consultants deliver interactive sessions across the academic year to help students build the tools and confidence to succeed. These workshops cover:

• Application techniques –Writing compelling and tailored legal CVs and cover letters
• Interview and assessment skills – preparing for online assessments, video interviews, and law firm recruitment processes.
• Networking and LinkedIn strategies – learning how to build a professional presence and connect meaningfully with legal professionals.

26.5. Postgraduate Law Mentoring Programme

Postgraduate Law Mentoring & Internships Programme

Alongside careers guidance, students benefit from mentoring and internship opportunities coordinated by Linh, who manages two key initiatives within the Careers & Employability provision at CCLS.

Postgraduate Law Mentoring Programme

This exclusive scheme matches students with experienced professionals across the legal sector—including law firms, NGOs, chambers, regulators, and multinational organisations. Mentees benefit from:

• One-to-one guidance from industry mentors
• Tailored support with job applications and professional development
• Insights into legal workplace culture
• A flexible, student-led mentoring structure

Contact: pglawmentoring@qmul.ac.uk

26.6. CCLS Internship Support

The internship team works closely with employers to share opportunities and support students in gaining legal experience. While not a formal placement service, the support includes:

• Circulating employer-submitted internships
• Hosting internship preparation workshops
• Providing administrative guidance, including the Convention de Stage for international placements

1. Where can I access legal career guidance?

• You can find a range of resources and support for legal career development on our dedicated webpage:
  https://www.qmul.ac.uk/ccls/careers-employability/career-support-students/
• We also offer a dedicated QMplus module called PG Law Careers, where students can access recordings, materials, and sign up for updates from our Career Consultants.
  Access it here: https://qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=22966

2. What is the Convention de Stage / Internship Agreement?

• The Convention de Stage is a required document for internships, especially for students based at our Paris campus.
• Some UK-based employers may also request a similar agreement before onboarding students.
• This document is a three-way agreement between Queen Mary (the university), the employer, and you (the student).
• Learn more here: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/ccls/careers-employability/career-support-students/internship-agreements/

3. Can I undertake work experience during my course?

• Home or EU students with Pre-Settled or Settled Status: You may work without restrictions.
• International (Overseas) Students:
• You may work up to 20 hours per week during term time.
• You may work full-time during official university vacation periods, including:
• Christmas Break (end of Semester 1 teaching – start of Semester 1 exams)
• Easter Break (end of Semester 2 teaching – start of Semester 3)
• You may also work full-time after your course has officially ended. The official course end date is listed on your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) and in MySIS. Please double-check both sources to ensure they match.
• You may undertake temporary or fixed-term roles post-study. However, to begin a permanent role, you must have applied for or hold a Graduate Visa or Skilled Worker Visa.
• For more details, please visit the QMUL Advice & Counselling Visa and Immigration Guidance.
• If you're unsure about your eligibility, email pglaw-internship@qmul.ac.uk for individual guidance.

4. My employer has requested a confirmation of study letter with my term dates. Where can I get this?

• You can request an official letter via the Student Enquiry Centre using AskQM.
• In some cases, this letter may already be available through your Gradintelligence account, which is activated at the start of your programme.

5. I still have further questions or concerns about employment

• If you’re unsure about any aspect of your employment eligibility or have concerns related to internships, work rights, or visa conditions, please contact us:  pglaw-internship@qmul.ac.uk.
• We’ll provide you with the most up-to-date guidance and tailored advice based on your specific situation.

26.7. Stay Connected! 

The Careers and Employability team at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies is excited to welcome you to the new academic year.

We look forward to supporting you throughout your journey at CCLS and helping you make the most of the opportunities ahead!

27. Safety and Emergencies

You should familiarise yourself with emergency procedures in all areas where you study or work. This includes knowing the location of:

• Emergency exits
• Assembly points
• Fire safety equipment

If you hear a fire alarm, immediately leave the building via the nearest emergency exit—do not go to any other part of the building. Proceed to the designated assembly point and report to the Fire Marshal. Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so.

