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This is a 15-credit elective for first-year undergraduates studying LLB law and Law combined courses.
The aim of the course is to develop students’ ability to comprehend, question, evaluate and critically analyse jurisprudence and legal theory which is a study of the nature, quality and function of law. To develop fluency in modern legislation and other legal norms students need to be able to analyse the fundamental themes of legal philosophy such as natural law, analytical jurisprudence and normative jurisprudence in order to answer conceptual questions such as ‘what is law’, ‘what is the legal enterprise about’ and ‘to what extent is law a mirror of society’? Through the study of jurisprudence, students will be encouraged to engage in the debates about the popular and scholarly thinking about the controversies of jurisprudence and national law especially in the wake of fast paced enactment and enforcement of legislation and regulations by governments during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

1 Demonstrate an understanding of classical theories that underpin legal theory
2 Demonstrate engagement with the scholarship on the nature and function of law
3 Evaluate the concept of law and the operation of the legal process
4 Analyse the maintenance of the balance between democracy, the rule of law, courts and individual rights and liberties

Content will include an introduction to jurisprudence and legal theory and will include in depth foundational knowledge of leading legal theories and selected legal concepts which will include an examination of the function of law in society and the balance between law and power. The module is based around the following:
• Natural law and morality
• Classical legal positivism
• Modern legal positivism

The module is based around weekly seminars and lectures.

Essay: 100% weighting 40% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3 & 4.
Outline Details: This is an extended essay which explores a human rights topic. The students are given a choice of topic from those which have been studied. 2,500 words.

Formative Assessment:
The module builds writing skills through seminar work which has been established in other Level 4 skills modules (LAW1205 and LAW1183). Formative assessment:
Presentation/group work within the seminar setting – the students form research groups and present on a topic in which they want to do their final essay on. This allows the student to gain feedback on the research they have already undertaken.