Student Assignment Brief
This document is intended for Coventry University Group students for their own use in completing their assessed work for this module. It must not be passed to third parties or posted on any website. If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact your Module Leader.
Contents:
- Assignment Information
- Assignment Task
- Marking and Feedback
- Assessed Module Learning Outcomes
- Assignment Support and Academic Integrity
- Assessment Marking Criteria
The work you submit for this assignment must be your own independent work, or in the case of a group assignment your own groups’ work. More information is available in the ‘Assignment Task’ section of this assignment brief.
Assignment Information
Module Name: Public International Law
Module Code: 5016CLS
Assignment Title: Assessment 1 Policy Paper Assignment Due: 6 March 2025 18.00 Assignment Weighting: 10 credits
Word Count (or equivalent): 1500 words
Assignment Type: Coursework
Percentage Grade: (Applied Core Assessment). You will be provided with an overall grade between 0% and 100%. You have one opportunity to pass the assignment at or above 40%.
Assignment Task
This is an individual assignment
This assessment requires you to write a policy paper on the following situation:
Please see the plan which accompanies this assignment, marked ‘AREA MAP OF ARCADIA AND RURITANIA’. The State of Arcadia has borders with the States of Sulania, Torroa and Ruritania, with a coastal border to the south with the Sea of Curlanweila. The State of Ruritania has borders with the States of Talaman, Torroa and Arcadia, with a coastal border to the south with the Sea of Curlanweila. The lands known collectively as ‘Caduria’ are split into two territorial units known as ‘Western Caduria’ and ‘Eastern Caduria’. The region of Western Caduria is part of the sovereign territory of Arcadia, whilst the region of Eastern Caduria is part of the sovereign territory of Ruritania. The Cadurian people, who live in the Cadurian lands, have a different ethnicity and language from both Arcadians and Ruritanians.
For a period of thirty years, since the attaining of Arcadia and Ruritania’s independence, on the breakup of the Torroan Federation, the Cadurian people of Western Caduria (the Cadurian people) have been a minority within the State of Arcadia. During this period, they have been the subject of continuous discrimination by successive Arcadian governments. However, during the last year the level of discrimination has risen and has presently reached a stage where the Cadurian people are being persecuted.
The process has taken place in stages.
To start with, the use of the Cadurian language was prohibited, and Cadurians were banned from owning businesses or working in the public sector. Employed Cadurians were made subject to no fault terminations. Cadurians were prohibited from involvement in political parties or from holding political office. Cadurians were banned from meeting together in groups of more than five, save where they were immediate family. No one in Arcadia was permitted to practice the Abrahamic religion of the Cadurian people.
Cadurian community leaders and dissidents began to be arrested and imprisoned in special camps, without charge.
Most recently the Army of Arcadia (AOA) began descending upon Cadurian towns and villages, rounding up the populations, executing the men and expelling the women and children.
The Movement for Cadurian Freedom (MCF), a Western Cadurian non-State group, has now declared Western Caduria a sovereign State, and has requested the United Nations General Assembly members to recognise that.
Write a policy study analysing the position in international law regarding the right to self-determination of the people of Western Caduria and the potential for Western Caduria’s Statehood, including conclusions and recommendations for further steps, for submission to the United Nations General Assembly.
Word Count
The word count is 1,500 words
There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the mark (after internal moderation) for work exceeding the word limit by 10% or more.
Use of AI
This assignment is in the RED category for use of AI; no generative AI is to be used in the research, preparation or writing of this assignment.
Submission Instructions:
The assessment must be submitted by 18:00 on 6 March 2025. No paper copies are required. You can access the submission link through the module web.
Your coursework will be given a zero mark if you do not submit a copy through Turnitin. Please take care to ensure that you have fully submitted your work.
Please ensure that you have submitted your work using the correct file format, unreadable files will receive a mark of zero. The faculty accepts Microsoft Office and PDF documents, unless otherwise advised by the module leader.
All work submitted after the submission deadline without a valid and approved reason (see below) will be given a mark of zero.
Students MUST keep a copy and/or an electronic file of their assignment.
Development of Skills and Attributes
The module and assessment will develop graduate attributes by developing
- Effective communication,
- Accuracy in application,
- Sensitivity to diverse views, opinions and theories,
- Adaptability to changes and development of the law
- Knowledge to draw from, and application of it,
- Use of material facts and law, and
- An ability to address the task in a practical way.
Marking and Feedback
How will my assignment be marked?
Your assignment will be marked by the module team.
How will I receive my grades and feedback?
Provisional marks will be released to you once internally moderated, and within 15 working days.
Marks and feedback will be provided online.
What will I be marked against?
Details of the marking criteria for this task can be found at the bottom of this assignment brief.
Assessed Module Learning Outcomes
The Learning Outcomes for this module align to the marking criteria which can be found at the end of this brief, and include an evaluation of the role of the international institutions within international law, and the conduct of effective research to develop appropriate responses to real and/or hypothetical problems by applying the principles, rules, norms, and standards of public international law. Ensure you understand the marking criteria to ensure successful achievement of the assessment task.
Assignment Support and Academic Integrity
If you have any questions about this assignment, please see the Student Guidance on Coursework for more information.
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar:
You are expected to use effective, accurate, and appropriate language within this assessment task.
Academic Integrity:
The work you submit must be your own, or in the case of group work, that of your group. All sources of information need to be acknowledged and attributed; therefore, you must provide references for all sources of information and acknowledge any tools used in the production of your work. We use detection software and make routine checks for evidence of academic misconduct.
It is your responsibility to keep a record of how your thinking has developed as you progress through to submission. Appropriate evidence could include: version controlled documents, developmental sketchbooks, or journals. This evidence can be called upon if we suspect academic misconduct.
No Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in the development of your assignment.
Definitions of academic misconduct, including plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and collusion can be found on the Student Portal. All cases of suspected academic misconduct are referred for investigation, the outcomes of which can have profound consequences to your studies. For more information on academic integrity please visit the Academic and Research Integrity section of the Student Portal.
Support for Students with Disabilities or Additional Needs:
If you have a disability, long-term health condition, specific learning difference, mental health diagnosis or symptoms and have discussed your support needs with health and wellbeing you may be able to access support that will help with your studies.
If you feel you may benefit from additional support, but have not disclosed a disability to the University, or have disclosed but are yet to discuss your support needs it is important to let us know so we can provide the right support for your circumstances. Visit the Student Portal to find out more.
Unable to Submit on Time?
The University wants you to do your best. However, we know that sometimes events happen which mean that you cannot submit your assessment by the deadline – these events should be beyond your control and not easy to predict. If this happens, you can apply for a deferral, which takes you to the next assessment period (for example, to the resit period following the main Assessment Boards). You must apply before the deadline. If you think this might be in such a position, guidance on understanding what counts as an extenuating circumstance, and how to apply is available on the Student Portal.
Administration of Assessment
Module Leader Name: Dr Hugh Williams Module Leader Email: [email protected] Assignment Category: Written
Attempt Type: Standard
Component Code: CW
Assessment Marking Criteria