Emergency Contacts

Fire Safety at Lincoln’s Inn Fields (LIF)

On Hearing the Fire Alarm

• The alarm is tested every Wednesday at 10am. If it sounds for more than 30 seconds, evacuate immediately.
• Leave the room with any visitors and close the door behind you.
• Do not use the lift.
• Follow signs to the nearest fire exit and proceed to the assembly point outside 3–6 Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
• If you cannot self-evacuate, go to the nearest Refuge Point and follow instructions on the panel or your Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).
• Do not re-enter the building until cleared by the Fire Brigade or CCLS Fire Coordinator.

On Discovering a Fire

• Shout “FIRE” and activate the alarm by breaking the glass on a red manual call point (located near stair exits).
• Leave the room with any visitors and close the door.
• Do not use the lift.
• Proceed to the assembly point outside the building.
• Call 999 and provide the address:
  67–69 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3JB
• Do not re-enter until authorised.

Emergency Refuge Points

If you are unable to self-evacuate:

• Discuss obtaining a PEEP with Dyslexia and Disability Services.
• Proceed to the nearest Refuge Point and press the “Talk” button to alert responders.
• Communication will be established via the refuge system.
• A dynamic risk assessment will determine whether evacuation is necessary.
• If evacuation is required, it will be carried out using an Evacuation Chair.

Accident / Incident Reporting

All accidents, near misses, injuries, sudden illnesses, and first aider attendances must be reported using the University’s online system:

Accident / Incident Reporting – Queen Mary

Alternatively, seek assistance at Reception.

Emergency Contacts

In case of an incident requiring immediate attendance of emergency services, always dial:

• Emergency Services: 999

For campus-specific support, contact:

• CCLS Reception: 020 7882 8100 / 8125
• QMUL Security: 020 7882 3333
• Health & Safety Helpdesk: hs-helpdesk@qmul.ac.uk / 020 7862 8968 / 5701
• Student Health Service (term time only): 020 7882 8710

28. Other useful contacts at Queen Mary

Advice and Counselling Service

📍 Ground Floor, Geography Building, Mile End Campus
📞 +44 (0)20 7882 8717
🔗 www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS)

📍 Room 3.06, The Bancroft Building, Mile End Campus
📧 dds@qmul.ac.uk
🔗 www.dds.qmul.ac.uk

Student Enquiry Centre

For queries about all aspects of your studies
🔗Contact us

Fees Office (Finance Department)

📧 fees@qmul.ac.uk

🔗Contact us

Students' Union (QMSU)

📍 Room 329, Mile End Campus
📞 +44 (0)20 7882 8030
🔗 www.qmsu.org

Student Health Centre

📍 Ground Floor, Geography Building, Mile End Campus
🔗 Student Health Service

Careers Service

📍 WG3, Queens' Building, Mile End Campus
📞 +44 (0)20 7882 8533
📧 careers@qmul.ac.uk
🔗 www.careers.qmul.ac.uk

Residences Office

📍 The Housing Hub, Fielden House, Mile End Campus
📞 +44 (0)20 7882 6473
📧 residences@qmul.ac.uk
🔗 Residences Contact Page

IT Help and General Information

🔗 IT Services for Students

📘 A full list of services and contacts is available in your main student guide:
🔗 my.qmul.ac.uk

29. Appendix I

Appendix I

29.1. Appendix I - Guidelines for answering exam questions

This appendix provides brief guidance on the types of questions that students may be asked to complete in respect of an examination or a final assessment exercise.  The guidance regarding essay-type questions is also relevant essays and dissertations, but please see also Appendix II.  Please note that module-specific guidance may be given by the module convenor, in class and/or in the module syllabus.

Updated: 19/09/2024

29.2. General Comments

Questions are designed to give students the opportunity to display their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter covered in the module.  Students are not expected to answer questions outside the stated scope of the module.

The rubric at the front of the paper will clearly specify the number of questions in the paper and the number of questions a student is required to answer (e.g., ʻthree out of five questionsʼ).  Unless clearly stated otherwise, each question has the same weight.  Therefore, students should endeavour to divide their time equally between each answer.

Different types of exam questions call for different approaches.  The primary distinction is between essay and problem questions.  Some assessments use a mixture of both; others rely exclusively on one question type or the other.  The following outlines how these typically differ and how students are generally expected to respond.

