get my LLM in Construction Law and Arbitration

Well I passed everything with the appropriate grades in year 1 to not only progress into year 2 but also got exemption for certain examinations as part of the application process for Fellowship in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Wicked.

Year 2 starts this week so I’m busy downloading all the distance learning course materials.

Okay, so I didn’t do as well in my second essays as I had hoped, but I know it’s because I had to rush them and hand them in almost a month early because I was travelling for work etc in the final month. But I got a strong ‘B’ overall for my Reparation Law and Evidence which is okay, and a very strong ‘C’ overall for my Legal Systems and Contract Law (in fact, I missed out on a ‘B’ by only 0.8%!). To enable me to become a Fellow of the Institute of Arbitrators, I needed to get at least 55% overall in each of these modules, so at least I managed that.

Onwards and upwards! Now it is Year 1 Semester 2 – Arbitration Law, Practice and Procedure, which culminates in one exam and one ‘time-limited’ essay (ie you only have a week to write it), both in May (the essay being issued the day after the exam and due in 7 days later). To enable me to become a Fellow of the Institute of Arbitrators, I need to get at least 55% in the exam (which I am nervous about as I am really really really bad in exams) and 70% in the time-limited essay, which I think I can manage, as long as I take the week off work and spend the time working on the essay instead of sunbathing and watdching TV.

So, semester 1 of year 1 is pretty much over. I have two more essays to hand in then it’s all done. The essay structure this term was:
Legal Systems and Contract Law: Essay 1 worth 30% of the grade, essay 2 worth 70% of the grade.
Reparation Law and Evidence: Essay 1 worth 30% of the grade, essay 2 worth 70% of the grade.
The mark I got for Legal Systems and Contract Law Essay 1 was a grade B – 62%. I knew this essay would be a low mark as it is my first uni essay in over 9 yrs and I was struggling in getting back into ‘student mode’ (apart from becoming addicted to daytime TV and drinking every night! ha ha ha haaaaa!) Especially as I’m trying to hold down a very demanding and time-consuming full-time job at the same time.
The mark I got for Reparation Law and Evidence Essay 1 was a grade A – 78%. The feedback I got on this one was that it was the best essay marked so far! So, this proved to me that I do know my stuff and I can be student again, I just need to be very strict with my time management and concentrate on my uni work.
The feedback that I got from the first two essays have totally encouraged me to really concentrate on finishing off my two remaining essays as I’ve realised I’m on the right track and I’m now back in to the swing of things as a student.

It’s funny though, as I feel as though I am working sooooo much harder at being a student this time round than I did first time round. It’s strange as first time round it was more important as it was helping me establish my career. This time round, I did it out of a personal desire to learn more in a specialised field of my eduction that I have no knowledge or experience in. I may not necessarily be able to establish a career out of it, so it’s funny that I’m working harder this time round. Maybe it’s because I’m a lot more mature about it than I was when I first started uni 12 years ago.

OK, so this is a goal that will take some time to achieve as I’ve just enrolled on a three year distance learning course and will start in a few weeks time.

I really want to commit to this properly. When I was at university the first time round, I didn’t commit to it properly. I was holding down three part time jobs as well as trying to live the lively social life of a student living away from home for the first time! All I seemed to do was study ‘enough’ to get me through an exam or write an essay. Also, I was always really good at essays but never that great with exams. By some miracle, I managed to scrape through with a 2:ii

This time, although I am holding down a full-time job, I don’t ‘party’ as much as I used to (preferring to live the quiet life of a 30 year old with few close friends!) and want to use my time free in my ‘quiet life’ more constructively. Also, the first degree I studied was a BA(Hons) Law, so I have experience in studying law. My job is in the legal field, so not only do I have experience in studying law, I have experience in applying legal principles. These two factors, combined with the fact that I am a much more mature, level-headed person should make studying this time around a much smoother ride! Also, the fact that I’m having to pay the actual course fees myself this time round (which aren’t cheap!) is something which should inspire more dedication to the course and studying (as I do not want to waste so much money!).

There are two levels to this course. One is the ‘pass’ level to get the LLM award from the university, and the second (and higher level so harder to obtain) is some kind of accreditation level to do with arbitration in the UK (membership to organisations etc). So, I am going to try and reach the level of accreditation.

No easy task, so here’s hoping that in May 2010 I’ll be posting a message with my final dissertation mark and be able to remove this task from 43things as being ‘done’!!!!