Year 1
Legal Method and Advocacy (Mandatory)
Students will engage with the techniques of legal reasoning used in the common law world, the law-making process and the sources of law in England and Wales. This module also introduces students to the nature of legal obligations (contract and torts) and the principles and sources of EU Law. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to apply legal knowledge in practical exercises such as mooting and alternative dispute mechanisms.
Constitutional Law (Mandatory)
Public law is multifaceted and students will engage with a range of issues to include the relationship between the individual and the state, the effect of membership of the EU, devolution within the United Kingdom and the significance of judicial review. Students will be able assess the significance of human rights in constitutional and administrative law, with due reference to the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Criminal Law (Mandatory)
This module examines the concepts and principles of criminal law in England and Wales. It covers the general principles of criminal law and the substantive law concerning a range of offences. Students will be able assess the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on criminal law. Students will be equipped to interpret and apply cases and statutes to legal problems and engage critically with academic legal discourse.
Contract Law (Mandatory)
Students will examine the principles, policies and practical applications of contract law from a variety of perspectives. They will develop a thorough understanding of how contractual obligations are formed and regulated, how legal principles and concepts are used to identify and resolve legal problems, and the function of contracts in society and the economy. The module also addresses the dimensions of contract law that are shaped by the impact of EU law.
Introduction to Criminology (Requisite)
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the subject specialism that is criminology using a topic-based approach. Students examine how we can make sense of crime and criminality by exploring some key areas of debate and controversy within the discipline of criminology. Crime has come to dominate both the political and social stage and there are many social, cultural and criminological explanations made as to the extent, cause and nature of crime and criminality. The task of the students is to explore and make some sense of this debate.
Principles of Psychology for Criminology (Requisite)
This module will introduce students to key approaches and perspectives within the discipline of psychology and provide an understanding of how human behaviour is influenced by biological, behavioural, cognitive and psychoanalytical processes. The module will explore some of the basic principles and debates within psychology and will outline key concepts, theories and research studies that have informed psychology as a whole as well as those of the different approaches, perspectives and branches of psychology covered within the module. The focus of the module is on providing students with a grounding in the fundamentals of psychology in order to complement their understanding of criminology and offending behaviour; to highlight a number of areas in which psychology has contributed to criminological knowledge; and to elucidate the links between psychology and criminology by discussing the implications and applications of different approaches within criminology and in explanations of, and responses to, criminal and deviant behaviour.
Year 2
Tort Law (Mandatory)
Students will examine the development and function of the law of torts in society. The module places considerable emphasis on the current applications of legal principles, policy and academic discourses in this branch of the law of obligations. Very complex sets of social relationships are governed by legal concepts of duty, harm and compensation. The module also engages with the impact of human rights and EU law on tortious liability.
Research Methods in Law (Mandatory)
Students will develop insights into how legal research is conducted to address substantive, procedural and contextual legal issues and how to apply techniques from related subjects in the social sciences and humanities. Since legal problems are often multifaceted, legal research methods require effective integration of doctrinal, theoretical and empirical research techniques. An important feature of this module is the application of legal research skills to solving legal problems and to the analysis of legal issues.
Land Law (Mandatory)
Students will develop a solid understanding of the historical and theoretical foundations of English land law and of the current legal principles and concepts in use today. The module examines the development of the legal frameworks regulating property in land, including the normalisation of the registration of titles. The module explores and examines the different forms in which property rights in land arise and the mechanism used to accommodate developments.
Equity and Trusts (Mandatory)
Students will develop a solid understanding of the principles and concepts used in the law of trusts in England and Wales, covering the main forms of trust property. The module examines the development and current application of the fundamental maxims in equity, using both primary legal sources and academic discourses. The module also contextualises equity and trusts by facilitating understanding of the historical, social, political and economic functions of this area of law.
Criminological Theory (Requisite)
This module highlights the importance of political and cultural concerns of the period when considering the search for the ‘causes’ of crime. Students are introduced to the main theoretical debates occurring within the discipline of criminology. It examines the three broad levels of criminological explanation: the individual, the situational, and the structural. Thus the different theories within criminology that locate their main explanation for criminal behaviour at one (or more) of these levels are explored.
Contemporary Issues in Criminology (Requisite)
The purpose of this module is to allow students to engage with selected contemporary issues, debates and perspectives in criminology. Based primarily on weekly seminar discussion of an identified journal article, book chapter, or report, the module will focus on critical analysis, appreciation and discussion of each issue and facilitate engagement with broader subject areas of criminology. Students will develop a critical overview of the discipline as it stands and the extent to which it is equipped or willing to engage with certain types of crime. Some topics will allow introductory insights into emerging, specialist fields of enquiry. Students are encouraged to critically evaluate the limitations of criminological theories and evidence as appropriate, as well as explore and critique the influence of current social, economic, political and cultural context on particular policies and practices in criminal justice. To reflect the dynamic, contemporary nature of this module, students are encouraged to appreciate and use various forms of representation through which criminological issues may be channeled and discussed.
Year 3
Independent Project (Mandatory)
This module consolidates the legal research skills developed over the previous two years and enables you to undertake an independent project in your final year. You will develop your project proposal with support from a supervisor on the course team.
EU Law (Mandatory)
European Union law (EU law) governs the relations among member states of the European Union and the means by which economic, social and political integration are designed and enforced. This module examines the laws and principles that comprise EU law and determine implementation in member states.
Administrative Law (Mandatory)
This module will focus on proceedings in the High Court for judicial review of the decision of public bodies. The module will also examine the Human Rights Act 1998 and alternatives to judicial review proceedings such as internal complaints mechanism and ombudsmen.
