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Student Handbook – 2015-16

RANNÓG AN DLÍ

DEPARTMENT OF LAW

STUDENT HANDBOOK

LÁMHLEABHAR DO MHIC LÉINN

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN LAW DT547(FULL-TIME) AND DT547A (PART-TIME)

Welcome to DIT. We hope your time here will be happy, fruitful and rewarding.

This handbook is designed to provide students with relevant information on our Postgraduate Diploma in Law, both full and part-time. It also offers general information on DIT, its academic processes and its facilities.

If you have a question about your programme, or about any aspect of student life at DIT, please contact or speak to:

School Administrator, Emma Linnane, [email protected] 01-4027181 Programme Chair: DT547, Ms Eavan Murphy [email protected] Programme Tutor: Ms Ruth Cannon [email protected] (for

pastoral/welfare issues) Head of Law and Assistant Head of School, Dr. Mary Rogan,

[email protected]

We may not always know the answer to a question, but we will be able to find out for you, or direct you to someone who does know.

In all correspondence with the Institute, please identify the programme on which you are enrolledDisclaimer:This document is for information only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy thereof, nothing in this document or any part thereof should be taken as giving rise to any legal duty, obligation or liability on the part of the DIT or any employee thereof.

Fáilte WELCOME

go dtíTO

ITBÁC!DIT!

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mailto:[email protected]





FOR MORE INFORMATION AND FOR REGULAR UPDATES CHECK

OUT:

1. Your DIT e-mail account . Additional information will be supplied throughout the year by e-mail to students’ DIT e-mail accounts.

Please check your DIT e-mail account regularly.

Go to: http://mydit.ie/ Click on ‘student mail’.

Your username is your Student ID number (this will be on your library card).

Your default password is your date of birth in the format DDMMYYY.

General e-mails are sent to your DIT e-mail account only – we cannot add non-DIT e-mail addresses to the mailing list.

2. The DIT website – www.dit.ie

3. DIT Campus Life website

http://www.dit.ie/life/

4. DIT Students’ Union websitewww.ditsu.ie

5. Webcourses Important information is also posted on Webcourses, an online student ‘blackboard’ where lecturers also post class notes and announcements.

Information for specific modules (subjects) will also be issued on the relevant webcourses page for each module. See: The Law office, Room 3002, 3rd

Floor, DIT, Aungier Street.

6. The School website http://dit.ie/llss/

7. DIT Rules and Regulations

http://www.dit.ie/studentservices/registration/rulesregulations/

For More Information

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http://dit.ie/llss/

http://www.ditsu.ie/

http://www.dit.ie/life/

http://www.dit.ie/

http://mydit.ie/


School Administrator, [email protected] Chair, [email protected] Head of School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences, [email protected]

Questions about your programme

Student Counselling www.dit.ie/campuslife/counselling/Chaplaincy Service http://chaplaincy.dit.ie/www.samaritans.iewww.pleasetalk.ieTutor: [email protected]

StressAnxietyWorry

Exam or study pressure

Campus Life Accommodation Service: www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/accommodation/ www.threshold.ie and www.prtb.ie

Accommodation

www.positiveoptions.ie www.thinkcontraception.ieHealth and Wellbeing

(including sexual health)

Student Disability Service: www.dit.ie/campuslife/disability/

Disability

Student Support Service: www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/studentfinancialsupport/www.mabs.ie

Money worries

Careers service:www.dit.ie/campuslife/careers/

Careers

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Student Charter

The charters outlines the partnerships between staff and students in more detail.

http://dit.ie/media/campuslife/olddocuments/DITStudentCharter.pdf

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Disciplinary Procedures

http://www.dit.ie/media/registrations/

studentserviceswebsite/registrationservice/

rulesregulations/Disciplinary

Student Assessment Regulations

http://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-

regulations/general/

DIT Plagiarism PolicyAppendix 1 of General

Assessment Regulations: http://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/

DIT Student and Registration Regulations

Read these here http://www.dit.ie/registration/


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Student Dignity and Respect Policy

http://www.dit.ie/media/registrations/

studentserviceswebsite/registrationservice/

rulesregulations/DIT%20Student

Student Regulations Governing the use of Computer Resources

http://www.dit.ie/is/governance/regulations/studentregulations/

Identity and Access Management

Enables DIT to verify that individuals are who they say they are, whether or not they are affiliated with DIT and

what entitlements that affiliation allows to the Institute’s Information Technology resources.

http://www.dit.ie/is/governance/regulations/idam/

DIT Student Alcohol Policyhttp://www.dit.ie/studentservices/

registration/rulesregulations/

Health and safetyhttp://www.dit.ie/healthsafety/


I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Who we are DIT is a diverse third-level institution based in the centre of Dublin city. It was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of 6 long-established vocational colleges formerly operated by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, the oldest of which was founded 126 years ago in 1887.

DIT is a public body created by an Act of Parliament, conferring all the same powers and privileges of a university. In particular, DIT has full independent degree-awarding authority, up to and including the right to award PhDs. It has over 20,000 students making it one of the largest third-level educational

institutions in the State. It is currently spread over 6 major campuses (and many smaller sites) but plans are well under way to consolidate the DIT campus on one north city site at Grangegorman, close to Smithfield. The first cohorts of students, from Art and Social Sciences, have already started their programmes there. Other schools are currently expected to move in 2017 and later.

Advanced plans are also afoot to create a new Technological University of Dublin, which will, if implemented, bring together DIT with IT Blanchardstown and IT Tallaght.

Law@DITLaw has been studied as a separate discipline at DIT since at least the mid 1970s.

Traditionally, DIT has specialised in providing non-traditional law

programmes. Historically, our focus has been on part-time programmes geared towards preparation for the FE1 Law Society entrance exams, but over the years our provision has expanded to include the popular part-time BA in Law and the part-

College of Arts and Tourism

School of Languages,

Law and Society

Department. of Law

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time LLB (Bachelor of Laws) as well as a full-time LLB programme.

The Law department also runs an an MA in Law follow-on from the PG Diploma in Law. Law is also taught as a subject on various non-law programmes within the Institute.

Full-time Staff:Dr Mary Rogan, Head of Law and Assistant Head of School of Languages, Law and SocietyLecturers:Dr Brian Barry

Ms Ruth CannonDr Stephen CarruthersMr Ger HusseyDr Deidre McGowanMs Eavan MurphyMr Niall Neligan

Administrator:Ms Emma Linnane

Part-time Staff:Mr Matthew HolmesMr David Perry

1970sDiploma in

Law programme introduced

1990sDiploma in

Law separated

into full-time and part-time

streams

2001Postgraduate

Diploma in Law

commences

2005BA in Law

replaces part-time DIploma

in Law

2008 First intake of

MA in Law and LLB part-

time

2012 LLB full-time commences

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION10 THINGS ALL STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW

1. Please check your DIT e-mail and webcourses accounts regularly. Students who fail to do so regularly miss out on crucial information such as when and how to register their choice of exam subjects, changes to timetables, arrangements for mid-term breaks, job and scholarship opportunities and so on. (Please note: we do not and cannot send group e-mails to non-DIT e-mail addresses. You must check your DIT e-mail).

2. Please pay attention to noticeboards and posted notices.

3. Where you have a choice of modules, please make sure to register your choice of modules for exams. Students with a choice of modules will be asked to register their choice for exams. Please make sure you do so – failure to do so may result in delays and other potential complications in processing exam results.

4. Attend classes on a regular basis. The Department of Law does not offer distance-learning education. Some notes may be available on webcourses but we cannot guarantee that full details of everything that was discussed at a particular lecture will be available online. If you must miss a lecture, get notes from a fellow student.

5. Submit essays on time. Missing the deadline for an essay is the equivalent of missing an exam. Students will be penalised for failing to meet essay deadlines. Please use the law department cover sheet for your work.

