LW531-7-AU-CO:
Foundation Essay
2025/26
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
0
07 August 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLM M2M012 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
LLM M2M024 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
LLM M10112 International Human Rights Law,
LLM M10124 International Human Rights Law,
LLM M20012 International Humanitarian Law,
LLM M20024 International Humanitarian Law,
LLM M1AA12 International Human Rights and Economic Law,
LLM M1AA24 International Human Rights and Economic Law,
LLM M21E12 International Criminal Law
The Foundation Essay is a diagnostic essay intended to provide an early opportunity to engage in legal analysis and writing. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn and demonstrate independent learning, legal writing, research, methodologies and analysis, necessary for postgraduate study. The Foundation Essay is also a formative exercise for modules in the LLM International Law. The mark for the essay does not count towards the final assessment of the degree, but it is a compulsory piece of work.
The aim of the foundation essay is to encourage the development of independent research, presentation and communication skills, the ability to set own goals and keep to working schedules and to facilitate in-depth and critical engagement of the legal issues in a formative piece of legal writing within the LLM International Law degree course. The formative nature of the essay aims to identify students’ essay writing strengths and areas for improvement.
The learning outcomes for the module are to:
1. Demonstrate capacity to undertake essay writing and critically evaluate relevant legal rules, principles, models and issues using research skills and theoretical perspectives.
2. Demonstrate the ability to present focused, organised and structured arguments using effective and appropriate written communication skills.
3. Demonstrate legal research skills, including multi-disciplinary research where necessary, use of library-based resources and citation of references.
The Foundation Essay is a formative assessment for modules in the School's LLM courses. It consists of a 1,000 word essay
Students will be assigned a topic that provides an opportunity to develop the ability to display understanding of the law, engage in critical analysis and demonstrate appropriate essay writing skills.
There will be a 2-hour essay writing workshop before the Foundation Essay submission.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
LW531 Foundation Essay |
14/11/2025 |
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Mohammed Alshaleel & Dr Antonio Coco
The Law Education Admin Team - pgtlawqueries@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Essex Law School
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