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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Law : Law

Undergraduate Course: Public Law of the UK and Scotland (LAWS08123)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Law CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) Credits20
Home subject areaLaw Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course is concerned with the relationship between law, government and the citizen in Scotland, as a distinct part of the United Kingdom. It has these learning objectives:

a. To develop knowledge and understanding of (i) the main institutions through which legislative, governmental and judicial powers are exercised in the United Kingdom, with reference particularly to Scotland; (ii) the constitutional principles which apply; and (iii) the main legal rules which enable citizens to participate in the process of government and which regulate their relationship with those who exercise public power.

b. To develop students' skills of (i) case and statute analysis; (ii) legal reasoning; (iii) appreciation of law in its philosophical, social and political context; (iv) criticism; (v) communication, orally and in writing; and (vi) legal research, in part so that the knowledge and understanding gained may be adapted and further developed for future needs.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites Students MUST also take: Scottish Legal System (LAWS08128)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesThis course is only open to visiting students coming through a direct exchange with the School of Law (this includes Erasmus students on a Law Exchange).
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) Learn enabled:  No Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Class Delivery Information The first lecture will be on Tuesday 14th January 2014 in Lecture Theatre 4, Appleton Tower at 12.00 - 1300
Course Start Date 13/01/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 33, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 8, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 153 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:30
Resit Exam Diet (August)2:30
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
To develop knowledge and understanding of the main institutions through which legislative, governmental and judicial powers are exercised in the United Kingdom, with reference particularly to Scotland.

By the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate a full knowledge and understanding of the following topics in public law:

Sources and principles of constitutional law: written constitutions, sources of constitutional law in the UK and Scotland, constitutional conventions, EU law and the constitution.

Structure of the British constitution and the Scottish constitution.

Composition, functions and powers of the Parliaments; Westminster and Holyrood, legislative functions, privileges and standards, parliamentary supremacy or sovereignty.

UK Government: Crown and prerogative, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Ministers and central government departments.

Scottish Executive Government: formation and operation.

Parliaments and executives: ministerial responsibility and the function and means of parliamentary scrutiny.

Judiciary and judicial functions: judicial independence and impartiality and the rule of law; judicial review of administrative action, Ombudsmen.

Outline of the composition, powers and functions of local governments in Scotland.
Assessment Information
100% exam
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Not entered
Transferable skills Legal reasoning; appreciation of law in its philosophical, social and political context; criticism; communication, orally and in writing.
¿ Recognise, analyse and rank arguments and evidence in terms of relevance
and importance by:
o managing volume of legal sources and select key material to construct written or oral answers to a problem.
o identifying the legal problem from information provided.
o addressing problems by reference to relevant material.
o bringing together and integrating information and materials from a variety of different sources.
o acknowledging ranking of sources and relative impact in context.
o application of the law and problem-solving in a legal context.
o presenting arguments for and against propositions.
¿ Be aware that arguments require to be supported by evidence, in order to meet legal requirements of proof by showing awareness of the need for evidence to support arguments
¿ Apply knowledge and analysis
o in a legal context
o creatively to complex situations in order to provide arguable solutions to concrete problems by presenting a range of viable options from a set of facts and law.
¿ Think critically and make critical judgments on the relative and absolute merits of particular arguments and solutions
¿ Act independently in planning and undertaking tasks in areas of law which he or she has already studied.
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern 3 lectures per week, 8 tutorials
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Stephen Tierney
Tel: (0131 6)50 2070
Email: S.Tierney@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Heather Haig
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Heather.Haig@ed.ac.uk
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© Copyright 2013 The University of Edinburgh - 13 January 2014 4:32 am