6. Please make sure we have your correct address. If you change address during the year, please make sure the Registrations Office and Law Office are informed of your new address. You can update your details at:http://www.dit.ie/registration/updatedetails/

7. If you are experiencing health or other difficulties that may preclude you from taking an exam or submitting an essay, please let us know. It is possible to seek a deferral of exams and assessments on the basis of health or other extenuating personal circumstances. If seeking a deferral, please contact the Examinations Office using a Personal Circumstances form in writing as soon as possible before examinations. We may not grant deferrals after exams, except in the most exceptional cases.

8. In correspondence with the college, please make sure to identify the academic programme you are pursuing. With over 300 students across the Department, it is not always possible to remember what programme you are pursuing, and incorrect information may be given if you fail to identify your programme and mode of study correctly.

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http://www.dit.ie/registration/updatedetails/


9. Please keep exam transcripts and other official documentation in a safe place. You may be asked at a future date to present transcripts or other proof of qualifications. Please store such documentation carefully and in a safe place as you may be charged for fresh copies. Obtaining extra exam transcripts costs €15 so please keep all documentation in a secure place.

10. If you’re having problems – personal or academic – let someone know! All students, part-time and full-time, have access to the counselling and chaplaincy services. If you’re stressed out, upset, depressed or finding it hard to cope, don’t be afraid to seek help.

PLEASE TALK TO US! SUPPORT IS

AVAILABLE!

Having difficulties

with college life?

Stressed? Depressed?

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II. STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMMES

The Postgraduate Diploma in Law is a one-year whole time or two year part-time academic programme. This programme comprises a compulsory Core Legal Skills module in the first semester, and a choice of core and advanced subjects of law. In order to obtain the Postgraduate Diploma a student must successfully complete the Core Legal Skills course (2 hours per week in semester 1 only) and successfully complete the required examination and assessments in any five of the following subject choices**:

Company Law* European Union Law*Constitutional Law* Equity*Contract Law* Property (Land) Law*Criminal Law* Torts*

Administrative Law CriminologyEmployment Law EvidenceFamily Law Media and IP LawHuman Rights Law JurisprudenceLaw and Society

* = examinable as part of the entrance exams to the Law Society, Blackhall Place

** = DIT reserves the right not to offer all modules in all years

Students may audit (attend) as many modules as they wish.

All students must complete the Core Legal Skills module even if a student has previously completed a similar course or module. This module aims to provide students with a sufficient foundation for the subsequent study of substantive legal topics. In this introductory module, an emphasis is placed on practical skills such as accessing and analysing legal material.

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III. TUITION

A. Lectures

All lectures are held in DIT Aungier Street.

What texts do I need for class? Individual lecturers will recommend set texts for each class.

If I cannot attend the scheduled law classes, may I attend the equivalent modules on other law programmes? This is not something we encourage. While these modules may appear ostensibly similar, the content and standard often differ from what you will be covering on your programme. In particular, exams and assessments may differ significantly.

B. Tutorials

Tutorials are generally offered in select law subjects only. These are small-group sessions, with approximately 10-15 students in each session. Tutorials focus on particular aspects of the curriculum. This may or may not be material that has previously been covered in class.

Tutorials are more interactive than the average lecture. In particular, students are expected to have read material in advance of the tutorial and will be expected to participate actively by answering questions, discussing cases and contributing generally to the discussion. Typically, tutorials require students to address problem-style questions where a hypothetical scenario is posed. Students are expected to suggest answers to problems, with reference to relevant case law and legislation.

Tutorials are held on Saturdays. There will be 6 tutorials over the full year; 3 in semester 1, 3 in semester 2. Full details of tutorial dates and times will be circulated later in the semester.

Are tutorials compulsory? Tutorials are not compulsory, though we strongly recommend that you attend, where possible. These tutorials take place over a maximum of 6 Saturdays, one-quarter of the teaching year.

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IV. ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2015/2016

There are two semesters in each academic year, each lasting 15 weeks. 12 of these weeks comprise formal teaching. In each semester there will be (in addition to the 12 weeks of tuition) a review week, which may be used for revision, research and other assigned exercises. Unless otherwise

informed, you can take it that there are no classes in review week.Apart from Core Legal Skills which is a one semester course, all of your law modules run over the full year, with exams or course work at the end of semester 2.

Here is a calendar with important dates noted:

September 2015Monday 14th– Orientation9-10 am in Room 2046

Formal classes begin at 12 with Criminal Law in room 3045

OctoberMonday 26th – Review week begins

NovemberMonday 2nd– Classes recommence

DecemberFriday 11th – Classes end for Semester 1(subject to notification by subject lecturer)

January 2016Monday 4th – First semester exams scheduled to begin*

Monday 25th – Classes recommence for Semester 2

FebruaryFirst semester exam results issued mid to late February

MarchMonday 17th March – Bank Holiday

Monday 21st March – Easter break begins (2 weeks)

April

Monday 4th – Classes recommence

MayFriday 29th April– Classes end for Semester 2**

Monday 9th May – Second semester exams scheduled to begin*

JuneSecond semester exam results issued mid to late June

Feedback sessions for exams

July AugustRepeat/supplemental exams take place mid to late August*▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁* NB: All exam dates are subject to change**The dates on which individual classes end in April/May depend on the discretion of each individual lecturer. Your lecturers will let you know when they intend to finish classes for the year.

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Some points to note about the calendar:

1. The long break in January arises as a result of the semesterisation of programmes at DIT. We strongly recommend that students who do not have exams in January use this time to complete essays and revision and/or prepare for exams or FE1 examinations.

2. Unless otherwise instructed by individual lecturers, there are

no classes during review weeks or during Easter break.

3. There are no classes on Bank Holidays, on which dates the DIT buildings are closed.

4. DIT buildings are also closed on Sundays.

Please make frequent reference to www.dit.ie to keep abreast of general academic information.

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http://www.dit.ie/


V. ACCESSING STUDY MATERIALS

LIBRARY

The Aungier St. Library is located on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Aungier St. campus. It has a relatively comprehensive range of law texts, journals and case reports. Texts are stored on the first floor, journals and case reports on the 2nd.

There is no guarantee that key texts will be available to all students at all times. As such, students are recommended to purchase at least one text in each examinable subject. A small number of popular texts are kept in the short loan section, some being reserved to part-time students.

Increasingly, much of the reading material that you will require is available on or through the DIT website, www.dit.ie/library. In particular, membership of the library allows access to a number of legal and other databases that may be accessed online. You will need a library PIN to access some of these databases – for details, please contact the library.

Library cards are issued at registration: if you have not received a library card, please contact the Students Services Office.

Library opening hours are listed at www.dit.ie/library.

If you do not register in a timely manner, you may miss out on important resources.

PURCHASING TEXTBOOKS (AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE)

Individual lecturers will recommend texts to students. As library resources are limited, it is advisable that students have regular access to at least one recommended textbook in each subject. While law texts are relatively expensive, costs may be reduced by:

‘Pooling’ books: classmates may choose to share certain texts, e.g. one person buys a contract book, someone else buys a torts book and they alternate use from week to week. This may, of course, prove awkward approaching exam time!

Some but not all law publishers may hold booksales in the lobby of DIT Aungier St. early in the academic year. Some of these publishers give a discount on certain books. Details of these booksales will be made available in class and by e-mail where possible.

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http://www.dit.ie/library



VI. ASSESSMENT: ESSAYS/CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

Modules (subjects) are usually assessed by a combination of examination and continuous assessment. In order to pass a module you must obtain a cumulative mark of 40% or more for that module. The lecturer for your subject will inform you of the breakdown between exam and continuous assessment for your chosen subjects.

Is it possible to pass a module while failing an element of the module?In theory, it is possible to pass a module where you pass one element (essay or exam) but fail the other required element, if your overall cumulative mark for the module is 40% or higher. For instance, a student could fail or not submit an essay, but could theoretically pass a module where the exam is worth 80% of the final mark, but the student would have to score 50% in the exam:

Essay 0, Exam 50 = 40% overall Essay 60%, Exam 35% = 40% overall

It is not possible, even in theory, to pass a module if you do not sit an exam in that module. Additionally, failing the essay or exam greatly reduces your prospects of passing the module.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment may be either: Formative – this is work that

is not counted towards the result for the module. The purpose of formative assessment is to allow for feedback to be offered to students.