Regardless of the type of question, the answer should be written clearly.  Poor spelling and grammar can undermine the clarity of an answer and thereby affect marking.  They should also be clearly structured, with separate paragraphs, headings or sections, where appropriate, to deal with separate issues.  Where possible, time should be allocated for reviewing the answer before submission.

29.3. Essay Questions

Essay questions require the student to evaluate, compare, explain or comment on a specific topic or issue.  As this is a postgraduate programme, students are expected to critically engage with the subject matter of the module in responding to the question, and not simply describe the law without further comment.

The question may be deliberately ambiguous, in which case the answer should explain the nature of the ambiguity.  Alternatively, it may appear to take a position, in which case the answer can agree with the statement, disagree or analyse the statement without taking a position.  In all cases, however, students are expected to address the question asked and not simply write down everything they know about the topic, in the hope that the examiner will be able to pick out the relevant analysis or be impressed by the discussion of irrelevant points.  Thus, generally speaking the answer should avoid long introductions, excessive historical background, and lengthy descriptions of statutes, regulations and cases.

The questions may specify the jurisdiction to which the answer should relate (e.g., ʻunder UK lawʼ) or ask for a comparison of two or more jurisdictions.  Where the question contains no express or implied jurisdictional link, students may refer to any relevant jurisdiction of which they have knowledge.

In general, the introduction should briefly set out the issues and the approach the answer will take.  The answer should then proceed to address the question posed point by point, in a logical and critical fashion.  The answer should remain focused on the question asked and not get trapped in irrelevant details.  The conclusion should sum up the argument.  It should follow logically from what has gone before and can also reflect on developments going forward.

The answer should

•   Address the question asked – all parts of the question but only the question.
•   Be analytical, evaluative and critical.
•   Discuss any relevant controversial issues surrounding a topic.
•   Be structured in a logical and comprehensible manner.  It may be helpful to briefly outline the answer before starting to write.

29.4. Problem Questions

Problem questions generally present a scenario or set of facts and ask for analysis, perhaps drafted as advice to a client.  The question should be reviewed carefully, and the significant facts and issues raised by the fact pattern should be identified.  The facts should be analysed with reference to the relevant rules of law.  Any relevant information that has not been supplied in the question should be noted, with an explanation of its importance.  Any assumptions made in lieu of explicit information should also be stated.

Depending on what is requested, it may be appropriate to offer advice to the parties.  The advice or analysis should endeavour to be even-handed and consider different aspects of the problem and should be supported with reference to relevant legal rules or principles.  In general, the structure of the answer should reflect the logical sequence suggested by the fact pattern.

30. Appendix II Dissertation

Introduction

The dissertation provides an opportunity to undertake in-depth research on a legal topic of your choice.  This will contribute to the development of a wide range of transferable skills such as writing, research and project management skills.  Producing a clearly structured and well written piece of work can be highly rewarding from an academic and a personal perspective, and demonstrating the ability to do so is important professionally, for both future practitioners and academics

There is no pre-set formula for writing a dissertation.  These guidelines provide some information on the standard expected and general advice on how to plan and write your dissertation.

Part-time students should note that while you are not expected to write your dissertation until your second year, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of the relevant deadlines, as announced at the beginning of the year.

Choosing a Topic

We encourage you to start thinking about your dissertation early in your first term.  The primary questions to address in choosing a topic are: ‘What question really interests me?’ and ‘Does it provide sufficient scope for a dissertation?’  In general, you should explore a legal question which you find interesting, important or puzzling, and one which you feel you have the knowledge and understanding, or can acquire the knowledge and understanding, to tackle well.

The dissertation topic must be within your specialism but is otherwise up to you.

Selecting Modules That Support Your Dissertation

We strongly recommend that you select a taught module in an area that directly relates to your proposed dissertation topic.  This will support your dissertation research and expose you to legal issues related to your proposed topic.

Topic Overlap with Taught Modules

Your dissertation cannot substantially discuss or explore a topic which is covered extensively in any taught module, whether or not you have taken or will take the module.  This is not usually a problem, as generally speaking the dissertation covers a topic in much greater depth than it would be in a module.  However, if you think your topic may overlap significantly with a taught module, please discuss this with the module convenor.

