This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the law of sport, as well as the necessary skills to apply the law to a range of case studies.

Topics covered may include:
- Negligence (including psychiatric injury and economic loss)
- Players contracts and the legality of transfer rules (for example: Bosman)
- Civil liability for on-field conduct.
- The use of criminal law to respond to and punish misconduct on the field of play.
- The conduct of disciplinary proceedings to limit the use of drugs in sport.
- The legal framework aimed at preventing discrimination in sport.

The learning strategy for this module is based around students committing a total of 300 hours of activities towards achieving the learning outcomes. These will be split between 50 hours of direct contact with a tutor and 250 hours of directed, guided and self-study, together with preparation for and completion of the assessment tasks.

Contact will include a mixture of small and larger group activities, much of it based on the principles of practice and problem based learning. Learning will be organised into a series of sessions where students will be required to participate. Each session will be based around a problem or issue, and students will work towards a range of solutions by specifying objectives, identifying constraints, obtaining background information, applying related theory and knowledge based around the subject matter.

Large group sessions seek to establish an overview framework within which selected theories and rules of the subject matter can be more effectively developed. They will verify and consolidate knowledge and understanding and will engage in more detailed exposition of selected theories, rules and constraints.

The guided learning will incorporate a mixture of activities, some of which will require groupwork and electronic interaction. The learning will be facilitated by use of the VLE platform and discussions/interactions between students and tutors.

Students will be expected to be familiar with contemporary discussions in this area of law, and to bring a range of ideas to bear on the discussions. Thus, although there will be a framework of knowledge and understanding, students will be actively, rather than passively, engaged in the process of both learning about, and increasing understanding of, the subject matter.

The module will use a blend of teaching methods to enable different styles of learning to be facilitated. The differing methods will also be a platform for the development of essential skills such as intellectual skills, communication skills and problem solving, as well as research, teamwork, negotiation, presentation, referencing, argument, judgement and appropriate use of IT.

Working towards the assessment tasks will be a key element of the learning, and tutors will be available to guide students through the process, and to improve their ability to meet the learning outcomes to a high standard. It is expected that around 50 hours of the module will be devoted to the assessment tasks - much of it during the self-directed periods.

Assessment will be an integral part of the module. There will be three assessment points and tutorials focused on assessment activities will be scheduled into the timetable. Earlier tasks will be shorter and more succinct, enabling fast feedback from the tutors so that students can learn and improve for later assessment tasks. Formative feedback will be provided wherever possible.

1x assignment 3,000 words - (50% weighting) Learning outcomes 1-4
1x Student portfolio - (50% weighting) Learning outcomes 1-3 and 5

To pass this module, a student must achieve a minimum composite mark of 40% .

Module Study Guide
Access to appropriate primary and secondary legal resources
Computing facilities will be needed to access material available via Blackboard and the Web.
Specialist software (Lexis-Nexis, Westlaw)

J Anderson, Modern Sports Law (Hart Publishing, 2010)

S Gardiner & Others, Sports Law (4th Ed Routledge, 2012)

Lewis & Taylor, Sports Law & Practice (2nd Ed Tottel Publishing, 2008)

1. DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAW AS IT RELATES TO INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN.
Knowledge and Understanding

2. AN ABILITY TO ANALYSE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF SPORTS LAW IN ORDER TO PRODUCE COHERENT AND CRITICAL EVALUATION.
Analysis
Reflection

3. AN ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE IDEAS, PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS CLEARLY AND SUCCINCTLY
Communication

4. AN ABILITY TO USE RELEVANT ELECTRONIC SOURCES.
Application
Learning

5. ABILITY TO ANALYSE AND IDENTIFY POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO REAL & HYPOTHETICAL PROBLEMS RELEVANT TO THE SUBJECT AREA
Problem-Solving