OR Summative – this is work

that counts towards the result for the module. Most continuous assessment undertaken on the PGDip in Law is summative in character.

Continuous assessment may take various forms including:

Completion of Essays Problem-solving exercises Groupwork including group

projects

Moot court exercises (testing advocacy skills)

Poster presentations Presentations In-class exams

The Department liaises with lecturers so as to stagger the deadlines for law CAs, so that all of the CAs are not due at the same time. That said, there may be some overlap.

You will be given plenty of notice of the deadlines for CA. We thus recommend that you start work on your essays as early as possible.

For detailed guidance and for the Departmental policy on continuous assessments, please see Appendix 1

VII. ASSESSMENT: EXAMINATIONS

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A. Sitting Exams

When do exams take place?

For Core Legal Skills, which is only one semester, the exam will be in December or January) tbc

For subject subjects/modules that are year-long, in May

For students repeating exams, in August

Fulltime students - How do I choose which subjects I will sit? You must choose five options. You must register those options online (usually be the end of October). You are free to attend subjects to ‘get a feel for them’ before choosing and registering your options. You do not need to register for the compulsory module i.e. Core Legal Skills.

Part-timestudents - How do I choose which subjects I will sit each year? You must choose two options in year one (as well as Core Legal Skills which is compulsory). You must register those options online (usually be the end of October). You are free to attend subjects to ‘get a feel for them’ before choosing and registering your options. You do not need to register for the compulsory module i.e. Core Legal Skills.

You must choose three options in year one

You will be e-mailed with further details in the first term (please check your DIT e-mail account). Students will be given a username and PIN, which they can then use to register

for particular exams. The registration website is modularisation.dit.ie.

Where you have a choice of modules it is imperative that you register that choice online. Significant complications arise where students fail to do so.

What is the pass mark for each module? To pass a module a student must obtain 40% or more in that subject. If the module contains continuous assessment (CA) and an exam, it is ordinarily possible to pass the module if your combined mark for the exam and CA (with appropriate weighting for each element) is 40% or higher.

Are there compensation rules if I fail a subject? Certain compensation rules apply in limited cases – please refer to the General Assessment Regulations for further details. http://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/Students are deemed to have notice of everything in the General Assessment Regulations.

Is there a fee for exams? The fee for examinations is built into the fee paid for the programme as a whole. A fee may be charged for students taking repeat (Supplemental) exams as a second or subsequent attempt, or students who are taking examinations externally or ‘off books’, that is, without registering for the year.

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http://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/




Exam Dates. The Exams Office, DIT Aungier Street sets the dates for exams. The Department of Law does not set exam dates.

Precise dates for semester 1 are usually issued in November and for semester 2 are usually issued in mid to late March.

The Department of Law is consulted on these dates, but otherwise we have very little input. In particular we have no ‘inside track’ on the setting of precise dates and will not be in a position to give students details on these dates until the Examinations Office issues official timetables.

As soon as we receive official confirmation of these dates, we will pass on the details to students. We ask that students be patient in this regard. While we appreciate that students may need information on exam dates as early as possible, pending the publication of these dates, the Department is in a position only to give very general guidance.

Most examinations will take place at the end of the second semester (May) with certain exceptions.

Exam results are normally issued online in mid to late June.

NB: Where you have a choice of modules, you must select online the modules in which you plan to take exams. The Exams Office will send you an announcement by e-mail regarding exam selection during the year. Failure to follow instructions may result in your not being allowed to sit exams in your chosen subjects.

PLEASE NOTE:Exam results will not be issued to students with outstanding fees.

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B. Repeating failed exams

What if I fail an exam or do not sit an exam when required to do so? Some students who sit exams fail them, though the number of failing grades is usually relatively low. A minority of students, for various reasons, do not sit examinations. In either case, a student is ‘referred’ in the exam that he or she has failed or has not taken.

In either case, it is possible for a student to take ‘supplemental exams’ in the relevant subjects. Supplemental exams take place in mid to late August following the Summer exams.

Failure to sit an exam when required to do so has the same consequence as sitting and failing an exam.

Please note that if you pass a module on the second or subsequent attempt, your result in that module, if you pass it, will be capped at 40%. Additionally, if you pass an exam on the third or fourth attempt, you will be eligible only for a pass degree, regardless of the results you attained in individual modules.

What if I am sick at exam time, and can’t sit the exam? If you are ill or if other circumstances prevent you from sitting an exam, you may seek a deferral. Deferrals must be supported by documentation and are not automatic. Please see the policy on deferrals, below.

How many times may I repeat a subject? Students have up to four attempts at each exam.

There are two sittings of examinations in each year, Summer (May) and Autumn (August). Each sitting (May is one sitting, August/September another sitting) counts as a separate attempt.

The Summer exam is sometimes called the ‘sessional’ exam, and the Autumn exam the ‘supplemental’ exam. A student who does not pass or does not sit an exam is ‘referred’ in that exam. A student is formally ‘failed’ and withdrawn from the programme if he or she does not pass an exam on the fourth sitting.

What if I pass some subjects but fail others? Once you have passed a subject, you will not be required to resit that particular subject. For instance, if you sit three exams, passing one and failing two, you will only be required to resit the two that you have failed and not the exam that you have passed. Essay results may also be carried forward.

The good news is that you don’t have to repeat the modules you’ve already passed.

Please note: There are no super-supplementals at DIT. Exams take place three times a year, in December/January, May and August respectively. It is not possible to schedule special supplemental exams outside of the officially scheduled exam periods.

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C. Progression to year 2 (Part-time students Only)

Part-time students should note carefully that they must complete 30 credits per year. To progress from year 1 to year 2 on the PGDip in Law, you must pass all modules for year 1. You have up to two attempts at each module each year, so if you do not pass the first time, you have another attempt to pass the relevant subject in the same academic year.

If, on the repeat attempt, you do not pass a module, you will have to resit that module. In such cases, you may not be able to progress to the following year. See the General Assessment Regulations for more information: https://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/

What is the difference between external and internal repeats? The Exam Board may require a student to retake a module completely as an internal repeat. This is likely to be required when a student does not sit (DNS) or fails the module. The student has to pay the full fee but their result in that module will be capped at 40%. Internal Repeat students are required to return to DIT to attend classes and repeat those components.

External repeat students have been granted permission to repeat failed components from their previous year’s study without attending classes. As an external repeat student you are not entitled to a student ID card and may not avail of DIT’s student facilities.

D. Passing the programme

To pass the programme as a whole, you must pass approved modules totalling 60 credits of learning. Ordinarily, you must pass all required modules. Compensation rules apply, though only in limited circumstances.

What grades are available? On completion of the PGDip in Law programme, classifications are awarded as follows:

Distinction 70% plus Merit Upper division (2.1) 60 -

69% Merit lower division (2.2) 50 -

59% Pass

40 - 49%

How are grade classifications calculated? The grade classification a student receives at the end of the programme is based on the average result the student receives in all modules on the programme. For this purpose, grades in individual modules are weighted according to the number of credits attached to each module. For instance, the mark for a module attracting 10 credits will be weighted at twice the value of a module attracting 5 credits.

Normally, grade classifications may not be awarded unless the candidate has passed all relevant examinations at the first attempt.

An exception applies where a student resits and passes a subject(s) at the second attempt. In such a case, a student will be eligible for a classification, though, for the

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https://www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/




purpose of calculating the grade, the subject(s) passed at the second attempt will be capped at a mark of 40% (regardless of the actual mark attained).

A student’s average mark is usually rounded up or down, as appropriate, to the nearest whole number.

