Criminal Law

Criminal Law is a core subject for the Qualifying Law Degree. Criminal Law identifies and analyses the circumstances in which individuals can be prosecuted and sanctioned for behaviour that is considered harmful to society, as well as circumstances in which these persons can plead particular defences that either excuse this criminal responsibility, or reduce it.

This unit provides you with an overview of the criminal process in England and Wales, the sources of criminal law, and provides you with a detailed understanding of the component elements of different crimes and the rules or principles that govern criminal liability of individuals and corporate entities. Throughout the unit, you will be exploring what forms of behaviour are to be determined as criminal, i.e. conduct that is subject to prosecution and sanction by the law, and the reasons for the legislature or criminal courts labelling this form of behaviour as “criminal.” These areas of inquiry are relevant as they allow you to understand the underpinning principles, core norms and social function of the criminal law, and to further situate this subject-specific knowledge into the wider social context by critically evaluating the wider influences shaping and developing the criminal law including the role of the legislature, judges and judicial policy. The unit maintains social currency as it enables you to gain practical insight into issues that relate the different areas of inquiry on this course to wider social concerns for maintenance of a rule of law that is fair to all who come before Criminal Courts.

Contract Law

We enter into agreements with other parties - individuals, businesses and other organisations - on a daily basis. Contract law is the basis of many other legal subjects and, although those subjects have developed specific rules, the law of contract nevertheless provides a background for them. It is therefore imperative for any Law student to understand not only how contracts are formed and regulated, but also the legal issues that may arise when contractual relationships break down and the remedies available to a claimant for breach of contract.

Through this unit, you will explore the underlying principles of contract law and the manner in which those principles operate to protect both businesses and consumers. You will learn how to apply abstract legal concepts to practical situations and how to research and analyse primary legal sources, case law and academic writing.

Contract law is a core subject required for the Qualifying Law Degree. 

English Legal System

This unit aims to:

1.       Provide students with a solid understanding of the working of the English Legal System, the concepts of statutory interpretation and judicial precedent and the roles of those who play a part in the legal system.

2.       Provide students with the ability to use primary and secondary legal sources, including some electronic retrieval systems.

3.       Provide students with the ability to evaluate the law whilst developing their skills of legal research, oral and written communication, group work, statistical analysis, reflective learning and study skills. 

4.       Students should also acquire a willingness to accept responsibility for their own learning and enable them to learn independently using their initiative and self-discipline.

Academic And Legal Skills

This unit aims to help students to develop: 

• Academic skills, including in particular the ability to process information from a range of sources and to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing;
• Professional legal skills, including the ability to find and use appropriate legal sources, to identify, read and re-present legal cases; and prepare and apply legal materials within a variety of professional and specific legal contexts;
  digital skills, in particular those required in the legal sector;
• Professional awareness and the ability to reflect on their own practice and skills and identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. 

Psychology And Criminal Behaviour

The unit will provide you with an introduction to the study of criminal behaviour, covering a basic grounding in some of the major issues, theories and research within the forensic psychology field. It will facilitate your understanding of the contexts (environmental, social and psychological) within which criminal behaviour occurs and the fundamental skills that are required of forensic psychologists in the assessment and rehabilitation of offenders.
The unit will explore theories of criminal behaviour and integrate criminal and forensic psychology into the knowledge of other areas of psychology to which you are being introduced in level 4 (e.g., biological, developmental, social and cognitive psychology, individual differences and research methods). Offender typologies and criminal-career paths for different types of offender (e.g., male, female, young, mentally disordered etc.) and different types of crime (violent, sexual, stalking, terrorism etc.) will be investigated.

Land Law

Land law is a core subject for a Qualifying Law Degree. The key themes running through this unit involve an exploration of the nature of property and ownership and the range of rights which might exist in relation to land, how such rights are created and transferred and the impact these rights have upon third parties.

On this unit you will examine the concept of land, fixtures and fittings and things lost and found. There will be an introduction to Equity’s pervasive influence and the concept of the Trust. There will then follow a detailed examination of registered and unregistered land. The key theme here will be to establish if the current system of landholding gives effect to the traditional policy impetus of enabling the free alienability of land, or if this is hindered, the extent to which such obstacles are justified on grounds of protection of entrenched rights.

The unit will explore how Land Law is concerned not only with the physical but also the invisible but valuable rights which one person can enjoy over land which “belongs” to another. This will lead you to examine how these invisible rights such as easements, covenants, leases and mortgages are created and enforced.  You will explore how the law has sought to strike a balance between the interests of the “owners” of these rights and the interests of the land which bears the burden of these interests.  Finally, you will undertake a study of adverse possession both to establish how land might be acquired in this way, but also as an example of the historical nature of land law and that the very fundamentals of the subject appear to be undergoing a seismic change after the Land Registration Act 2002. The new system of adverse possession will be examined as an indicator of a change from possession to ownership and a fundamental change in the building blocks of this area of law. Thus you will gain an understanding of the key legal areas of land law and the technical requirements in these areas. In addition, the unit will explore the subject as a subject that is seeking to escape the shackles of its history and hence a broader understanding of the nature of legal change and the reasons for it will be presented as of central importance to this unit.

