Introduction to Law

Module title	Introduction to Law
Module code	INT0042
Academic year	2021/2
Credits	20
Module staff	Yousuf Hindess (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks		12

Number students taking module (anticipated)	6

Description - summary of the module content

Module description

This second semester module provides an introduction to key legal skills and concepts. It refers to current legal issues in Human Rights Law and /or Criminal Law and /or Tort as representative of the different legal traditions (common and civil law) within English Law. Especially relevant for those wishing to study law at the University, the module also has great benefits for those interested in other subjects as it requires rigorous analysis of complex concepts in order to present fluent, persuasive arguments.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide a foundation in English Law for students wishing to follow a degree programme in Law, Humanities or Social Sciences.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Show knowledge of appropriate legal skills appropriate to this level
2. Demonstrate an understanding of aspects of English Criminal Law and/or the English Law of Tort and/or the European Convention of Human Rights and its implementation within English Law
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the limitations on the implementation of law in practice

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. To a standard appropriate to this level analyse and evaluate material set for the module

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. With tutor support, take responsibility for your own learning and work independently
6. Communicate effectively in a format and using scholarly/legal conventions appropriate to this discipline

Syllabus plan

This module will introduce key skills and concepts around two or more legal areas, including Human Rights Law and/or Criminal and /or Tort Law.

Topics may include:

For Human Rights: The role of law in the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to areas such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, parental chastisement, protection from domestic violence, privacy, religious freedom and freedom of expression and issues around their implementation in English Law.

For Criminal Law: Basic elements of Criminal Law, particularly offences against the person and key elements such as actus reus, mens rea, and relevant Criminal Law defences.

For Tort Law: Basic elements of Tort Law such as liability of public bodies, good Samaritan laws, privacy and defamation.

Learning and teaching

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
40	160	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activities	40	Lectures (live or pre-recorded), seminars, tutorials. Face to face or online sessions, these will be a mixture of class discussion and mini-lectures led by the tutor and e-learning tasks.
Guided independent study	160	Reading and preparation for class discussion and debates, research for assignment, exam revision, web materials

Assessment

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Presentation	Individual or group	1-6	Written and oral feedback
Essay	Introduction and plan	1-6	Written and oral feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
60	40	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Oral Presentation	20	Individual	1, 2, 4-6	Written feedback
Essay	40	1,800 words	1-6	Written feedback
Open Book Examination (online, 24 hours)	40	24 hours	1-6	Written feedback

Re-assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Individual Oral Presentation	Individual Oral Presentation	1-6	As soon as possible after original assessment period.
Essay	Resubmission	1-6	As soon as possible after original assessment period
Examination	Examination Resit (new paper)	1-6	As soon as possible after original assessment period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to take a re-sit exam. Only your performance in this exam will count towards your final module grade. A grade of 40% will be awarded if the examination is passed.

Resources

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

James Holland and Julian Webb, Learning Legal rules: A Student’s Guide to Legal Method and Reasoning – 9^th Edition – OUP

Nicola Monaghan, ‘Criminal Law’ 4^th Edition OUP

Module has an active ELE page

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Additional reading and sources will be provided by the module convener.

Key words search

English Law, Legal Skills, Human Rights, ECHR, Law of Tort, Criminal Law

Credit value	20
Module ECTS	10
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	3
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	01/05/2018
Last revision date	13/08/2021