MEng Aerospace Engineering

This is the final of four course units on the MEng programme. The course units address legal issues, management techniques and the application of  strategic and organisational issues. Engineers must have an awareness of the legal issues which affect and regulate engineers and their practice.
The course unit runs over twelve weeks with no pre-requirements from the students. The students attend structured lectures on specific topics of law, conflict management and dispute resolution. In addition to this the students work through a web-based course on Blackboard (including quizzes; self-assessment; discussion and scenarios).The web-based course and exercises provide the students with the opportunity for practical expression of the theory and principles taught here. The students will be assessed by unseen exam and coursework ( consisting of: report; on-line questions, quizzes; self-assessment; discussion and scenarios).  Law and legal issues pedagogy is different than engineering determinism and empiricism.  The pedagogy used here is Socratic Method and the students experience Legal Logic via eTutorials.
 

This unit aims to:

Introduce the legal issues affecting and regulating engineers
develop an understanding of the legal issues affecting and regulating engineers,
develop an awareness of the structure and framework of relevant law via Common law and Statute (legislation)
 

1 Introduction to the law and legal issues;
2 The law of Obligations:
Contract;
Tort
3 The Concepts of Standard Forms of Contract
The Key Areas of Standard Forms;
4 Conflict and Dispute Resolution via:
adjudication; arbitration; mediation and litigation (and other developing techniques);
5 Health and Safety legislation and practice,
The development of H&S law; the need for legislation.
6 The special case of criminal law;
7 The Legal implications of design responsibility;
via duty of care and duty of result.
The special case of Design and Build;
8 The problems of legislating and contracting for sustainability;
9 Professionalism as an ethical/moral issue; professionalism as a legal requirement.;
10 IP issues for Engineers
Patents; Copyright; Design Rights
11 Corruption and Bribery: Bribes; Finders fees etc
12 Internationalisation and Space Law: The effect of jurisdictions
 

Other - Assessed tutorial work

Exam - via script viewing

Assessed tutorial work - Immediate as required, weekly podcast unit summary

Written report - individual and generic written