| Unit name | Law and State |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD10012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Kirton-Darling |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
All of the most important challenges facing every community on Earth involve questions of sovereignty, accountability, democracy and legitimacy; questions of who is entitled to take decisions (or not) and who has the power to amend, review or overrule. These are fundamental constitutional issues which can be keenly contested, including by politicians, judges, lawyers and academics. Studying public law involves understanding the terms of those disputes; what the disagreements are, why they matter, and what resolutions have been suggested. It also requires understanding where there is consensus about the exercise of public power and the role of different parts of a State. You will be introduced to the fundamental features of the UK constitution, including the core constitutional principles that underpin the uncodified constitution and the respective roles and relationships between the UK's main legal and political institutions.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Law & State is a core undergraduate module for all Law students and is designed to introduce you to the study of Public Law, one of the foundations of legal knowledge. You will acquire essential knowledge about the English legal system and foundational skills, including conceptual analysis and legal research, finding and reading case law, statutes, and other primary materials. You will build on the knowledge and skills gained in this unit in the next public law unit: Constitutional Rights.
An overview of content
We examine the role of law and politics in how institutions within the UK constitutional order are created, relate to each other and are held accountable. We also explore the ongoing evolution of the constitution and the political and legal debates about these changes. Topics covered may include: what is a constitution, parliamentary sovereignty and challenges to it, relations between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, and multi-level governance in the UK.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will understand fundamental legal and political issues essential for any study of UK law and develop a foundational understanding of law's role in structuring the exercise of public power. Studying this unit will also help you develop key skills that are essential for the continued successful study and practice of law, including research, analysis, and evaluation.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, you will be able to successfully:
Teaching is delivered through a variety of asynchronous and synchronous activities. This will include:
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative assessment will take several forms in Law and State. There will be opportunities to gain formative feedback in each large group session and seminar in the form of advice from academic members of staff and self-assessment of one’s own knowledge. There will also be formatives which specifically provide you with the opportunity to undertake all elements which will be subsequently assessed in the summative.
Part A: Group Project: In small groups, you will research and write a written assessment, with written feedback provided for each submission.
Part B: Individual Assessment: In a large group session, you will undertake exercises similar to those you will be completing for the summative.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The summative assessment includes Part A, a group project (60%), and Part B, an individual assessment (40%). Both take place after all teaching is completed in the unit.
Part A: Group Project (60%)
In small groups, you will be given a written exercise to complete. Answers will be 2,000 words. You will need to draw on relevant primary and secondary materials, and set out an argument. ILOs met: 1, 2
Part B: Individual Assessment (40%)
Part B has two elements: Firstly, you will be given a short piece of written material relating to the UK constitution and are required to evaluate it. Secondly, you will need to find two sources relating to UK constitutional law (which might include, for example, a case, Act of Parliament, or Select Committee report) and answer five multiple choice questions on each source. ILOs met: 3, 4
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. The re-assessment includes the same three elements as the summative assessment, with the same weighting. If you have been unsuccessful in Part A, you will respond to a set question individually (1500 words) and write a reflection on the earlier group work component (500 words). Where you have been unsuccessful in Part B you will undertake an identical assessment. ILOs met: 1, 2, 3, 4.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWD10012).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
