Undergraduate Course: EU Law Honours (20 credit) (LAWS10209)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course explores the law of the European Union from both constitutional and substantive perspectives. Following a brief overview of the history and evolution of the EU as well as its institutional structure, the constitutional principles underpinning EU law will then be studied - principally: primacy, direct effect, and the EU's role in the protection of fundamental rights. EU free movement and internal market law will include in-depth analysis of the 'four freedoms' and the developing law on EU citizenship. A priority will be to identify cross-cutting themes - for example, understanding the principle of, and limits to, free movement - that apply over the different parts of the course. |
| Course description |
The principal aim of the course is to develop knowledge and understanding of the constitutional and substantive elements of EU law, building upon and further developing the study of EU law to which students were introduced in the Ordinary course. Students should acquire an in-depth understanding of the Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; understand the division of competences between the EU and its Member States; be able to identify and understand the legal principles underpinning the application and operation of the EU Treaties; and be able to evaluate critically the application of substantive EU law.
The course will cover the following issues:
- Nature, sources and primacy of EU law;
- Direct Effect;
- Fundamental Rights;
- Judicial Protection;
- The EU as International Actor;
- The internal market and free movement of goods;
- EU Citizenship.
The course will be taught in ten seminars addressing the issues referred to above. The course will be based on a high level of interaction, and students will gain an insight into the tenets of EU Law (with special attention being paid to the principle of free movement). The course is aimed at providing the students with deep knowledge of the centrepieces of EU Law, which will be acquired through the improvement of their analytical, synthesis and problems solving skills. Furthermore, their oral and presentation abilities will be tested. In order to assess the achievement of these goals, students will deliver a group presentation around mid-semester, and a written exam at the end of the semester.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | 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 (including Erasmus students on a Law-specific Exchange). Exchange students outside of Law and independent study abroad students are not eligible to enrol in this course, with no exceptions.
**Please note that 3rd year Law courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.**
Priority will be given to students studying on exchange within the Law department, and it is highly unlikely that there will be additional spaces for general exchange students & independent study abroad students to enrol; we will look into this on a case-by-case basis in September/January. Visiting students are advised to bear in mind that enrolment in specific courses can never be guaranteed, and you may need to be flexible in finding alternatives in case your preferred courses have no available space.
These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate and/or work with a range of knowledge, facts, theories, ideas, properties, materials, terminology, practices and techniques about, and associated with, EU Law.
- Apply knowledge, skills and understanding in using some of the basic, routine practices, techniques and/or materials associated with EU Law.
- Draw conclusions and suggest solutions in contexts and situations associated with EU Law.
- Use a wide range of routine skills and some advanced skills associated with EU Law.
- Practise in ways that show awareness of own and others' roles, responsibilities and contributions when carrying out and evaluating tasks.
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Reading List
| Reading lists will be prepared each year, depending on the specific topics discussed in class. Recommended textbooks for additional or background reading are: Craig and De Búrca, EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (OUP, 6th edition, 2015); Chalmers et al, European Union Law: Text and Materials (CUP, 3rd edition, 2014; also available online via www.lib.ed.ac.uk) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
General cognitive skills:
- Obtain, organise and use factual, theoretical and/or hypothetical information in problem solving;
- Draw conclusions and suggest solutions of problems usually associated with EU;
- Present and evaluate arguments, information and ideas that are routine to EU Law.
Communication, numeracy and IT skills:
- Use a range of skills, for example:
- Produce and respond to detailed written and oral communication in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts;
- Convey ideas in well-structured and coherent form;
- Use a range of oral and written skills.
Autonomy, accountability and working with others:
- Take responsibility for carrying out a range of activities where the overall goal is clear.
- Exercise some initiative and independence in carrying out defined activities in areas related to EU Law.
- Manage limited resources within defined areas of EU Law.
- Work, under guidance, with others to acquire an understanding of EU Law.
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| Keywords | Free movement,Fundamental Rights,Internal Market,EU Citizenship,Primacy,Judicial Protection |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Niamh Nic Shuibhne
Tel: (0131 6)50 2049
Email: niamh.nicshuibhne@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Tracy Noden
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Tracy.Noden@ed.ac.uk |
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