Law Of Tort

This unit is a core unit essential for a Qualifying Law Degree and aims to acquaint you with a broad critical knowledge of the nature and role of the Law of Tort and a consideration of those rights that Tort protects.

The Law of Tort is highly relevant to you, whether simply as a member of society (understanding your civil rights and liabilities) or as a solicitor or barrister specialising in personal injury and/or other civil law matters. The Law of Tort provides a remedy for social wrongs setting minimum standards of social conduct and protects your personal security, physical health, finances, reputation, land and property from unjust injury or interference by others.

Tort is a word derived from the Latin word “Tortus” which literally means twisted but came to refer to civil wrongs, as distinct from criminal wrongs. Hence, Tort includes claims arising in Negligence, Nuisance, Trespass, and Defamation to name a few. Winfield and Jolowicz on Tort state that “Tortious liability arises from a breach of a duty primarily fixed by law; this duty is towards persons generally and its breach is redressible by an action for unliquidated damages”. 

You will be engaged with common law principles and will develop skills in critically analysing and evaluating case law and some statutes e.g. the Occupier’s Liability Acts 1957 and 1984.  You will also explore your understanding of the role of Tort in its societal context in shifting the burden of losses from the victim to the tortfeasor or through insurance to the wider society and through a consideration of the public policy issues underpinning case law.  The impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in freeing the courts from the historical common law restrictions on developing the protection of interests will be integral to this study.

Constitutional And Administrative Law

Constitutional and Administrative Law is a core subject for the Qualifying Law Degree.

Constitutional law relates to the legal and political framework that establishes the state’s principal institutions responsible for running the country and defines the powers of these institutions. Administrative law refers to the legal powers and duties of public bodies, including the lawfulness of decisions made by public bodies about the rights and entitlements of individuals. Thus, as Webley and Samuels summarise, “constitutional law is the law that establishes the state and its institutions; administrative law is the law that these institutions use to run the country.”

The Constitutional and Administrative Law unit will provide you with a thorough grounding in both constitutional and administrative dimensions of Public Law. Under the constitutional law dimension of the topic, you will be introduced to constitutional principles and theories, the special nature of the UK constitution and the historical development that gives understanding to the UK’s constitution. The structure of government will be considered and the judicial system set out. The unit will also show how membership of the European Union and the Council of Europe impact on the UK’s constitution. Human rights and their relationship to the constitution will also be covered. Under the administrative law dimension, students will learn about the process of judicial review, the roles of administrative tribunals, inquiries, ombudsmen, and the way that human rights relates to administrative law. Throughout the study, relevant case law will be drawn on.

The unit aims to introduce you to the fundamental principles necessary to understand the foundations of Constitutional and Administrative Law at the theoretical level and bring that into today’s context. Historical, philosophical and political developments will be drawn on to this end. From this basic foundational platform, the unit will shift to the application of key Constitutional Law principles within the UK. The largest part of this unit will focus on the practical application of administrative law and its interaction with human rights law.

This unit will provide opportunities for you to both explore and engage with the norms and principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law as they apply to contemporary practical scenarios, and to develop a number of skills relevant to your future employability in the legal professions.

Psychology And Criminal Justice

This unit takes an in depth look at the role of psychology in the Criminal Justice System. The unit is designed to facilitate your understanding of the main components of the English and Welsh Criminal Justice System with some comparative perspectives provided in relation to other justice systems worldwide.

This unit focuses on psychological contributions to the processes of law-making, deterrence, enforcement, prosecution, court-processes and corrections. You will be provided with a framework to understand the role of psychologists and psychological research within the Criminal Justice System. The syllabus is based on current events, recent academic and Government research and the teaching team’s own research and experiences in practice. There is a focus on employability and you will gain an understanding of potential career opportunities in the field.

The unit integrates theory, research and practice providing you with an advanced understanding of key issues in psychology within Criminal Justice settings.

Equity And Trusts

This unit is core subject for a Qualifying Law Degree and aims to introduce you to the study of the nature and the function of the equitable jurisdiction with particular emphasis upon the nature, creation, purpose and enforcement of trusts.

In Land Law (Law001-2) you will have received a brief introduction to the nature of the equitable jurisdiction and the importance of distinguishing between legal and equitable rights. Here you will examine the origins of the equitable jurisdiction, how the jurisdiction differs from the common law system, and the historical and contemporary interaction between the two. You will gain an appreciation of the different guiding philosophy behind the equitable jurisdiction and hence will encounter a different mode of reasoning from the common law.

