PgCert | Law - Employment Law & Practice at

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Law - Employment Law & Practice

Summary

The overall aim of this course is to promote and develop skills and research in the field of employment law.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Develop an understanding of the core concepts of employment law and how they relate to practice.

Learn the skills and processes required to qualify them to practice in the employment law field as HR professionals/lawyers.

Develop the ability to reflect critically on and learn from their practice.

Understand and apply context specific employment law research and theory to specific contexts and occupational sectors such as Human Resources and legal practice.

Develop advanced employment law practice skills appropriate to specific contexts and occupational sectors.

Examine critically the legal and contextual basis of employment law and practice.

Develop an understanding of regional, national and international models of practice in the employment law arena.

Give employment lawyers and Human Resource professionals the opportunity to interact with each other to develop insights into practice beyond their own agencies.

About

The Law School at Ulster University has joined forces with Legal Island and the Labour Relations Agency to create what we think will be the best employment law course in the UK.

The course includes 36 employment law and compliance lectures from the cream of Northern Ireland's employment law expert practitioners and on-site visits and role play exercises with LRA staff and the President of Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal.

Teaching and learning assessment

All modules on this PgCert course are 100% coursework assessed. There are no exams.

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements

a degree in law

a degree in human resource management

a degree incorporating law elements or a joint honours degree incorporating law

a non-law/human resource management degree with appropriate work experience

a comparable professional qualification

in exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities may be considered as an alternative entrance route.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Duration

Attendance

Year One

In the first semester, from Sept Dec, Employment Law classes will run on a Tuesday evening from 5.30 - 8pm. There will be a break for Halloween in the first semester.

In the second semester, from Jan - May, Employment Compliance classes will run on the Belfast Campus from 5.30pm - 8pm. There will be a two week break for Easter.

Year Two

In semester one (Sept - Dec), students will undertake Alternative Dispute Resolution for 6 weeks, followed by Tribunal Representation for a further 6 weeks. Course work will be submitted the following Jan and students will graduate the following summer.

In total there are 4 modules: 2 x 20 point credit modules (employment law and employment compliance) and 2 x 10 point credit modules (ADR & Tribunal Representation).

Careers or further progression

Career options

Those who undertake this course are likely to use this qualification for career development and progression purposes within their own organisations.

Further enquiries

Further details on this course can be obtained by clicking on the links below or by contacting the Course Director, Dr Esther McGuinness @ ep.mcguinness@ulster.ac.uk

For Admissions queries please contact the Admissions Service (Jordanstown Campus):

T: +44 (0)28 9036 6309
E: admissionsjn@ulster.ac.uk

Subjects taught

Year one

Employment Compliance and Development
Whether you are a lawyer, human resources professional, personnel or industrial relations officer, this module will develop a range of skills, which will enable all students to remain fully abreast of the latest legislative and case law developments in employment compliance. It will ensure that all students acquire in-depth knowledge and understanding of how employment compliance issues operates in practice. Students will be provided with assistance enabling them to respond to complex practical, legal and ethical problems. Students will be encouraged to critically analyse the law and important legal issues they face in practice.

Employment Law
The importance of the employment relationship between employers, employees, unions and
other statutory bodies and agencies is such that a thorough knowledge of both the context and
the substantive law is necessary for those involved in this area in any capacity. The module
attempts to provide the basis for this knowledge and to put students in the position where they
may not only have an understanding of the law both conceptually and substantively, but also be
in a position to use that knowledge in the solution of problems.

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Methods of ADR are increasingly being used within the legal system and advocated as a means of removing cases from overburdened courts. In appropriate cases they can provide an alternative to legal adjudication and can be used as a means of achieving satisfactory solutions to disputes. The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the processes of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and its relationship to law. The course will cover processes such as arbitration, mediation and conciliation and will provide students with a foundational knowledge of ADR which can then be developed in their professional practice. The module will comprise both theoretical and skills based elements. Students will consider the rationale and ethics of ADR before being introduced to some of the practical skills used in these processes. The study and practice of ADR will be undertaken in the context of a range of legal subject areas, including commercial law, family law and employment law.

Tribunal Representation
This module aims through a combination of lectures and practical exercises to enable trainees to further develop their own professional practice in relation to employment and social security matters. The module aims to develop a student's ability to apply and further develop the knowledge and practical skills gained in prior and concurrent modules. The module will encourage discussion of rationales and consequences of each available course of action in any given scenario, and students will be encouraged to critique solutions to any issues identified as arising from their choice(s). It is anticipated that students will examine the impact of the rules and procedures involved and their tactical application in practice with a view to developing their own individual work practice.