Unit name | Information Technology Law |
---|---|
Unit code | LAWD30003 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Professor. Charlesworth |
Open unit status | Not open |
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
We rely on information and communication technologies in our daily lives. We engage with numerous ICT providers and interact with other stakeholders in cyberspace. It is thus essential to understand how these technologies emerged and how relationships between ICT providers and other stakeholders are regulated. It is crucial to understand and critically assess the effectiveness of the various regulatory responses to the problems arising from personal data processing, and algorithmic practices. This includes the regulation of cyberspace, regulation of artificial intelligence systems, or the technologies’ impact on fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to privacy, data protection, or freedom of speech. The IT law unit will give you foundational knowledge of the workings of the most prominent digital technologies and introduce you to the key regulatory theories, laws, debates and concepts in the area. Building on recent case studies, you will learn how such insights apply to real-world concerns.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is a final year optional unit that offers foundational knowledge in information technology law. This unit does not require an in-depth understanding of contemporary information and communications technologies. It is primarily focused on the legal and regulatory implications of digital technologies and platforms as well as the intended and unintended consequences of regulating digital ecosystems. Considering the range of topics that this unit offers you will benefit from understanding the issues arising out of developing information technologies and can build connections between this unit and other units, such as human rights law or commercial law.
An overview of content
This unit will start by analysing the main theoretical debates about cyberspace regulation. It will then move on to examine the legal and regulatory challenges raised by innovative and emerging digital technologies in various areas of IT Law ranging from data protection to AI regulation.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will understand the regulatory challenges arising from information technologies and will be able to holistically respond to these issues as you will have been introduced to different regulatory approaches and views on their governance. This foundational knowledge on such an extensive breadth of knowledge will help you in the job market not only if you are interested in working in IT law but also in other relevant legal fields (eg employment law, contracts, consumer law, criminal law) as information technology law complements those very well.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
The unit will include lectures, large group sessions and seminars. These activities will typically take place on campus. The unit will also require directed and self-directed learning, which will include activities such as reading materials included in the unit’s reading list, watching videos, accessing web-based supplementary materials, completing online tests and performing tasks for seminar discussion. Teaching is student-centred, and you will be expected to contribute to seminar discussion and to engage in peer-to-peer learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Seminars in this unit are centred around assessment-style problem and essay questions, which give you the opportunity to test your knowledge and practise important legal skills. These tasks provide immediate feedback through peer discussion and oral feedback from academic staff. There will be one formative coursework (500-600 words) midway through the unit that will not count towards the final unit mark. This coursework will require students to write an essay plan on one of the topics of the syllabus (that will already be covered in the lectures). This formative exercise will help students prepare for the summative assessment. Students will receive individual and general feedback.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
This unit will be assessed by one coursework (3,000 words). This coursework will be submitted at the end of the teaching block. This coursework will require students to write a research essay in response to one of the questions relating to topics covered in the syllabus. It will require a critical assessment and will assess all intended learning outcomes for this unit. The students are expected to conduct research beyond the unit reading list in their coursework.
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessment required for credit in the usual way.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWD30003).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.