The key themes running through this unit are to explore the fundamental differences between common law and equity, the changing perspectives on these differences, the more flexible approach adopted by equity, and the need for any lawyer to understand the systemic totality of the outcome of the operation of both these systems of rules. To do this you will have to obtain a working knowledge of the technical language and concepts in this area. These key themes will be explored via practical and primary materials and a keen understanding that equity is a system which is constantly responding to societal change and the demands thereof.

Dissertation

Independent study and learning and the ability to provide informed critical analysis of complex practical issues are essential requirements for a Law graduate.

The dissertation unit offers you the opportunity to independently identify a current issue of public interest which you feel is deserving of in-depth legal analysis and to produce a substantial piece of legal writing which critically analyses and discusses that topic.

In order to produce a sound piece of legal research on your chosen topic, you will be required to analyse, synthesise and evaluate different primary sources, such as statutes, treaties, regulations, as well as to engage with relevant policy documents and academic literature.

The precise title of the dissertation will be negotiated between you and your supervisor, who will advise and guide you through the planning stage and throughout the various stages to completion of the final thesis.

Family And Child Law

The unit focuses on the legal framework regulating adult relationships and that regulating children's life situations in the context of family, state and society.

In the first part of the unit, you will explore the law and practice relating to formal and informal adult relationships, family property and division of property following the divorce or dissolution of civil partnership, as well as legal issues relating to domestic violence. The second part of the unit covers the law and practice relating to, inter alia, the relationship between parents and children, parental responsibility, children rights, child protection, adoption. In this context, particular attention will be devoted to the UN Convention on the Right of the Child and the way in which the obligations arising from the Convention have been incorporated in the UK legal system.

This unit provides you with the necessary knowledge of Family Law needed to fulfil the role of a paralegal (NALP).

Fundamentals Of Eu Law

This unit aims to:

• Provide students with a detailed and coherent understanding of the main foundational legal principles pertaining to the law of the European Union and its impact;
• Familiarise students with the institutions, terminology, and fundamental ideas behind the EU project and encourage a critical reflection on the role of the EU in the wider political and socio-economic context.
• Provide students with a systematic understanding of the nature of the relationship between EU law and domestic law (including UK domestic law) and between the European Court of Justice and national courts.
• Introduce students to major areas of substantive EU law and fundamental rights.  

Applied Forensic Psychology

In this unit you will study the application of psychology to offenders post-sentencing. This will include the consideration of assessment practices which are necessary in order to determine the appropriateness of particular treatments, level of risk posed by the (ex)offender or the success of an intervention with particular offenders. Additionally, you will investigate and evaluate different treatment and rehabilitation programmes; both those delivered in custodial settings, and those undertaken as part of a community sentence or as relapse prevention following release from custody.
We will cover the main scientific and practical skills needed by psychologists in the field of forensic work including issues related to the evaluation of rehabilitative interventions, the preparation of reports, and assessment techniques. In relation to risk assessment we will also consider how assessment informs the management and amelioration of risk.
Further, you will gain a theoretical understanding of a range of advanced research designs and methods of data analysis that are likely to be employed in these contexts (e.g. meta-analysis, factor analysis, reliability & validity etc.).  We will also cover the research and practical ethical issues and debates in Forensic Psychology, as well as developing an awareness of professional skills that are required in practice for employability.

You will find that the topics in this unit complement those of the previous two units studied as part of the Forensic  Psychology degree. In particular this focuses more on the typical work of most Forensic Psychologists who tend to work within the prison system. However, the skills that you will develop whilst studying this unit will be equally transferable to a range of other occupational positions within or around the criminal justice system.

Institutions Of The European Union And Judicial Protection

Despite the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, a solid understanding of the way in which EU institutions operate, and of EU Law more generally, remains an essential asset for anyone wishing to embark in a legal career.

This unit, together with the unit on Substantive Law of the EU which you will be studying in semester 2, aims at providing you with the knowledge and critical awareness of EU Law which will allow you to address the legal issues raised by the UK's withdrawal from the EU and its new position as a third State vis-a-vis the European project.

By studying this unit, you will develop an understanding of the way in which the European project has developed throughout the years and of the foundational principles and values of the European legal order. 

The unit will provide you with an understanding of the insitutional framework of the EU, the role and powers of EU institutions, its law-making processes, its judicial system and the key principles of the law regulating the external relations of the EU.

Substantive Law Of The European Union And Human Rights

This unit will give you an overview of the key substantive aspects of EU Law, including the principles govening the EU internal market and the protection of fundamental rights within the European Union.

The first part of the unit will deal with the rules concerning the internal market, and in particular the so-called “four freedoms” (freedom of movement of goods, persons, services and capitals) and the notion of EU citizenship.

The second part of the unit will deal with the protection of fundamental rights within the EU system, with particular focus on the relevant general principles of EU law, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and the ongoing debate on the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Together with the unit on Institutions of the EU, which you will have studied in Semester 1, this unit will improve your ability to deal with the legal issues raised by the UK's withdrawal from the EU as a result of Brexit and its new position as a third State entering into new trade and political relationships with the EU.