For further information on exam procedures see DIT “General Assessment Regulations” available on the web at www.dit.ie

LAW SOCIETY AND KING’S INNS EXAMINATIONS

Law Society (FE-1) Examinations. Company Law, Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Criminal Law, Equity, EU Law, Property and Torts are all examinable as part of the Law Society of Ireland (Blackhall Place) FE1 Entrance exams. Questions about admission to the Law Society of Ireland should be directed to:

The Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7 Phone: (01-6724802).

Students interested in becoming solicitors should consult the guide ‘How to Become a Solicitor’ on the Law Society website www.lawsociety.ie under ‘Education’.

The modules offered at DIT are broadly similar in content to the Blackhall Place syllabus. In many cases, the syllabi for DIT modules cover most if not all topics on the Blackhall Place syllabi. The syllabus for Blackhall Place FE-1 should be available on the Law Society website noted above.

Copies of past exam papers for the FE1s are available to purchase from the Law Society at Blackhall Place.

King’s Inns. Those interested in studying for the Bar should consult www.kingsinns.ie or www.barcouncil.ie.

PAST EXAM PAPERS

Past exams papers are available for the all DT547 subjects. Some hard copy past exam papers for DIT exams, Summer and Supplemental, are available in the reference/short loan section of the library.

Past exam papers 2002-2015 are now also published on the library website - please see www.dit.ie/library for further details. For access to online papers:

Go to www.dit.ie/library

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http://www.barcouncil.ie/

http://www.kingsinns.ie/

http://www.lawsociety.ie/

http://www.dit.ie/


Under ‘Electronic Resources’ choose ‘Exam Papers’. Then select ‘Quick Link to recent Exam Papers’. Then click on ‘College of Arts and Tourism, Aungier Street: Examination

Papers’

And then you will have access to all the papers by year.

If accessing the past papers from outside DIT, you may be prompted for a username, which is ‘Student’, and a password, which is ‘ThunderRoad’ (case sensitive).

Some exam papers may not be listed. This may be because no one sat the relevant exam, in which case the exams are withdrawn from public circulation.

SOME POINTS TO NOTE REGARDING EXAMINATIONS

Lecturers are not obliged to give tips on what is or is not coming up in unseen examinations. Lecturers who do so are acting entirely on their own discretion. Other lecturers are not obliged to follow the lead of their colleagues in this regard.

Students should not assume that Summer and Supplemental examinations will match in terms of content.

Students taking or who anticipate taking examinations in August should speak to/contact lecturers well in advance to confirm the format of the exam. Please do not leave it until August to contact lecturers as they may be on leave or otherwise out of contact.

There is no point in contacting the Department Office in advance of exams to discuss their format or content. Neither the Head of Department nor the Administrator is privy to such matters, nor would they be entitled to discuss such matters with students.

MATERIALS PERMITTED IN EXAMS

In the absence of notification to the contrary, students are not permitted to bring any written or printed materials into examinations. In other words, the default rule is that unless expressly permitted, no written or printed materials are permitted.

Students who bring materials into examinations that are not expressly permitted may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Students should not write on their hands or other parts of their body during or prior to exams.

Where a lecturer permits specific materials to be brought into an examination, this should be clearly stated on the examination paper.

Unless otherwise instructed, materials permitted in an examination should not contain any marks, (including words, symbols, highlighted or underlined words or passages), tabs or other materials (adhesive or otherwise) marking a page or passage in a document other than marks,

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tabs or other materials which have been included in the original text by the publisher of that text.

Unless otherwise instructed, where materials are permitted in exams they should be original and not copies or printed from the internet.

Where you are permitted to bring material into exams you must not write on that material in the exam. If you do so, the Exams Office staff may assume the markings were added before the exam commenced.

PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, APPEALS AND RECHECKS

PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES: If something happens before or during an exam that you believe has affected or may affect your performance in the exam, you may submit a personal circumstances form requesting that the Exam Board for Law take these circumstances into account. Supporting evidence (e.g. a medical certificate) will also be required, where relevant. A personal circumstances form should also be completed and submitted where circumstances beyond your control will prevent or has prevented you from attending an examination. A personal circumstances form must be submitted within 2 days of your final exam.

RECHECKS: You may seek a recheck if, having received your results, you believe that we have miscalculated or made a mistake inputting your exam results. A recheck does not involve a remarking or reassessment of the relevant paper. It simply requires that we check that the results that have been recorded have been correctly calculated and that all marks have been accounted for. A recheck must be sought in writing within three working days of the date set aside by the Department for the viewing of scripts (the feedback session).

RE-MARKS:

Exa

m

Proc

esse

s

Rechecks

Remarks

Appeals

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A candidate who has discussed his/her examination script with an examiner or a member of the Examinations Office may seek a remark of the examination paper. Candidates wishing to request a re-mark should do so on the form A/R 2 which may be obtained from the Examinations Office and online (see below). Such forms must be submitted within five working days of the date set aside by the Department for the viewing of scripts (the feedback session). The Head of School or nominee will make the necessary arrangements for the remark, where deemed necessary.

APPEALS: In certain circumstances specified by the General Assessment Regulations, an appeal may be sought in respect of examination results. The grounds for seeking an appeal are limited. All appeals must be sought in writing within seven working days of the date set aside by the Department for the viewing of scripts (the feedback session).

Please note that an appeal generally will only be entertained on grounds of a breach of due process and not on the ground that substantively, a mark allocated to an examination is considered insufficiently generous.

All of the above forms may be obtained from the Examinations Office, DIT Aungier Street and online at:

http://dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/

There are fees associated with application for rechecks, remarks and appeals, though the fee is refundable if your application is successful.

Students should familiarise themselves with the Assessment Regulations and the rules pertaining to rechecks, remarks and appeals. These rules can change and it is the student’s responsibility to keep himself or herself informed.

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VIII. DEFERRALS (ESSAYS AND EXAMS ONLY)

Please note carefully: There is a difference between:- Deferring your exams and - Deferring your place on a programme to the following year.

Although the same word is used in each case, the processes are different.

An exam deferral even from Autumn to the following year does not automatically allow you to roll over fees from the previous year, or exempt you from fees in the following year. If you get a deferral in respect of your examinations from Autumn to the following May you may still have to pay fees for the following year. If you wish to defer your studies and roll over fees, you must follow the process set out below in Part IX.

A. ExaminationsA failed exam or a failure to sit an exam will be counted as an ‘attempt’ such that the next attempt will be deemed to be a ‘second attempt’, ‘third attempt’ or ‘fourth attempt’ as the case may be. However, an attempt at an exam may not be counted if a student has obtained a deferral.

What happens if I can’t sit an exam? Students who discover or think that they will not be able to sit an exam (for instance because of illness, family events or conflicting work requirements) should write to the Head of Department at the earliest possible opportunity seeking a deferral.

PLEASE NOTE: If on the day of the exam you are unable to sit the exam due to illness, documentary evidence of illness will be required.

Who grants deferrals? The Head of Department, at his or her discretion, may grant deferrals at the written request of the student before the relevant examination takes place. After the relevant examination takes place, the Examination Board for the

relevant programme may grant a deferral.

PLEASE NOTE: A deferral must formally be sought in writing using the correct form from the Head of Department or the Exam Board for Law. Students who choose ‘to defer themselves’ (without obtaining a formal deferral) will lose exam attempts.Deferral form: https://www.dit.ie/media/examinations/kevinstreet/Deferral%20Applicaton%20Form.pdf

While we are happy to discuss problems with students, in confidence, formal requests for deferrals should not be made by e-mail or by phone but by signed letter.

On what basis are deferrals granted?Deferrals sought before the commencement of exams may be granted, at the discretion of the Head of Department on the following grounds only:

Illness (supported by a medical note)

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https://www.dit.ie/media/examinations/kevinstreet/Deferral%20Applicaton%20Form.pdf




Bereavement or serious illness of a close family member1 or close friend, necessitating absence

Pregnancy or recent childbirth (father or mother or spouse, civil partner or partner of a pregnant parent) necessitating absence

An important family or personal event requiring the attendance of the student, where such event cannot feasibly be rearranged.

