LA0699 - English Legal Systems MCT [CPE FT/CPE DL]

Holland and Webb, ‘Learning Legal Rules’ 7th edition, 2010, Oxford University Press.

1. The Court System and personnel of the English Legal System.
2. The Law-making Institutions of the UK and EU.
3. Sources of Law.
4. The Legislative Processes.
5. Reading and Interpreting Legislation.
6. Reading Cases and Judicial Precedent.

The module is part of a programme which aims to provide the non- law graduate with an academically rigorous programme of education in law designed to assist students to prepare for the entry onto the vocational stage of legal education and to provide a sound foundation on which to develop legal competencies and knowledge required for legal practice.

Module specific aims are:
To acquire a sound knowledge of those areas of law which are fundamental to the further study of substantive law.
To acquire a knowledge and understanding of the English legal institutions and method.
To develop legal research skills and to introduce students to the basic primary sources of legal information.
To develop skills of legal analysis and legal method.
To inculcate a culture of independent study.

Students should be able to demonstrate:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understand the fundamentals of the English Legal System.
• Understand the principles of statutory interpretation and judicial precedent.
• Identify, find, select and evaluate sources of legal information;
• Critically examine and appraise the law in the area of study undertaken and demonstrate an understanding of that subject area

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Distance Learning: This subject is delivered to both full-time and distance learning students via a pre attendance self study package and two lectures and two seminars in the induction sessions. It is assessed by way of MCQ examination.

Students are introduced to the fundamentals of the EU and English Legal systems at the beginning of the programme. EU and English Legal Systems are introduced through the pre-Induction study package which contains a workbook, ‘Induction to Law’ and textbook on Legal Systems and Legal Methodology ‘Learning Legal Rules’. The textbook covers the main aspects of the English and EU legal system including the court structure.

Induction to Law directs students in their reading of the selected text, provides examples of statutes and cases and also includes a number of exercises, which students are required to work through. These exercises are concerned with, inter alia, statutory interpretation, the doctrine of precedent and how to read cases. The exercises also provide a link with the Foundation subjects. The exercises are then considered and discussed with tutors during the induction period of the course, thus enabling the students to individually assess their own performance.

The work carried out prior to attendance is reinforced by tuition during the Induction course and developed as appropriate throughout the subject areas.

The material covered in the pre-induction study period and induction sessions is largely factual and is assessed by way of a 40 question open book Multiple Choice Test, which students are required to pass. This subject is assessed on a pass/ fail basis.

a Summative assessment and rationale for tasks
This takes the form of 40 question Multiple Choice Test in which students are required to attain 60%. The module is assessed on a pass/fail basis.

b. Additional formative assessment – detail of process and rationale
Students attend seminars in induction session which require them to apply their knowledge to legal materials and are given guidance by tutors. The workbook has self test questions to test understanding and knowledge.

c. Indication of how students will get feedback and how this will support their learning.

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