Module manager: Nick Cartwright
Email: lawnc@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| LAW1076 | Introduction to Law |
LAW1201 and LAW1202 on the LLB Law (Graduate Programme) LAW1200 for other programmes
This module is not approved as a discovery module
The module is designed to provide you, as first-year undergraduate students, with a comprehensive introduction to the essential elements of the English legal system and legal theory. The rationale behind this module is to equip you with a foundational understanding of how law functions within the English legal context, offering a crucial basis for further legal studies. The module addresses the structure and key institutions of the English legal system, such as Parliament, the judiciary, and the role of precedent and statutory interpretation. It also explores the sources of law, including common law and legislation. This knowledge is fundamental to understanding how laws are created, interpreted, and applied in practice. In addition to an introduction to the legal system, this module provides you with a foundational exploration of legal theory. You will engage with various schools of thought, such as natural law, legal positivism, and critical legal studies, which offer different perspectives on what law is and how it functions in society. This theoretical framework will enable you to critically assess the role of law and its relationship to justice, morality, and social order.
1- Introduce the Structure of the English Legal System: Equip students with an understanding of the main institutions, including the role of Parliament, the judiciary, and the structure of courts.
2- Explore Sources of Law: Develop knowledge of the hierarchy and interaction between statutory law, common law, and international influences.
3- Engage with Legal Theories: Provide students with an introduction to key legal theories such as natural law, positivism, and realism, encouraging critical reflection on the role of law in society.
4- Develop Legal Research and Analytical Skills: Train students to identify, access, and interpret legal materials, fostering the ability to analyse and critique legal texts.
5- Enhance Legal Reasoning and Interpretation: Strengthen students’ ability to apply legal principles to scenarios, with a focus on statutory interpretation and legal reasoning.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Communicate and explain the role and function of key institutions within the English Legal System.
2- Identify the structure, sources of law, and legal processes of the English Legal System, and use basic legal reasoning to describe their application to legal problems
3- Identify and summarise the relevance of key legal theories and the role of law in discussions about culture, society and social issues.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1- Identify research questions and employ simple research tools and techniques to gather relevant and reliable information
2- Communicate clearly and effectively, using technical legal terminology appropriately
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Private study hours | 175 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 25 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for each summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Pass/Fail | 50 |
| Coursework | Pass/Fail | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 17/01/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team