Unavoidable circumstances requiring absence from exams

Excessive personal stress where certified by a doctor or counsellor

Significant conflicting work commitments (for part-time students only), where backed up by an employer’s letter

Other unavoidable factors preventing the sitting of exams.

Deferrals will not be granted, in particular, in the following circumstances:

Lack of preparedness for exams (without other mitigating factors)

Uncertified illness or stress Work commitments (full-time

students)

In particular, unless extraordinary circumstances apply, a deferral will not be granted to a whole-time

student in respect of conflicting work commitments. Additionally, deferrals will not be granted for the purpose of sitting exams on another programme or to sit professional exams.

A deferral is a privilege and not a right. It increases administrative burdens and consumes scarce resources to trace deferrals. Please make sure you can commit yourself to your programme before undertaking it or withdraw and re-enrol ‘from scratch’ if you cannot keep up.

If I am granted a deferral, may I still sit an Exam? Provided you have registered for exams, you may sit any or all of those exams, notwithstanding the deferral.

If I sit an exam, and I’m sick during the exam, but I pass the exam, may I resit it? No. It is not possible under any circumstances to resit an exam you have already passed.

PLEASE NOTE: A deferral in respect of Summer exams only counts for that sitting. If you wish also to defer Autumn exams, a separate deferral is required and may entail more expense. In particular, if you defer your Autumn exams, you may be required to pay a repeat fee and may be required to pay tuition and registration fees if you wish to attend classes and access online materials in the subsequent year.

B. Essays and Dissertations Can I get a deferral in respect of my essay? The principles set out

1 “Close family member” includes but is not limited to a spouse, civil partner, cohabitant, partner (non-cohabiting), a child or grandchild, the child or grandchild of a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, a sibling, and a parent or grandparent, as well as a sibling, parent or grandparent of a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.

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above apply equally to essays and other forms of continuous assessment, as well as to dissertations, subject to the following modifications:

In the case of an essay, a deferral may be granted by the relevant lecturer for the relevant module, provided that the student requests the deferral in writing. In either case, a record of the deferral should be made and the deferral should be notified to the Head of Department and to the relevant lecturer, as appropriate.

Supporting documentation should be supplied.

In the case of a dissertation, only the Head of Department may grant a deferral.

C. General points

1. Ordinarily a deferral of an exam or dissertation will apply, unless

otherwise stated, until the next sitting of examinations or the next due date for dissertations.

2. It is important to note that a deferral of examinations, of an essay or a dissertation from one academic year to the next does not result in the deferral of a place or the carrying forward of fees from one academic year to the next. In a case where a student defers assessment from one academic year to the next, the student will only be registered in the subsequent year on payment of the relevant registration and tuition fee for that year. The student, of course, may still register externally for exams, but may not have access to college facilities as an external repeat.

In other words, even with a deferral of assessment, a student may have to pay the full or partial fees to register in the subsequent year.

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IX. COMMUNICATION

With over 300 students on all our law programmes, over two-thirds being part-time, communicating information effectively and efficiently is a major priority for the Department. Given the numbers involved, we rely heavily on electronic methods of communications. As there are approximately 36 separate class sittings per week beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday and running until 9 p.m. most evenings, it is not always possible for one person to make announcements in every class. Lecturers will sometimes be asked to make announcements, but in most cases, we communicate with students by e-mail.

EVERY YEAR, A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS MISS OUT ON IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND MISS OUT ON IMPORTANT DEADLINES. ALMOST INVARIABLY, THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THE RELEVANT STUDENTS FAILED TO ATTEND CLASSES, FAILED TO READ THEIR DIT E-MAIL MESSAGES AND/OR FAILED TO PAY ATTENTION TO POSTED NOTICES.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR DIT E-MAIL REGULARLY.

COMMUNICATING BY E-MAIL

E-mail is a very useful and efficient way of communicating with students. You should be allocated DIT e-mail addresses on registration (the address will be printed on your library card).

We only use DIT-assigned e-mail addresses to communicate with students. It is not possible to add non-DIT e-mail addresses to this list.

Please note that we are not generally permitted to give out our address list or any individual addresses to outside bodies.

Please check your DIT account regularly as important information is contained in e-mails sent to these addresses.

IF YOU DO NOT CHECK YOUR DIT E-MAIL REGULARLY, YOU WILL MISS OUT ON IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

WEBCOURSES

Individual lecturers place information on their modules on webcourses (also called ‘blackboard’. In order to access this, go to http://www.dit.ie/lttc/webcourseslinks/ Your default username is your student ID and your default password is your date of birth in the format DDMMYYYY.

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http://www.dit.ie/lttc/webcourseslinks/%20


DATA PROTECTION

Please note that we are generally not permitted to give out information concerning individual students to any person, including other students seeking such information. This includes parents and siblings of students. In particular, without your written consent we are not authorised to discuss details relating to your academic performance with your parents.

The Data Protection Acts prevent us from giving information about you to other persons, even relatives, without your consent.

We regret, in particular, that we cannot give out students’ contact details (e-mail addresses, phone numbers, home addresses) to other students, or supply home or personal contact details for staff members. In particular, if you have lent notes or a book to another student, please ask them for their e-mail address or phone number to facilitate return.

CONTACTING THE LAW OFFICE AND LAW LECTURERS

Administrator: Ms Emma Linnane [email protected] 01-402-7181Head of Law: Dr. Mary Rogan [email protected] 01-402-3225Programme Chair DT547 and DT547A

Ms. Eavan Murphy [email protected] 01-402-3145

Tutor Ms. Ruth Cannon [email protected] 01-402-3037

When calling us please remember that we have seven law programmes so please identify what programme you are taking (i.e. PG Diploma in Law). The Department office is located at Room 3002, DIT Aungier Street.

If you have a query about a specific module, the best person to talk to is the individual lecturer.

All full-time lecturers are based at the Aungier Street campus. It is advisable in all cases to arrange an appointment in advance to meet the lecturer. The best ways of contacting any full-time lecturer are:

By phone (ring 4023000 and ask for the lecturer if you do not know the direct line or check out the staff listings on the DIT website at http://dit.ie/tools/contacts/) or

By e-mail (usually takes the form [email protected], all lower case)

Please do not ask lecturers to pass on messages to their fellow lecturers. If you wish to leave a message for a lecturer, please do so by phone or e-mail.

Most part-time lecturers will not have a DIT phone or e-mail address. All lecturers have been asked to supply students with an e-mail address or other means by which they can be contacted.

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X. WITHDRAWAL /TRANSFER/DEFERRAL OF PROGRAMME

1. Deferral of programme entry

What is the difference between deferring an exam and deferring my place on the programme? It is important to note that there is an important distinction between deferring a place on a programme, for personal or medical reasons, and deferring an examination. If a student wishes to defer their place on an academic programme, they must complete a deferral form, and their request to defer must be approved by College Executive for the College of Arts and Tourism.

Please note carefully: an exam deferral even from Autumn to the following year does not automatically allow you to roll over fees paid (either by you or by the HEA on your behalf) from the previous year, or exempt you from fees in the following year. If you get a deferral in respect of your examinations from Autumn to the following May you may still have to pay both tuition and registration fees for the following year. If you wish to defer your studies and roll over fees, you must follow the process discussed below.

How do I defer my place on the programme? In some cases, students may wish to defer their place on the programme, which means that commencement or continuation on the programme will be deferred until the September next following the deferral. Before doing so, we strongly advise that you discuss this with the Programme Chair and/or Head of Department. Support services are also available to you if you wish to discuss the matter. In particular, DIT’s student Retention Office and Counselling Service are available to discuss your options with you.

