Data Protection Law and Information Governance Postgraduate Certificate
1 Year by Distance Learning | September Start

This course is primarily delivered online to provide flexibility and the ability for you to study at times convenient to you.

We believe, however, that opportunities to engage with your tutors and with fellow students are an important part of your learning experience. On two of the modules you will be offered the opportunity to meet your tutors and attend lectures or workshops at the University at an optional study day. All of the content will be available online should you not be able to attend. On the third module you will be encouraged to engage with your tutor and with fellow students via the module discussion board.

Each taught module is assessed via written assignment. On the legal research module you will work in a group with other postgraduate students to undertake the research, writing and review of that assignment. On the data protection module and the information governance module you will submit an individual written assignment at the end of each module. As part of the assessment process you will be expected to undertake a critical evaluation of the law, and to consider information governance and security in your own or another chosen organisation.

• See all the Modules for this course

This programme is delivered jointly by academics within Northumbria Law School and the iSchool, in the Faculty of Engineering and Environment.

Northumbria Law School is actively involved in research and consultancy in the field of data protection, information sharing, freedom of information and privacy law. The iSchool, which delivers the information governance and security module, is widely recognised for its innovative distance and work-based learning programmes in information and records management and for its related research.

This course is delivered by a team of solicitors and academics with extensive experience in data protection and information governance, who are actively researching the area. In addition our team also boast memberships to key professional bodies, in addition to editing industry publications such as the Records Management Journal.

Your course will be delivered online using the latest innovative software.

Learning materials such as module handbooks, assessment information, lecture presentation slides, recorded lectures and electronic reading lists will be available via our highly accessible e-learning platform, Blackboard. You can also access student support and other key University systems through your personal account.

Research Rich learning (RRL) is embedded across the programme, reflecting the pervasive research culture of the law school.

Your student journey commences with the Legal Research module. This module will help you to gain a clear awareness and understanding of appropriate legal research methods and legal sources and how to cite those sources. In your subsequent modules your tutors will expose you to a range of academic literature covering substantive data protection law and relevant information governance and data security frameworks and principles. You will also develop your legal research skills further as your tutors encourage you to discuss, evaluate and critically examine relevant principles and frameworks and as you undertake your own research in order to complete your module assignments.

It is envisaged that most students who study this programme will already be employed within the data protection/information governance fields.

It recognises that the introduction of a new data protection regulation will result in significant challenges for professionals working in the data protection field, and seeks to help you to develop the skills and knowledge which you will need to do your job professionally notwithstanding the changing legislation framework.

This course provides academic recognition of your knowledge of data protection and information governance law and your ability to apply that knowledge to practice.

It also provides a strong foundation for further study. Should you decide upon completion of the programme that you wish to further develop your knowledge then you can move towards an LLM (Master of Laws) qualification. The certificate exempts you from study of the first three modules on the Pg Dip/LLM in Information Rights Law and Practice.