The module is designed to provide law and non-law students with the necessary legal knowledge, learning, lawyering as well as employability and personal enhancement skills to facilitate their current and future study of law. The module will focus on:
• Court structure
• Statutory interpretation
• Doctrine of precedent
• Legal personnel and key legal concepts
• Funding
• Reforms
• Key instruments that affect the English Legal System
• Key legal skills such as research, referencing and academic writing
• Practical skills such as communication skills
• The module will also develop employability skills
In addition, students should attend a series of events. These will be addressed in the students’ reflection. These may include:
• University-wide events and lectures – program specific and/or industry related to any area of the University curriculum.
• Events external to the University which are either relevant to the core Law Programmes and/or of interest to the student, (e.g. plays/films/concerts, public lectures, court visits, law competitions, exhibitions).

During the teaching of the module, students will attend both large group sessions and small group sessions.
Self-directed study will provide the student with the opportunity to prepare for small group work and to carry out independent research as well as team working.

Whole group: The teaching sessions will take place in Teaching Block 1 and Teaching Block 2.
These sessions will provide detailed information and a critique of the legal system and skills as well as allowing external speakers to contribute to the SGEP.

The structured programme of whole group sessions will lead to:
Small Group Sessions
These sessions will test the students’ knowledge and understanding of the material covered in the Whole Group and Independent Learning Sessions.
The study guide will provide a detailed programme. Preparatory exercises and reading for each session will be on Blackboard. These sessions will involve group discussions and collaborative tasks. The emphasis is upon ‘learning by doing’, where learning takes place through personal experience, social interaction and reflection. The learning programme is reflecting the view that learning can take place outside as well as inside the classroom. It will facilitate interaction with the world of business as the module progresses. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to ‘try out’ these skills within their own subject specialism.

Independent Study:

Both the whole and small group sessions will require the student to undertake study to further enhance their knowledge and understanding. The independent study will also provide the student with preparation time for research material for small group sessions. Students will be expected to draw on materials from the other Level 4 modules.

This learning strategy is also underpinned by a Skills Focus Day within Level 4 welcome week. This lays the foundations for the development of the skills programme over the rest of the year and constitutes an event for the purposes of the SGEP.

Access to appropriate texts, legislation and case law
Module study guide.
Computing facilities will be needed to access material available on the web and specialist on-line databases.
Students Union’s Enterprise Society/NACUE (National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs) and SAP (Students Union Students as Academic Partners) Employability Skills Project
External speakers and organisation
Access to Blackboard
Access to the internet

Wilson et al, English Legal System Directions (OUP 2014)
Finch and Fafinski Legal Skills (5th Edition, OUP, 2015)
Finch and Fafinski Employability Skills for Law Students (OUP 2014)
Slapper and Kelly The English Legal System (15th Ed Routledge 2015)

1. DEMONSTRATE A KNOWLEDGE AND CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGAL STRUCTURES OF THE UK AND EU.
Knowledge and Understanding

2. DEMONSTRATE A KNOWLEDGE OF THE KEY CONCEPTS WHICH UNDERPIN LAW AND LAW MAKING.
Knowledge and understanding

3. DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAIN SOURCES OF LAW.
Knowledge and understanding

4. CARRY OUT ENQUIRY BASED LEARNING AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS BY DEMONSTRATING AN AWARENESS OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN LEARNING AND BY CONDUCTING A PERSONAL SKILLS AUDIT IDENTIFYING WHERE SKILLS GAPS EXIST MAPPED AGAINST CAREER AND EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS.
Analysis
Problem solving
Reflection

5. DEMONSTRATE A HIGH LEVEL OF IT, ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
Communication
Learning

6. SELF-EVALUATE AND REFLECT ON YOUR PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING THE ATTRIBUTES CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL FOR THE STAFFORDSHIRE GRADUATE.
Analysis
Reflection

Assessing all learning outcomes, a Portfolio will comprise of:

i. A written exercise of 1000 words on an element of the English Legal System - TB1 (30%) Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 & 5

ii. An individual presentation on an element of the English Legal System (40%) - TB2. Learning outcomes 1, 2, & 5

iii. A 1.5 hour online MCT exam assessing elements of the English Legal System and an understanding of ethics, professional conduct and regulation of the legal profession (30%) TB2. Final assessment Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 & 4

Additional Assessment Details:
Working towards the assessment tasks will be a key element of the learning, and tutors will be available to guide students through the process. Face to face contact sessions focussed on assessment activities will be scheduled into the timetable.