Course Catalogue

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This project replicates the experience of making an application to the European Court of Human Rights. You are required to make formal communications with the 'Registry' in the manner normally adopted by applicants.

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Selection procedures will take academic performance and skills experience into account. You should certainly have a strong GPA. However, it is important to note that we also consider other factors (including but not limited to language skills, contribution to community or university life, and interest in human rights). Since the numbers are limited to 10, we need to determine selection before the normal level 4 course application stage opens to allow students not admitted to seek entry to other courses. We try to ensure that applications are processed fairly. As indicated, we take into account three criteria: prior academic achievement; aptitude for group work; and general 'cv' (in terms of community/university involvement, including where relevant community service or human rights-related work). We focus upon your time as a university student - while you may wish to refer to your achievements while at school or during your 'gap year', we recognise that not all students have had an equal opportunity to take up extracurricular activities on account of financial considerations. We are also keen to ensure diversity in the group of students who are ultimately selected. The course is open to students on both the Scots law and common law UG programmes (but any arrangements allocating places for students in proportion to the numbers from each programme seeking admission to a level 4 class do not apply). Students who are nationals of other European countries have normally been represented. The ratio of male: female students is entirely dependent upon applications received (in the last 2 'recruitment' rounds, this has been 3:7 and 6:4 respectively). Financial support from project alumni makes it possible for all students to apply for this course. We apply a standard recruitment 'matrix' (distinguishing between essential and desirable factors) in order to ensure the recruitment system is both objective and transparent. The risk is, of course, that you may not be one of the 10. Disappointment is possible - but you should see this as an application for employment (either in a fictitious law firm, or for the equally-fictitious Government Legal Service of Caledonia / Treasury Counsel for the Kingdom of Britannica). We are prepared to give you 'feedback' on your interview and application form if you are not successful in your application if you feel this could be of assistance in other application processes.

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 Oral and written legal pleadings presented at admissibility stage (to legal professionals working in Scotland); at Chamber stage (normally, to Justices of the UK Supreme Court); and at Grand Chamber stage (Judges and Senior Registry staff of the European Court of Human Rights).

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below.

This course aims to develop 'transferable' or 'key' skills in students through replicating the experience of taking or defending an application made under the European Convention on Human Rights.

■ By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ · demonstrate an awareness of and the ability to apply the enforcement machinery under the European Convention of Human Rights

■ · analyse a complex human rights problem, and identify and apply relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and other instruments and standards in the field of human rights, making use of appropriate external assistance where appropriate

■ · present effective oral and written legal argument both as an individual and as a member of a group

■ · recognise and make use of necessary elements for successful teamwork, including through contributing each student's particular skills and strengths

■ · demonstrate appropriate standards of behaviour both as an individual and within a group situation, including ethical standards expected in the legal profession

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