Type of course

The course is part of the Joint Nordic Master Programme in Environmental Law (NOMPEL).Only students admitted to the NOMPEL programme may register for this course.

In order to register for this master´s thesis course, students on the NOMPEL programme must have completed at least 75 ECTS of the total 120 ECTS on the NOMPEL programme.

The course is mandatory for students on the NOMPEL programme.

Course content

The course builds on and is intended to develop the knowledge and skills acquired by the student during the previous courses of the programme, including the written assignments and methodological skills. The purpose of the master´s thesis is to provide the students with practice in processing and presenting larger legal research questions, based on an independent analysis of theme and sources. The students shall write the thesis single-handed.

The master´s thesis shall give an in-depth study within a specific thesis topic demanding individual research and analysis. The thesis shall address a topic related to the subjects taught in the programme. The topic must be approved by UiT.

In taking advantage of the offer of supervision of their thesis, students will practice in keeping with timetable with several deadlines before final submission of the thesis.

Objectives of the course

Knowledge:

A student who successfully completes this course shall have acquired:

• Advanced knowledge on processing and presenting larger legal research questions.
• Advanced knowledge in legal methodology in order to undertake independent analysis of theme and sources, including advanced knowledge on the use of references to legal sources.
• Advanced knowledge within a particular theme within biodiversity law and/ or climate and energy law.
• Knowledge on ethical dilemmas in legal research.

Skills:

A student who successfully completes this course shall be able to:

• Identify, formulate and discuss legal research questions on the basis of a larger set of sources, including the ability to split research questions into several sub-questions.
• Apply legal sources in a critical and independent way.
• Argue in a transparent, complete and balanced manner with precise and verifiable use of references. The argumentation shall be focused and relevant in relation to the legal research questions raised.
• Produce a larger legal study on minimum 50 pages and maximum 70 pages.
• Distinguish between legal doctrine analyses and normative discussions in legal presentations, including critical review of applicable law and discussions of need for revisions.
• Identify and understand the societal relevance of the legal research questions to be investigated.

General competence:

A student who successfully completes this course shall be able to:

• Apply knowledge and skills acquired in the process of researching and writing the master´s thesis, individually and in collaboration with others.
• Communicate legal arguments in a clear and precise language in writing within the discipline, and to the general public.
• Apply knowledge and skills acquired in the process of researching and writing the master´s thesis in relevant work assignments and projects.
• Identify and reflect upon issues concerning academic ethics in written presentations.
• Apply the above knowledge and skills to carry out large written assignments within prevailing time frames.

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

This course uses interactive and dynamic teaching methods. Students are required to attend a mandatory course providing an introduction to writing a major paper and scientific thinking and a mandatory mid-term seminar.

The students are entitled to 19 hours of individual supervision during the writing of the master´s thesis, cf. Regulations for the Joint Nordic Master´s Programme in Environmental Law (NOMPEL) at UiT, Section 14. The supervisors are primarily appointed amongst the staff from Uppsala University, University of Eastern Finland and UiT The Arctic University of Norway, but in special circumstances or due to their field of expertise, supervisors may also be appointed from outside these organizations.