Topic Overlap with Dissertations

You may find that you have a similar idea for your dissertation topic to one of your fellow students.  This is not a problem.  However, you may not work with or borrow material of any kind from any other student.  Please familiarise yourself fully with Queen Mary’s plagiarism policy.

Dissertation Title and Proposal Submission and Plagiarism Statement

Once you have chosen your topic you will need to decide on your dissertation title and prepare a 200-word topic proposal outlining your dissertation area and research plans. You will need to complete a form and submit it via the QMplus Postgraduate Dissertation Support Noticeboard by the deadline.  No extensions will be granted.

By submitting, you are confirming that you have read and understand the regulations regarding plagiarism.  The plagiarism statement will also be viewable at the point of submission.

Please note that the submission provides us with the information necessary to allocate a supervisor.  The more detailed the information, the more likely we are to be able to allocate a suitable supervisor.

Please keep a copy of your proposal as you will need it when contacting your supervisor.

Changes to Title and/or Topic Area

It is quite normal to amend the focus and title of the dissertation as your research progresses.  You should discuss any such changes with your supervisor.  Please note that it will not be possible to allocate a new supervisor, even if he or she is not an expert in the new area.  Also, major changes in research focus may mean that time is spent on work that is not ultimately included in the dissertation.

Plagiarism

‘Queen Mary defines “plagiarism” as presenting someone else’s work as your own, irrespective of intention.  Close paraphrasing; copying from the work of another person, including another student; using the ideas of another person without proper acknowledgement; and repeating work that you have previously submitted – at Queen Mary or at another institution – without properly referencing yourself (known as “self-plagiarism”) also constitute plagiarism.’

Academic Misconduct Policy: Academic Misconduct 2025-26

Plagiarism is a serious offence and all students suspected of plagiarism will be subject to investigation. For students found guilty of plagiarism, the possible penalties include a formal reprimand, failing the module, the module mark being capped at the minimum pass mark, suspension from the programme or expulsion from Queen Mary.  For further information, see Queen Mary’s Academic Misconduct Policy at http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/assessment-offences.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Most cases of plagiarism are inadvertent; ie they were not intended to plagiarism.  However, intent does not matter; inadvertent plagiarism is still plagiarism.  Fortunately, it is quite easy to avoid inadvertent plagiarism – ensure that all works used are referenced appropriately in the dissertation.  Proper citation not only avoids plagiarism, it demonstrates that you have done the necessary research, provides the reader with the opportunity to check your sources and fulfils your obligation to give credit to the original source.

Be sure to record your sources when taking notes, and to cite these if you use ideas or, especially, quotations from the original source.  Be particularly careful if you are cutting and pasting information between documents, and ensure that references are not lost in the process.

Direct quotations for the published or unpublished work of another must always be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks, and a full reference to their source must be provided in the proper form.  Paraphrased ideas of others must also be credited properly.

Examples of external sources which must be referenced to avoid plagiarism include:

• direct quotations;
• arguments or conclusions from other authors which you have summarised or paraphrased;
• extracts from external sources which you have reproduced or adapted anywhere in the dissertation (in appendices as well as the main body of the work);
• images or graphical depictions which you have reproduced or adapted anywhere in the dissertation (in appendices as well as the main body of the work); and
• ideas which you have presented in an earlier work.

As a general rule, if you have discussed or referred to an idea, conclusion, quote or piece of data which is not original to your dissertation, even if it is your own idea, conclusion, quotation or item of data from another work, it should be referenced.

Be sensible in referencing commonly known facts; these do not generally require acknowledgment to particular sources.

Support

Since the dissertation is such an important component of your programme, we have designed several support mechanisms to assist you.  These include:

• the dissertation guidance in the Postgraduate Taught Programmes Handbook
• Dissertation Overview Sessions
• Dissertation Research Sessions
• Your supervisor
• Postgraduate Law Tutors
• Taught Programmes Dissertations Director
• Critical Thinking and Writing in Law Programme

Dissertation Overview Sessions

Led by the Taught Programmes Dissertations Director, these sessions will give you a solid grounding in how the dissertation process works, including selecting a topic, the support mechanisms in place, plagiarism and other issues.  They are generally held in October for students beginning in September and in February for students beginning in January.  Attendance is mandatory for all students writing a dissertation.