Full details on deferring a place on a programme are available at the following link:

http://www.dit.ie/studentservices/registration/deferwithdraw/

The important things to note are:a. If you wish to defer, you must take formal steps to do so at the earliest

possible opportunity. By all means discuss it with relevant staff, but the deferral cannot be formally processed unless you take formal steps to obtain the deferral.

b. In particular you must complete and submit an official DIT deferral form, which must be signed by you and an academic.

c. If you are getting a grant, you must let the awarding authority know in writing of your decision to defer.

d. It is only possible to defer for one year.e. It is in your interest to complete the formal process as failure to do

so may risk your entitlement to free tuition fees, if you wish to recommence studies in future.

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Fee implications of a deferral:

The manner in which you defer can have significant fee implications, and may result in your having to pay full or partial fees in the year of re-entry. In particular, if your formal deferral is made after the 31st October in the year of first entry, you may lose all or part of your free fees entitlement and will not be able to get a refund of the student registration charge.

The fee implications of a deferral are set out below under withdrawals. It is, however, your responsibility to inform yourself of the fee implications of deferring a place on the programme. For further details see:

http://dit.ie/media/careers/pdf/Financial%20Implications%20of%20Deferring%20Withdrawing.pdf

PLEASE NOTE: The decision to defer a student’s place on a programme and to roll over fees to the subsequent year is entirely a matter for the College Executive of the College of Applied Arts and Tourism. The policy on fees only permits a deferral of a programme place on medical grounds, in respect of which adequate evidence must be presented.

2. Withdrawal /TransferOccasionally, students decide that a particular programme is not suited to their interests or not what they expected. Students may decide to withdraw or transfer. If you wish to do so, please speak to the Programme Chair or Head of Department. It is important in such circumstances that you formally inform the College in writing of your withdrawal, as failure to do so may lead to complications.

There is an official procedure that must be followed to withdraw or transfer from your DIT programme. Full details are available at http://www.dit.ie/studentservices/registration/deferwithdraw/

It is advisable that a student considering withdrawing or transferring from their programme seeks the advice of the programme chair or Head of Department, as well as a representative of DIT’s support services such as DIT’s student retention or counselling service.

It is in your interest to complete the formal process as it may risk your entitlement to free tuition fees, if you pursue an undergraduate wholetime programme in future.

For withdrawals, the student must complete a DIT withdrawal form, which is available at http://www.dit.ie/studentservices/registration/deferwithdraw/ The fully completed form must be signed by the student and an appropriate academic.

The student is responsible for submitting the completed form accompanied by their student ID card to DIT’s registration service. (Completed forms can be submitted at any of DIT’s Student Service Centres who will forward documents to the Registration Service).

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The date on which the completed form is submitted to either the registration service or student service centre is the official date of withdrawal recorded on DIT’s student information system.

If a student is in receipt of a grant, the student is responsible for informing the grant authority that they have withdrawn from their programme.

3. Fee implications of a deferral/withdrawal:

Refund? Fees on return?Before classes commence Full refund Full fees for programme

Before 31st October: Will be refunded any student contribution charge and tuition fee paid in the year of withdrawal less an administration charge of €100

Full fees for programme

Between 1st November and 31st January

50% refund of any tuition fees paid less an administration charge of €100. No refund of student contribution charge paid.

Full fees for programme

After 31st January No refund of any fees paid. Full fees for programme

Source: http://www.dit.ie/media/registrations/studentserviceswebsite/registrationservice/deferwithdraw/Financial%20Implications%20of%20Deferring%20Withdrawing.pdf

Slightly different rules apply where a student seeks a programme withdrawal on serious certified medical grounds, where medical certification accompanies the application, in which case the amount refunded may be higher than stated above.

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http://www.dit.ie/media/registrations/studentserviceswebsite/registrationservice/deferwithdraw/Financial%20Implications%20of%20Deferring%20Withdrawing.pdf




XI. CLASSROOM/LIBRARY ETIQUETTE

Out of respect for your colleagues and lecturers we ask that you have regard to the following points of classroom/library etiquette:

Please switch off mobile phones, pagers and other electronic communication devices in class and in the library. (Subject to the lecturer’s consent, you may use a laptop in class.)

In class, fill up the front seats first. Leave seats at the back for latecomers

Please do not answer or use your phones, pagers and other electronic communication devices in lectures or in the library

Please do not take photos or recordings in class.

Please do not converse with fellow students during lectures or in the library.

If you are not using a desk in the library, please do not ‘hog’ the desk for future use (e.g. by leaving books or bags there)

Please do not deface, damage or hide books in the library

If you wish to ask a question in class, please put up your hand.

Please leave your workspace as you would hope to find it – recycle/dispose of rubbish in the appropriate locations

While waiting in corridors for a class to commence, please be conscious that other students may still be in class. Please quite chatter to a minimum.

Commitment to Diversity

The Department of Law is home to a diversity of staff and students. This diversity, we believe, makes a vital contribution to the learning experience of all students.

While respecting your freedom of opinion and expression, we ask that you in turn respect the different backgrounds, views and experiences of your classmates and bear in mind this diversity in your dealings with other staff and students.

We are committed to fostering a positive environment for all students and staff, regardless of gender, religion, race, nationality or ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, civil status or parental status, political viewpoint, social background, disability, and membership of the travelling community.

Harassment and bullying of staff or students, by staff or by students, will not be tolerated.

All staff (administrative and academic alike) and students are entitled to be treated with respect.

Online EtiquetteIn the past, students have set up social networking sites for DIT law students. The Law Department accepts no responsibility for the content of these external sites. Students should be mindful of the fact that such sites may be publicly accessible and that the contents may be viewed by members of the public as well as by DIT staff members.

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Policy on legal adviceLaw lecturers in their capacity as law lecturers should not be expected to give legal advice on real-life situations that you, a relative or friend are experiencing. If you have a legal problem that requires advice, please contact a solicitor. In particular, the Department of Law does not provide assistance or advice in relation to litigation.

Rules and Regulations When you register as a student, you are bound by the following rules, with which you should familiarise yourself:

http://www.dit.ie/media/registrations/studentserviceswebsite/registrationservice/rulesregulations/Student%20Registration%20and%20Fees%20Policy%202013-14%20Final%20Version.pdf

DIT student registration and fee

policy

www.dit.ie/is/governance/regulations/studentregulations/

DIT student regulations regarding the use of computer

resources

www.dit.ie/qualityassuranceandacademicprogrammerecords/student-assessment-regulations/general/

General Assessment Regulations (regarding exams and CA)

www.dit.ie/registration/hererules/

Discipline

www.dit.ie/registration/hererules/

Student Alcohol Policy

http://www.dit.ie/media/documents/services/registrations/Student%20Dignity%20%20Respect%20Policy%20-%2014%20May%202012.pdf

Dignity and Respect Policy

http://www.dit.ie/library/a-z/regulations/

Library Regulations

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XII. PRACTICAL MATTERS: TRANSPORT, SERVICES AND FACILITIES

TRAVELLING TO COLLEGE.

Public Transport. Given our location in the city centre, the very best way to reach us is by public transport. Many buses, including the 9, 16, 65, 65B, 68, 83 and 122 pass down Aungier Street. The green line Luas light rail station at St. Stephen’s Green is a five-minute walk away. Check out www.dublinbus.ie and www.luas.ie for timetables and fares. Discounted fares are available using a leapcard – see www.leapcard.ie which works on the Luas, buses and commuter rail lines.

For commuter rail check out www.irishrail.ie.

If at all possible, please use public transport to get to DIT. Given that we are situated in a city centre location, car park spaces are exceptionally limited, and the area is generally quite congested. Statistics prove that, with QBCs, most buses are faster than cars in getting you into and out of the city centre at peak times.

Car Parking. Car parking spaces at DIT Aungier Street are reserved solely for staff. Students are not granted access. Students who have disabilities that may prevent them from walking great distances and who seek access to car park spaces on this basis must first contact the College Administrator for the College of Business Ms. Lisa Dooley (402-3000). Disabled students should not attempt to secure a car park space without first getting permission from the College Administrator.

There is no guarantee that permission will be granted to any particular disabled students. Even if granted permission, there is no guarantee that car park spaces will be available at any particular time.

