1. Identify and explain the different sources of law and the main ways in which law or systems are categorised.

Knowledge and understanding,

2. Identify and explain the core concepts, personnel and processes of the English Legal System.

Knowledge and understanding

3. Analyse and evaluate key debates relating to an aspect of the English legal system.

Analysis and Enquiry

4. Effectively communicate verbally in a manner appropriate to the audience

Communication

1. The presentation will require students to analyse and evaluate, in depth, a key debate relating to an aspect of the English legal system, showing a solid understanding of the key concepts. (LO 2, 3 and 4). Students will record their presentations and upload them online for tutor assessment.

2. The MCT exam will examine the breadth of subject knowledge on topics covered across the module (LOs 1 and 2)

Sources and categories of law; legal and lay personnel; criminal justice system; civil justice system.

The English Legal System module will introduce students to the fundamental elements of the English legal system and help them understand where laws come from and how they are created; the people who work in the English legal system; and how both the civil and criminal justice systems operate.

The majority of learning materials will be presented online asynchronously organised as a series of weekly topics. Students will be encouraged to follow the weekly schedule where this is possible. Three synchronous online webinars will be held to provide opportunities for live interaction between students and lecturer, to cover an introduction to the module and learning expectations, an assessment guidance session, and a consolidation session prior to the assessment date. These sessions will be recorded for the benefit of students who are unable to attend at the scheduled time.

The online learning materials will be organised as a range of short activities for each topic. Instant feedback will be provided where appropriate, for example on computer-aided tests of knowledge. Summaries and explanations of applied tasks will be available, allowing students to assess their progress against suggested answers.

Independent study tasks will enable students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of new information. Directed reading and independent tasks allow the student to take increasing responsibility for and ownership of their own learning. Students will be expected to communicate complex legal issues effectively. In this way, students will further develop their inter-personal skills, legal research skills, legal reasoning skills, problem solving and critical analysis skills.

Gillespie A and Weare S, The English Legal System (7th edn, OUP 2019)

The above text is currently available in electronic version on Law Trove via the Library.

Students will have access to a number of resources via the Library, including:

Texts

Embley J and others, Legal Systems & Skills: Learn, Develop, Apply (4th edn, OUP 2020)

Partington M, Introduction to the English Legal System 2019-2020 (14th edn, OUP 2019)

Holland J and Webb J, Learning Legal Rules: A Students' Guide to Legal Method and Reasoning (10th edn, OUP 2019)

Wilson S and others, English Legal System (4th edn, OUP 2020)

Databases

Students will have access to LexisNexis and Westlaw

Journals

The Library also has access to a variety of relevant journal titles