More information on these sessions will be posted on the QMplus Postgraduate Dissertation Support Noticeboard and emailed to you.

Dissertation Research Sessions

Writing a dissertation can be a confusing, difficult task, especially if you have not written one before and do not know where to begin.  As you begin to explore possible legal questions, it is important to have some guidance.  To assist you, specialisms with mandatory dissertations have sessions that will give you the opportunity to discuss possible topics and ask questions of academic staff in the area of law that interests you.  This should assist you in finalising your dissertation topic.

More information on these sessions will be posted on the QMplus Postgraduate Dissertation Support Noticeboard and emailed to you.

Your Supervisor

The function of the supervisor is to discuss with you the structure of your dissertation and provide guidance on legal research and writing.

You are reminded that a dissertation is an assessment completed by a written submission.  Consequently, the work is to be done by the student and the expectation that the supervisor will edit, provide detailed feedback and/or assist in basic research is not consistent with the expectations of the dissertation.

Dissertation supervisors will be allocated after the Dissertation Title and Proposal Form has been submitted.  The form is crucial as it provides us with the necessary information to allocate an appropriate supervisor.  We attempt to match students to a supervisor who is familiar with the research topic, but this cannot be guaranteed and should therefore not be relied upon.

You will be notified of your allocated supervisor by email or through QMplus.  It is your responsibility to contact your supervisor and arrange the initial and subsequent meetings.  When you first make contact with your supervisor, you should include the dissertation title, proposal, a suggested outline and a suggested work schedule.  It is also your responsibility to ensure that you schedule all supervision meetings in good time and plan your time appropriately to be able to make best use of the feedback and guidance offered by your supervisor.

You are entitled to meet your supervisor three times to discuss your dissertation.  Typically, you would expect to meet once at the outset to discuss how your dissertation is to be structured, once for an update and review and once on completion of an advanced draft of the dissertation.  Generally speaking, the first two meetings should occur in your second term and the third meeting should occur early enough before the submission deadline to allow you to incorporate any suggestions.  Note that some supervisors prefer to hold a group meeting (ie for all students under their supervision) for the initial meeting.  You should arrange supervisor visits in advance, in particular any meeting after the end of teaching.

If you have difficulty contacting your supervisor, please inform the PG Law Office at the earliest opportunity.

Taught Programmes Dissertations Director

The Taught Programmes Dissertations Director serves as the academic lead for postgraduate law dissertation programmes. This role is currently held by Dr Filip Šaranović. Under normal circumstances, the support mechanisms already in place should enable you to resolve any issues or concerns that may arise during your dissertation journey.

30.1. Dissertation Writing Guidelines and Plagiarism Issues

Planning the Dissertation

Steps in Researching and Writing the Dissertation

A good dissertation poses an interesting question and provides a reasoned answer to that question or identifies a problem and proposes a solution to that problem.

Keeping in mind that researching and writing a law dissertation is a dialectical process, not a linear one, these are the basic steps:

• Choose a topic of interest both to yourself and potential readers.  Know your target audience.
• Narrow the scope of the topic down to a discrete issue that can be dealt with well within the word limit. You should avoid being too broad and descriptive and at the same time avoid being so narrowly focussed that the dissertation is unlikely to interest potential readers.
• Know and cite the existing literature relevant to your issue.
• Make sure the structure of the dissertation follows the logic of the argument and maintains the focus of that argument throughout the dissertation.
• Include your analysis and, where relevant, recommendations.

Choosing a Topic

Finding a topic of particular interest can be like a treasure hunt – you pick up an interesting idea, perhaps from something you have read or discussed in class and follow it up through various materials until you fix on a particular aspect which you feel needs to be addressed.

Choose a topic you are interested in.  You will be spending a lot of time on the dissertation, and you will be happier if you are interested in the subject matter.  Furthermore, you are more likely to invest the time necessary, and the quality of your research, writing and arguments will be much better if you are interested in the area and the specific topic.  Never let someone pressure you into writing about a certain topic.