Please note that neither the Department of Law nor the Head of the Department have any say whatsoever in the allocation of car park spaces.

Evenings only: A special evening rate applies for DIT Students using the Royal College of Surgeons public car park. In order to avail of this, students must validate their parking ticket in the validation machine just beside the front desk at the entrance to DIT Aungier Street.

Lockers/Bike Parking. Talk to the porters at the front desk, 402-3061

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http://www.irishrail.ie/

http://www.leapcard.ie/

http://www.luas.ie/

http://www.dublinbus.ie/


DIT AUNGIER STREET FACILITIES

Finding your way around. Room numbers in every case list the floor number first followed by the room number so that, for example, G-023 is room 23 on the ground floor, and 2-067 is room 67 on the second floor and so on.

Computer facilities. Computer facilities are available to students of the Institute. There are several computer rooms throughout the Aungier Street campus, particularly on the first and second floors.

Photocopying: Photocopying facilities are available in the library.

Canteens and shops. The main canteen is located on the first floor of the Aungier St. facility. Breakfast is served in the mornings with a full dinner service from 12-3 (these times may vary). There is also a cafeteria and coffee dock ‘The Grumpy Mule’ on the ground floor of the building, which is open throughout the day and in the evening, where you can get beverages, confectionery, soup and sandwiches. In addition there is a variety of shops and restaurants located locally on Bishop Street, Aungier Street, Wexford and Camden Streets and in Kevin Street, as well as adjoining streets.

Sports facilities and societies. DIT has an extensive range of sports facilities available including a swimming pool (at the Kevin Street facility) and several sports teams. In addition, the college facilitates several student societies and clubs. Details of these organisations are available on the web at www.dit.ie

ATM machine. Located on the first floor beside the first floor canteen.

STUDENT LAW SOCIETY

In the past, students have formed a student law society. The Law Society has been instrumental in organising student debates and in gaining funding for student social events. Contact the Students’ Union for further details. Please note however, that while staff will organise some social events for students, we are limited in so doing by the college’s alcohol policy and by pressure of time.

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http://www.dit.ie/


SEEKING HELP

If you are having difficulties, please don’t be shy about seeking help.

Counselling and Careers. DIT Aungier St. has several full time counsellors and career advisors who are available by appointment to assist all students, full time and part-time. In addition, the chaplains are available to talk to persons of all denominations and none. The relevant phone numbers for these services are listed below. In addition further information is available on the DIT website at www.dit.ie .

Medical Assistance. A medical centre is located on site, in Room 2-053 on the second floor. Medical assistance is available free of charge to full-time students only. Phone 402-3051 to make an appointment.

Students with disabilities/special needs. DIT strives to ensure that no student will be denied access to facilities on grounds of disability. Students who anticipate difficulties in so doing should contact the Disability Liaison Officer 402-7656. Several support facilities are available to assist persons with disabilities both in the classroom and outside. All lecture theatres and classrooms are wheelchair accessible.

The Institute is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities are in no way disadvantaged in examinations. Special examination and other assessment arrangements may be made for students because of their temporary or permanent disability. The special arrangements are

intended to enable candidates to perform to the best of their ability; they are not intended to give an unfair advantage to the candidate.

Students who have specific needs in regard to examinations/assessments should contact the Disability Liaison Office to negotiate appropriate facilities. (This applies in particular to students with dyslexia, for whom special arrangements may be made, on request by the relevant student). This should be done as early as possible. While every effort will be made to provide the necessary facilities, it may not be possible to meet all requirements in every case. Special arrangements for examinations can only be made through the Disability Liaison Office.

Two texts are available for consultation by students with disabilities or other interested persons. These are “A Guide to Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities” and “Examination Guidelines for Students with Disabilities”.

Accommodation: If you are having difficulty obtaining accommodation, talk to the Campus Life and the Students’ Union. Some off-campus accommodation is available for DIT students – for further information, check out: www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/accommodation/

For problems with rental accommodation, check out www.threshold.ie and www.prtb.ie

Students’ Union. The facilities of DIT Students’ Union are available to all students part-time and full-time.

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http://www.prtb.ie/

http://www.threshold.ie/

http://www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/accommodation/

http://www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/accommodation/

http://www.dit.ie/


The Union can help with all sorts of issues and problems including but not limited to seeking accommodation, and making academic appeals. The students’

union is currently located in the basement of the DIT. See www.ditsu.ie

Student Services Centre, Opposite the Grumpy Mule, Ground FloorDeals with registrations, fees, letters of registration, stamping forms and issuing ID cards. The opening hours are Monday – Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Friday from 9am to 4pm (excluding lunch 1-2 p.m)

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Law is one of three departments in the School of Languages, Law and Society, which in turn is part of the College of Arts and Tourism. There are 7 whole-time members of academic staff, a Secretary and a small number of part-time lecturers.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS

Head of School, Dr Kevin Lalor [email protected] 402-4164Head of Law, Dr Mary Rogan [email protected] 402-3217Department Administrator: [email protected] 402-7181Tutor Ruth Cannon [email protected] 402-3037DT547/DT547A Programme Chair, Ms. Eavan Murphy

[email protected] 402-3145Dr. Brian Barry [email protected] 402-3225Dr. Stephen Carruthers [email protected] 402-3085Mr Ger Hussey [email protected] Deirdre McGowan [email protected] 402-3135Ms Eavan Murphy [email protected] 402-3145Mr. Niall Neligan [email protected] 402-3010

Counselling Service: 402-3052402-3155

Chaplain: 402-3050Careers 402-3109Health Centre: 402-3051Disability Liaison Officer 402-7656Computer Support Centre: 402-3123Library, Aungier Street 402-3068

For other numbers, check the ‘people finder’ at www.dit.ie

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http://www.dit.ie/











http://www.ditsu.ie/


APPENDIX 1

GENERAL POLICY ON CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT (CA)3RD EDITION (2013)

The following is a general policy on continuous assessment exercises submitted as part of the annual assessment for modules offered by the Department of Law. This includes essays and other forms of continuous assessment. It does not apply to examinations and dissertations. Separate requirements apply in respect of the submission of dissertations.

For ease of reference this policy generally refers to ‘essays’, which for the purpose of this policy are deemed to include all forms of continuous assessment.

This policy applies with effect from September 9, 2013. Unless otherwise indicated, this policy applies equally to full-time and part-time students.

While every effort has been made to ensure that this policy complies with the General Assessment Regulations, where there is a conflict between this policy and the General Assessment Regulations, the latter will prevail. It is the responsibility of students to familiarise themselves with the terms of the General Assessment Regulations.

A. General ContextThe general requirements for assessment in each module are set out in the module descriptors for each module. The relevant module lecturer should also provide students with written notice of these general requirements for assessment at the start of each module (for this purpose, electronic notice will suffice as written notice).

Where there is a requirement for continuous assessment as part of the assessment for a particular module, this requirement will usually be set out in the relevant module descriptor. The relevant module descriptor should also indicate the proportion of final marks available for continuous assessment.

Unless otherwise stated in the module descriptor or by the lecturer, all continuous assessments set out in the module descriptor are compulsory.

B. What is the default format for essays?In the absence of indication to the contrary from the relevant lecturer, all continuous assessment must meet the following requirements:

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1. Unless otherwise permitted by the relevant lecturer, essays must be in the English language.

2. The essay must be typed or printed, and submitted in hard copy, on paper of a reasonable quality. Handwritten essays will not be accepted.

3. On the front of each essay submitted for consideration, students must include a completed Departmental cover sheet (see end of document), as formulated by the Department for this purpose. This completed cover sheet should include the name, student number, programme and module for which the essay is being submitted, the date of submission and a statement to the effect that the essay is the student’s own work.

4. All essays should be stapled. 5. For environmental and storage reasons, essays will not be accepted

where bound or enclosed in plastic or metal (other than a staple). In particular, essays will not be accepted where enclosed in a plastic folder, envelope or sleeve, in a ring binder, or bound otherwise than by means of a staple. Without prejudice to the above requirements, students may, however, submit their essays in a paper envelope.

