Unit name | Public Law |
---|---|
Unit code | LAWDM0059 |
Credit points | 30 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Professor. Phillipson |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit examines the rules, principles and practices which regulate the powers, functions and composition of the key institutions of government in the UK. It explores the theoretical concepts underpinning the UK's constitutional arrangements and analyses the mechanisms through which legislative, executive and judicial authority is exercised. It further addresses the legal principles governing the relationship between the individual and the state. Consideration is given to principles of judicial review, the development of non-judicial processes and the role of human rights law as means by which redress may be obtained and government rendered accountable.
This unit aims to give students a good general grounding in British Public Law, that is, in the main principles of constitutional law, administrative law and human rights law. It will cover the structure of the United Kingdom’s constitution and legal systems, the major institutions of government, their role and functions, as well as the relationship between the individual and the state. It starts by considering the nature of constitutions and the principles of political morality which underpin them. These are discussed in relation to the fundamental principle of parliamentary sovereignty. The nature and role of Parliament is then covered, focusing in particular on the legislative process, the House of Commons, and the relationship between the judiciary and Parliament. Administrative law is represented by a detailed study of the principles of judicial review set in the context of administrative justice more broadly. Human rights and civil liberties start with a discussion of the Human Rights Act 1998, followed by a series of ‘case studies’ of pressing issues in human rights and good governance.
In addition to teaching the substantive content of Public Law, this unit has also been designed to foster the development of certain key skills which should be transferable to other units. These relate both to the handling of legal materials and to matters of a more general intellectual nature. In terms of legal materials, students should be able to:
This unit is taught by way of 20 lectures, 10 two-hour seminars and 2 assessment preparation and feedback sessions.
Summative: 2 x 3000 word answers (essay or problem question) (50% each). Both assessments will assess all of the Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit in the context of topics selected by the examiners.
Formative: students are encouraged to do the formative assessments in each term.
The core texts for this unit are:
Beyond the core texts:
If you would like a brief introduction to the political issues underpinning the subject, you may find the following useful:
Two other good, short introductory textbooks are:
If, alternatively, you are looking for a rather fuller treatment, two good major texts are: