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Criminal Law

  • Module code: LL5302
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 5
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

The subject matter of this module is the substantive criminal law; that is, the general principles of criminal liability, definitions of what constitutes particular crimes and how that law affects particular circumstances.  The module covers both the general principles of criminal liability and a number of specific offences.  This involves not only a critical examination of the law, but also, using hypothetical factual situations, its detailed appliation.  As part of the module, students are required to research a topic that does not form part of the taught syllabus and to provide advice in relation to a given situation.  Criminal law is one of the foundations of legal knowledge required as part of a qualifying law degree.

Aims

  • To develop knowledge and understanding of general principles of criminal law and some particular offences
  • To enable students to research, analyse and apply aspects of criminal law
  • To develop appropriate skills in researching, analysing and solving factual problems in criminal law and in constructing a reasoned legal argument and presenting it in writing  

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of general principles of criminal law and some individual offences
  • Apply the law to a set of facts
  • Research aspects of criminal law
  • Construct a reasoned legal argument and present it in writing

Curriculum content

  • General principles of criminal liability
  • Crimes of homicide
  • Non-fatal offences
  • Offences against property
  • Inchoate offences
  • General defences
  • Participation in crime

Teaching and learning strategy

The module is delivered through a programme of weekly scheduled learning and teaching activities, in the form of lectures and seminars, including  feedback/feedforward sessions and workshops, supplemented by individual study which will enable students to develop knowledge and understanding of the law and to acquire the ability to research and apply the law to a set of hypothetical facts that simulate real life situations.

Due to the experiential nature of the learning on this degree, and the importance of professional development enabling students to develop practical skills, learn from and interact with others, attendance is compulsory. Any students not attending a minimum of 80% of their timetabled sessions will be at risk of academic failure or termination from the course.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Feedback/feedforward sessions and workshops 66
Guided independent study 234
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

Assessment will be by a piece of coursework and an end-of-year examination. The examination will be an unseen paper containing a mixture of essay-based and problem-based questions. The coursework will be in the form of a research exercise requiring students to research an area of law that does not form part of the taught syllabus and to use the fruits of that research to provide advice in relation to a given factual situation.

The examination will allow students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the law and the ability to evaluate and apply the law to hypothetical factual situations through a mixture of essay-based and problem-based questions. The coursework enables students to demonstrate their ability to research a novel aspect of criminal law. Opportunities for formative work exist through questions discussed in class, workshop questions and written work based on previous examination questions together with an opportunity to work through a previous year's coursework. The coursework also requires students to reflect on the effectiveness of their research strategy. Students also have access to the previous year's coursework and examination and the feedback on them, which are available from the beginning of the year.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of general principles of criminal law and some individual offences Formative, summative: examination
2) Apply the law to a set of facts Formative, summative: examination and coursework
3) Research aspects of criminal law Formative, summative: coursework
4) Construct a reasoned argument and present it in writing Summative: examination and coursework

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
EXWR Exam 40
CWK Portfolio of written work 60
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

M Allen, Textbook on Criminal Law (Oxford University Press)

or

M Jefferson, Criminal Law (Pearson)

or

W Wilson, Criminal Law (Pearson)

and

K Cook, M James and R Lee, Core Statutes on Criminal Law (Palgrave Macmillan)

or

P R Glazebrook, Blackstone's Statutes on Criminal Law (Oxford University Press)

or

J Herring, Criminal Law Statutes (Routledge) 

Bibliography recommended reading

R Card, Card, Cross & Jones Criminal Law (Oxford University Press)

J Herring, Criminal Law: Text, Cases, and Materials (Oxford University Press)

J Herring, Criminal Law (Palgrave Macmillan)

D Ormerod, Smith and Hogan's Criminal Law (Oxford University Press)

D Ormerod, Smith and Hogan Criminal Law: Cases and Materials (Oxford University Press)

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