6. Essays should be printed on one side of each page only, in a legible font of at least 12 points in size. Lines of text should be double-spaced. Paper of any colour will be accepted, subject to the requirement that the essay should be legible.

7. The margins on each page should be at least half an inch in width on both sides, and on the top and bottom of each page.

8. Essays should be properly referenced, with all sources acknowledged in either footnotes, or endnotes as appropriate. For this purpose, students are required to follow the norms set out in the Departmental policy on referencing, incorporating the OSCOLA Ireland Citation Guide, available at www.legalcitation.ie

9. All essays should include, at the end, a bibliography identifying the materials used in the completion of the essay.

10. The relevant lecturers will set wordcounts for the essays. In default of a specified wordcount, the standard wordcount will be a maximum of 3,000 words for each essay. Unless otherwise instructed, students who exceed the wordcount by 10% or more may be penalised through loss of marks for the relevant essay.

11. Students should state the wordcount on the front of each essay. The wordcount includes all text, but excludes footnotes, endnotes and the bibliography.

12. Unless otherwise instructed, essays will not be marked anonymously.

The Department of Law reserves the right (subject to the principle of proportionality) not to accept essays for submission where they fail to comply with the above requirements. Students may also lose marks, at the relevant lecturer’s discretion, for failure to comply with the above requirements.

C. Essay deadlines1. Where possible, essay deadlines will be set as early as possible each academic year.

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2. All essays must be submitted in hard copy to the relevant lecturer or (where the lecturer so requires)_submitted online using webcourses using SafeAssign.

D. Penalties for late submission of essays (in absence of a deferral)1. In all cases essays will be treated as having been submitted only when the lecturer receives the essay.

2. In the absence of a deferral granted in compliance with the Departmental policy on deferrals, students who submit an essay after the stipulated deadlines may be subject to the following penalties.

3. Essays submitted on or before the same weekday one week following the relevant deadline, but no later, will be accepted subject to the following penalty: 10% of the final mark allotted to the essay will be deducted: e.g. 70% - 7% = 63%

4. Essays submitted on or before the same weekday two weeks following this deadline, but no later, will be accepted subject to the following penalty: 20% of the final mark allotted to the essay will be deducted: e.g. 70% - 14% = 56%

5. Unless extraordinary circumstances apply, essays will not be accepted beyond the same weekday two weeks after the relevant deadline. This will result in a mark of zero being allocated in respect of the essay. It will not be possible to compensate in respect of this mark, e.g. by answering additional exam questions.

5. Where a deferral has been granted in respect of an essay, the above penalties will not apply, except where the relevant student fails (without further deferral being granted) to submit an essay by the deferred deadline. In such a case, the term ‘deadline’, where used above, will be read as if it referred to the deferred deadline for the relevant essay.

6. The foregoing rules are subject to the academic freedom of a lecturer to make an independent determination. Ordinarily, the Head of Department will not overturn a lecturer’s decision.

E. Consequences of a failure to submit an essay1. Unless a deferral has been granted, a student who fails to submit a required essay for a subject within two weeks of the set deadline will not be permitted to submit an essay.

2. Students who have failed to submit an essay will not be entitled to have any remaining assessments or examinations marked out of a percentage that exceeds the proportion of marks normally available for the relevant remaining assessment(s). E.g. if 20% of final marks are available for an essay, and 80% for the exam, a student who fails to submit an essay will still only be entitled (in this case) to a maximum of 80% for the examination.

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3. Failure to submit an essay, or the receipt of a failing mark for the essay, will not in itself result in failure in the overall assessment for a module. In other words, it is not strictly necessary to pass the essay in order to pass the assessment as whole for each subject, though failing the essay clearly will put the relevant student at a disadvantage.

4. In the case of a failing grade in the essay or essays, it will not normally be possible to resubmit an essay. The sole exception arises where a student has failed in the overall annual assessment for a module, having failed in the essay component or failed to submit an essay. In such a case, a student will be entitled to resubmit an essay for the module, (known as a ‘repeat’ essay) subject to the following stipulations:

(a) The maximum mark available on reassessment of the essay component will be 40% of the marks available for the essay component.(b) The essay must be on a topic different from that originally assigned for completion.

5. Where a student completes a repeat essay, and the aggregate mark for the repeat essay and the examination in the same subject taken prior to the completion of the repeat essay, is 40% or higher, the student will be awarded a pass mark for the module as a whole, subject to the following stipulation:

(a) The maximum mark available on reassessment of the essay component will be 40% of the marks available for the essay component.(b) The maximum mark available for the module as a whole will be 40% of the marks available for the module as a whole.

F. Feedback on essays.Lecturers will attempt to give timely feedback on essays, but this is not always possible due to heavy work commitments. Students who submit late may not receive a mark until final grades are calculated.

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RANNÓG AN DLÍ

DEPARTMENT OF LAW

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT COVERING SHEET 2015/16

Please staple this sheet to your essay.

For environmental and storage reasons we ask that you do not use plastic

folders, binders or pockets – please staple your essay instead.

Name:______________________________________________________________

Student I.D. No.:__________________________________________________

Programme (Course):___________________________________________

Module (Subject):________________________________________________

Name of Lecturer:________________________________________________

Date of Submission:______________________________________________

Word Count:_______________________________________________________

Author’s Declaration:

I hereby acknowledge that this essay is my own original work. All quotes,

references and assistance received are acknowledged.

Signed:___________________________________

Date: _____________________________________

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Appendix 2

DEPARTMENT OF LAW

ANTI-PLAGIARISM POLICY

A primary purpose of education at third level is to enable students to think for themselves and to express their personal opinions and perspectives in an articulate and effective manner. Originality and personal creativity are greatly prized. An educational environment in which all students are encouraged to think alike and express like views and perspectives in an identical manner poses a unique danger to the vibrancy of our democracy and the health of our society and economy.

A cardinal principle of the assessment process is that work completed by a student should be the student’s own work and not someone else’s. Plagiarism is a serious breach of academic discipline and is subject to potentially serious penalties. It may also constitute a breach of the law in the form of copyright breach.

Plagiarism arises where a student attempts to pass off all or a substantial proportion of the written work of another person as their own written work. This may include but is not limited to:

Replicating the written work of another person or persons without citing or acknowledging the source

Quoting a person verbatim without acknowledging that person or citing the source from which the quote is derived

Quoting another person without clearly indicating that the extract is a quote from an external source (e.g. by using quotemarks or indenting the quote)

Copying another student’s essay Downloading essays from internet sources

Copying from multiple sources is no less plagiarism than copying from one single source.

Plagiarism is often easily identified: Where a student or students have copied from a key textbook

recommended by a lecturer (including textbooks written by the lecturer!) Where students use terms with which they obviously appear to be

unfamiliar Where the style in which an essay is written changes abruptly in the

course of the essay Complicated formulations that appear out of place in the context of the

essay as a whole Use of jargon or ‘spin’ with which the student appears to be

uncomfortable or unfamiliar

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Please bear in mind that where a student copies from an online source, a google search can and frequently does identify the source very easily.

Combatting plagiarism: It’s much easier to avoid plagiarism if you understand what you are

writing about and have a personal interest in the subject matter. Use your brain – think for yourself! Do not accept other people’s opinions

and perspectives as gospel. Develop your own personal style of writing. Read regularly. Write

regularly. Edit what you write rigorously – read back your work carefully and

review it When quoting from another person, use quote marks (“”) or indent the

quote so it is clear that it is a quote, and acknowledge the sources using a footnote or endnote.

The consequences of plagiarism are serious and may include, in the most serious cases, dismissal from the programme, a failing grade for the relevant subject or the imposition of a requirement to resubmit work for assessment. Other consequences include diminished marks for written work.

Please note that even where only a small amount of plagiarism is detected, lecturers are automatically put on notice that other parts of the same work

may be plagiarised, even if this is not the case.

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