Be creative and choose an issue that stands out as original and innovative.  Also keep the following points in mind:

• Is the topic of academic significance and not trivial?  It would be possible to find out whether Shakespeare used the word ‘and’ more often in his comedies than in his tragedies, but who would be interested in knowing?
• Is the topic really manageable in the available time and word count?  It is a common mistake to imagine that you can cover far more than is actually feasible, so keep a suitably narrow focus.  Do not ask too big a question.  Make sure that you take advice from your supervisor on this and remember that, generally speaking, the narrower and more specific your topic the better.
• Will you have access to the necessary information?  Some students choose to write about a certain area or jurisdiction only to discover half way through their dissertation that they do not have access to the necessary material or that there is insufficient material available to complete the dissertation.

Some indicators of topics suitable for a dissertation:

• controversial legal, political, economic, social, cultural or moral implications of particular rules or judgements;
• divided doctrine and/or unsettled case law relating to the interpretation of a particular legal concept, the scope of its application, the standard of review to be applied etc;
• inconsistencies within the legal system such as duplication of or contradiction between norms, incoherent use of regulatory strategies, overlapping institutional authority etc; and
• divergence between regulatory objectives and outcomes, eg lack of efficiency or effectiveness.

Conducting a Literature Review

A literature review entails a comprehensive examination of the published material relevant to your topic, including books, journal articles, working papers and government reports.  The scope of the review should be sufficiently extensive to ensure that no significant material is left out.  Remember to look for relevant classic texts relating to underlying issues but also for up to date materials in the area.

Although a formal literature review does not have to be included in the dissertation, the process, that is engaging with the material that already exists on your topic, is crucial.  Reviewing the literature should also enable you to provide evidence of wider reading and of your capacity to integrate a wide range of materials.  Note that you should consider and if necessary mention all relevant material, not just material aligned with your way of thinking.

As you read, ask yourself if the material is relevant to your dissertation.  Does it help to address the research question(s) raised?  Should you decide to use the material, you should take notes to review at a later stage, otherwise you risk forgetting what have you read or where have you read it.

There is a wide range of research resources available to you, including in the QMUL Library in Mile End, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library in Russell Square and online databases.  You can also discuss with your supervisor the nature and availability of relevant sources of material.

30.2. Writing the Dissertation

Structure and Content of the Dissertation

A dissertation needs to have a central integrating argument.  The argument should be logically developed, building up a case point by point and displaying a critical and analytical approach to the subject.  The sections or chapters of the dissertation should be logically structured and help the flow of the argument, and their length should be proportionate to their relevance for the development of the main argument.

There is no specific, mandatory way to arrange the sections or chapters of the dissertation.  The nature of the problem, the way in which you decide to address it and your level of expertise on the topic are some of the factors that may influence the way you decide to structure your dissertation. There are, however, common elements that you may want to include.

Abstract

The abstract is a concise, clear outline of your core argument.  It should convey your research question and research findings in not more than about 200 words.  It is the hook with which you pull in the reader.  Although the first thing to appear after the title, the abstract is usually the last thing to be written, upon a thorough reflection of the purpose, content and conclusions of the dissertation.  A good abstract can be very useful for the reader, but it is by no means essential.  Do not write an abstract if you do not feel comfortable doing so.  If you do, avoid the common mistake of using the abstract to outline the structure of your dissertation; this should go in the introductory section or chapter.

Introduction

The introduction should provide an answer to the following questions:

What is the purpose of the dissertation? The introduction should clearly state the purpose of the dissertation and the main analytical tasks you plan to undertake.

Why is the issue relevant? Demonstrate why the issue is being discussed in the dissertation.  If you are making comparisons with another area or legal system, you need to explain why the comparison is pertinent and your rationale for using the chosen comparator.

How is the dissertation structured? Outline for the reader the structure and content of the dissertation so that he or she knows what to expect.  In the final paragraph of your introduction, outline the sections or chapters and briefly explain what each of them covers.

Context/Background: It is always useful to provide some historical background to the problem you aim to examine, for instance by identifying the relevant law, regulations or cases.  You can also refer to the doctrinal debate on the topic, highlighting, wherever pertinent, areas of controversy.

