Örebro university - Course Syllabus RV002A


Course Code:	RV002A	Subject Area:	Field of Law
Main Field of Study:	Law	Credits:	15
		Subject Group (SCB):	Law and Legal Studies
Education Cycle:	Second Cycle	Progression:	A1N
Established:	2015-08-28	Last Approved:	2018-04-03
Valid from:	Autumn semester 2018	Approved by:	Head of School

Second-cycle courses and study programmes shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, competence and skills in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall
- further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge
- develop the students' ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
- develop the students' potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work.

(Higher Education Act, Chapter 1, Section 9)

Knowledge and comprehension
After the course is completed the student should have a deepened understanding of the UNconvention on the rights of the child, its function and components and also the understanding of various interpretations of the concept "best interest of the child". The student should well comprehend the international and European refugee and asylum law as a system; its function and components. The student should also have good knowledge of international humanitarian and refugee organisations and their mechanisms; and their relationship to the human rights of the refugee child.

Ability and capacity
At the end of the course the student should be able to identify and analyse human rights violationsin specific situations applicable to refugee children and fleeing children, and apply legal norms in these cases; show ability to critically discuss phenomena, questions and situations within the relevant area of refugee and fleeing children; show ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems within relevant areas; show ability to complete assignments within set time frames; show ability to present and discuss information, problems and solutions both orally and written within relevant areas.

Valuation and perspective
At the end of the course the student should have a critical approach and be able to independentlyreflect over the human rights of the child in relation to the fleeing child.

The course deals with the concept of "the best interests of the child" and child rights perspectives in relation to the refugee child and the fleeing child. Starting with the UN-system and the international and European framework for human rights, the humanitarian situation whom the refugee child finds herself in is problematized, as are the rights of the fleeing child. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Refugee Convention (Geneva Convention) are our legal foundation, together with UNICEF and UNHCR, and also the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Court on Human Rights and the Dublin Convention. During the course we discuss international and regional norms, with a particular focus on how the best interests of the child principle is treated in a refugee situation.

This course is taught in English. It is a web-based course. The course is to some extent problembased, whereby the teaching is based on case-oriented assignments with the purpose of stimulating students own knowledge based search, critical reflection, analytical ability and capacity development. The course is conducted with the help of a few lectures, online meetings and seminars. Compulsory attendance applies to all grade-based assignments, and at any additional moment as ascribed in the course schedule.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Compulsory Seminar 1, 5 Credits. (Code: 0101)
Composition of short paper and oral opposition of short paper at an online seminar. Can give 25 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

Compulsory Seminar 2, 1 Credits. (Code: 0102)
Group work (online) with written paper handed in. Can give 10 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

Compulsory Seminar 3, 1.5 Credits. (Code: 0103)
Groups work (online) with written paper handed in; peer review. Gan give 10 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

Compulsory Seminar 4, 1 Credits. (Code: 0104)
Oral seminar discussion (online). Can give 5 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

Compulsory Seminar 5, 1.5 Credits. (Code: 0105)
Groups work (online) with written paper handed in; peer review. Gan give 15 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

Compulsory Seminar 6, 5 Credits. (Code: 0106)
Composition of short paper and oral opposition of a short paper at an online seminar. Can give 35 points. For grade G 50% of total points is required.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may prescribe which grading system shall apply. The grade is to be determined by a teacher specifically appointed by the university (an examiner).

According to regulations on grading systems for first- and second-cycle education (vice-chancellor's decision 2010-10-19, reg. no. CF 12-540/2010), one of the following grades is to be used: fail, pass, or pass with distinction. The vice-chancellor or a person appointed by the vice-chancellor may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special reasons.

Compulsory Seminar 1
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Compulsory Seminar 2
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Compulsory Seminar 3
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Compulsory Seminar 4
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Compulsory Seminar 5
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Compulsory Seminar 6
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Each seminar is compulsory and requires participation. The student can be given a maximum of 100 points during the course. The grade G requires 50 points. The grade VG requires 75 points.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

180 credits at the first level of which 90 credits with increasing depth. Additional requirements: English Course B/English Course 6.

For further information, see the university's admission regulations (in Swedish).

Students who have previously completed higher education or other activities are, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, entitled to have these credited towards the current programme, providing that the previous studies or activities meet certain criteria.

For further information, see the university's local credit transfer regulations (in Swedish).

This course is a web-based course and is given in English.

Transitional Provisions

For a course that has been cancelled or significantly changed in content or scope, there may be examinations on three occasions within 12 to 18 months after the changes have been made.

Goodwin-Gill, Guy S. 2007,/3 ed
The Refugee in international law
Oxford University Press, 786 pages, e-book

Lamont, Christopher K; Zwitter, Andrej; Heintze, Hans-Joachim; Herman, Joost (2014)
Humanitarian action: global, regional and domestic legal responses
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 592 pages, e-book

Pobjoy, Jason, M (2017)
The Child in International Refugee Law
Cambridge University Press, 317 sidor (e-book)

Max 300 sidor ytterligare artiklar/rättsfall kan komma att läggas till på Blackboard i början på kursen. De utgör ej obligatorisk kurslitteratur.

A maximum of 300 pages of additional articles/cases may be added on Blackboard at the beginning of the course. They are not compulsory literature.