Criminal Law
| Module title | Criminal Law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAW3003H |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Charlie Bishop (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 12 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 5 |
|---|
Module description
Crimes are the laws with the most serious consequences: commit a crime, and you could go to prison, even for the rest of your life. So pervasive is the criminal law that most people who have never studied law before are already aware of a range of crimes. In this module, we start by drawing upon your background awareness of criminal law, or at least your sense of right and wrong, and from there build a methodical knowledge and useable understanding of some of the major crimes found in the law of England and Wales. This module is an opportunity for you to explore the legal details and moral underpinnings of such crimes as murder, rape, theft and criminal damage, and the defences available to such crimes, like self-defence or intoxication. You will be encouraged to adopt a critical attitude towards the criminal law, reflecting on why the law is the way it is, and how it can be improved. Also, it is one of the foundations of legal knowledge required for those ultimately wishing to practice as a barrister or solicitor in England and Wales.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module is only available to students studying for the JD on the HKUST-Exeter Programmes in Law. The module aims to make you fully conversant with the main criminal law offences; aware of the complexity of definitional issues; aware of the major theoretical debates within the field of criminal law: and able to argue with confidence on relevant ethical and doctrinal issues.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge of criminal law and a substantial range of major concepts, values and principles relevant to its application
- 2. demonstrate ability to identify, explain and critically evaluate key issues in criminal law and to apply relevant rules and theories
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge of legal concepts and their contextual, social, and political implications
- 4. demonstrate ability to apply legal knowledge to a problem or case study and to suggest a conclusion supported by relevant arguments
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. demonstrate ability to manage relevant learning resources, information, and learning strategies, and to develop own arguments and opinions with minimum guidance
- 6. demonstrate ability to work independently and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessment
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Homicide
- Violence against the person
- Sexual offences
- Theft
- Criminal damage
- Conspiracy, inchoate and accessory liability
- Defences
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 267 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 9 | 9 x 1 hour tutorials |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 24 | 24 x 1 hour lectures |
| Guided independent learning | 177 | Reading and preparing for tutorials |
| Guided independent learning | 90 | Researching and writing essays |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial questions | 9 x 1 hour | 1-6 | Feedback in tutorial from tutor |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best four out of maximum nine essays (one per tutorial, each with equal weight) | 100 | 800 words per essay | 1-6 | Feedback in tutorial from tutor |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best four out of maximum nine essays | One essay: 3200 words | 1-6 | August reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
This reading list is indicative, providing an idea of textbooks that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not a confirmed or compulsory reading list:
The latest editions of:
Simester et al, Criminal Law: Theory and Doctrine (Hart)
Herring, Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials (Oxford)
Ormerod, Smith and Hogan’s Criminal Law (Oxford)
Ashworth and Horder, Principles of Criminal Law (Oxford)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 1/10/2002 |
| Last revision date | 10/01/2019 |