Analysis

While placing your topic in its wider context is mainly a descriptive action, you should make an effort to go beyond the description of a particular topic and engage in some analysis.

However, it is in the analytical section of the dissertation that you have the chance to demonstrate your ability to think independently, make an argument and engage in original analysis of your topic.  This is the opportunity to analyse legal concepts, examine the scope of their application and normative consequences and discuss how the law is applied in practice.

Conclusions

A strong dissertation will contain well-argued conclusions which are supported by preceding analysis and descriptive materials.  The conclusions should form a substantial part of the dissertation, rather than being confined to a few sentences at the end.

Bibliography

Because you are expected to include full footnotes, a bibliography is not required.  If you choose to include a bibliography, it is not included in the word count.

Citation

The dissertation must be fully referenced.  There are several approaches to citing authorities, but the standard in legal writing is footnotes or endnotes, not in-text citation.  Many UK journals use the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA).  Guides to and examples of OSCOLA and other full footnote citation systems are widely available, online and in print.  You can choose any system you like, but you must be consistent throughout the dissertation.

The purpose of citation is three-fold: to acknowledge the source of an idea, an argument, a quotation or other material; to demonstrate that you have done the research; and to make it easy for the reader to check the source, either for accuracy or to read further.  For these reasons, regardless of the referencing system used, a number of pieces of information should be included in each reference.

When citing a book, you should include:

• the full name(s) of the author(s);
• the title and edition of the work;
• the publisher and year of publication; and
• the page(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.

When citing a journal, you should include:

• the full name(s) of the author(s);
• the title of the article;
• the title, publication year, volume and issue number of the journal; and
• the page(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.

When citing a law or regulation, you should include:

• the full title and/or official reference;
• the publication and/or effective date; and
• the article(s) or section(s) from which the information is taken.

When citing a case, you should include:

• the full title of the case;
• the year of judgment;
• the volume number of the reporter or the case number (if there is one);
• the judge, where relevant; and
• the page(s) or section(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.

When citing a report, you should include:

• the full title;
• the publication date;
• the report number;
• the author and/or institution issuing the report; and
• the page(s) or section(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.

When citing a webpage, you should include:

• the name of the author and/or organisation publishing the webpage;
• the title of the website and the page;
• the date on which the information was published (if available);
• the full web address (URL); and
• the date on which the webpage was last viewed.

In general, URLs should only be included for materials and information available only on the internet; use the general citation formats above wherever possible, as these facilitate searches across platforms.

Writing Style, Spelling and Grammar

When writing:

• use the correct tense and avoid switching from one tense to another without reason;
• make sure that nouns and verbs agree in number;
• avoid repetitious and informal language;
• remember the difference between descriptive and normative language (subjective or judgmental). When making value judgments, make sure they flow from your argument and are backed up by evidence;
• make use of all the tools and resources available for improving your spelling and grammar, including the Critical Thinking and Writing in Law Programme; and
• edit and proofread your draft.

Foreign Language Materials

You may use relevant foreign language materials, whether primary or secondary, for their dissertation; in fact, many dissertations would not be possible without foreign language materials.  However, you are responsible for the accuracy of any quotation or paraphrasing, whether you do the translation yourself or rely on an existing translation, official or unofficial.  The materials themselves must be provided in English (with inclusion of the original language text optional), even if the supervisor can read the language in question, as the postgraduate law programmes are English language programmes.

Foreign language materials should be cited in both English and the original language, using the original script, not transliterated.

Word Count

The maximum word count for your dissertation depends on your specialism.  You should not exceed this word limit, +/- 10%, as supervisors will not mark any section of your dissertation that is over this word limit.

Everything except the bibliography is included in the word count.  This includes among other things the abstract, table of contents, appendixes, footnotes and endnotes and the titles of diagrams and words in graphs, tables and diagrams. Inclusion of an abstract, a table of contents or a bibliography is not mandatory but may be suggested by your supervisor.

There is no minimum word count.  However, dissertations that are considerably shorter than the maximum word count may fail to fully address the topic and will be marked accordingly.

