Undergraduate Course: Public Law of the UK and Scotland (LAWS08123)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Law |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This 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-requisites | This 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: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: No |
Quota: None |
|
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
| 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 )
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| 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) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
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 |
| Keywords | PLUS |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Stephen Tierney
Tel: (0131 6)50 2070
Email: S.Tierney@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Heather Haig
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Heather.Haig@ed.ac.uk |
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