Research Ethics Approval

Some dissertation projects may involve methodologies that require research ethics approval.  This is any methodology that ‘involves’ human subjects, even if the individuals are involved in their work capacity.  Typically for Postgraduate Law this would be conducting interviews of civil servants, legislators, businesspeople etc.

Low-risk research methodologies such as standard interviews are generally eligible for expedited approval.  Details can be found at extension://mjdgandcagmikhlbjnilkmfnjeamfikk/https://arcs.qmul.ac.uk/media/arcs/policyzone/QMUL-Research-with-Human-Participants-Dec-14-final.pdf.

The Standard Expected of the Dissertation

In General

The dissertation is required to be either a record of original work or an ordered and critical exposition of existing knowledge in the field.  While this is not a definitive list for marking purposes, in general examiners are looking for the student:

• to have identified a relevant topic;
• to demonstrate the ability to discuss, analyse and criticise the law and literature on the relevant topic;
• to demonstrate an advanced understanding of the issues and the difficulties they present;
• to demonstrate knowledge of the relevant law and literature relating to the topic; and
• to demonstrate acceptable writing skills, including proper spelling, punctuation and grammar and the clear use of English.

The dissertation should be of publishable quality, ie broadly equivalent to the quality that would be expected by a reputable law journal with little further editing.

Originality

A key requirement for success is that your dissertation contains a high degree of originality.  The nature of originality means that it is impossible to define what constitutes it but, by way of illustration, originality may be achieved in one or more of the following ways:

• by drawing on your own professional experience;
• by drawing together for the first time diverse sources of information on a particular topic in order to present a coherent and novel treatment of the subject; and
• by relating an aspect of your topic to wider legal, political, economic or ethical considerations in a way that has not previously been done.

The key test that will be applied is whether or not the dissertation treats the chosen topic in a way not previously published.

Analytical Content

It necessarily follows from the requirement for originality that a successful dissertation will contain a high degree of analytical content.  This must be distinguished from descriptive content.  Whilst some descriptive content will be necessary, for example to explain the current or previous legal position or practice, the analytical content should provide, among other things, commentary on and critique of the current or previous legal position or practice, together with your own opinions (and recommendations, if appropriate).  Dissertations consisting mainly of descriptive content are less likely to achieve a high mark than ones with a high degree of analytical content.  However, the analytical content must not be achieved at the expense of thorough research into your topic.

Breadth versus Depth

The requirement for a high degree of analytical content means that you should consider carefully the scope of the dissertation.  The dissertation is more likely to achieve a high mark if it covers a relatively narrow area in depth, rather than a broad area superficially.

At the same time, your dissertation should involve a comprehensive treatment of your topic, meaning that all relevant aspects need to be analysed, unless the dissertation topic has been reasonably defined to exclude them.

Dissertation Presentation and Layout

Title Page

The dissertation should include a title page that lists your Student ID number, full dissertation title, supervisor’s name and final word count. Your name should not appear on the title page or anywhere else in the dissertation, including the file name and the file metadata.

Formatting

There is no official style guide for the dissertation.  However, we recommend you use a 12-point font in a common font style, double space the main text and use margins of at least 2 cm.  Footnotes should be no smaller than 10 point, normally in the same font as the main text.

Dissertation Submission

Your dissertation must be submitted electronically via QMplus.  Please see the Key Date section for the applicable submission deadline.  Part-time students are reminded that your deadline is the one for the academic year which coincides with your second year of study.

It is strongly recommended that you submit your dissertation well before the deadline to avoid any last minute issues with the electronic submission process.  For this reason, we will normally accept completed dissertations 7 days in advance of the deadline.  Computer problems and technical issues are not acceptable reasons for late or non-submission.  Guidance on how to submit your dissertation is available on the Postgraduate Dissertation Support Noticeboard on QMplus.

Please also note that in submitting your dissertation electronically, you consent to its submission to the Turnitin plagiarism software service.

If you cannot submit the dissertation on time, a late submission penalty may be applied.  Non-submission will automatically result in a fail.  However, extenuating circumstances may apply.  If you think you may have extenuating circumstances, please contact the PG Law Office in advance of the deadline.

30.3. Back Cover