In the Law School, we encourage bold, independent thinking and offer the highest quality academic experience to stretch and challenge you. We are proud of our diverse and talented students and know that you will find a place for yourself here.

Transitioning from school or college to university, can feel both daunting and exciting. Styles of teaching are different and there will be a greater onus on you to make your own decisions and study independently. For many of you, this will be your first experience of the study of law and initially, it might be quite challenging and confusing, as you get used to note taking, reading, preparing and participating. This is quite normal. It will get easier, we assure you, and as a department, we’ll be there to support and guide you through every aspect of your new academic life.

Lectures & Seminars

At Warwick, you’ll be taught through a combination of small group classes (seminars), workshops (where you will be divided into smaller groups or 'pods') and larger groups (lectures), and be encouraged to share your ideas, ask questions and explore additional opportunities to learn outside the classroom.

For all first year modules, students are divided (on a random basis) into seminars and workshops. Lectures in the first year (mainly in Tort Law and Criminal Law) will be taught to the whole year, but the word lecture has acquired a meaning which does not necessarily accurately describe what goes on in a large class. A lecture suggests a lecturer talking for 50 minutes to an audience, members of which take notes, or not, as the case may be. A lecture in law at Warwick may well involve participation and will almost certainly involve preparation.

In your first year, at least one core module will be seminar-led. In these modules, (Understanding Law in Context and Law, State and the Individual) you will have two seminars a week, and a more limited number of lectures. Activities in these seminars are designed to be collaborative, interactive and group-based, with a greater focus on independent learning and collaboration.

Seminar & Workshop Preparation

Preparing for seminars and workshops is key for engagement in your class. Here are some tips to help you approach them at Warwick:

• Ensure that you read any suggested text for the seminar and make notes and have questions. You will get much more from a seminar if you have a sufficient background in the topic to be able to discuss, critique and challenge. Read around the topic too if there's time.
• Get there in good time so you're not late to the class.
• Pick a seat that enables you to contribute to the class.

• Be prepared to talk. In seminars and workshops, you will be expected to have something to say and to make a contribution to the class. We know not everyone finds it easy to talk in front of other students or they are worried about looking silly, revealing ignorance or being wrong. For everyone, and lawyers in particular, being able to frame a proposition, make a point, take up someone else's point, and expose one's reasons to critical assessment, orally, is a distinctive skill well worth having and one which is essential for personal as well as professional life.

  These smaller classes are a safe and sympathetic environment where you can practise these skills. What we want to encourage is not the person who can keep a conversation going, or who can ask questions merely for the sake of it; we want students who can put together relevant points succinctly and take up others' points critically. In short, someone who is developing the skill of rational oral argument. Research also shows that students who actively participate in classes will learn more than those who just passively take in information and will perform better in the module. Active engagement in the class helps you to learn.

  From your class reading, we suggest that you have a couple of points or questions from your notes that you'd like to share. Start small by trying to say one of your points and then build on that in each class as you develop your confidence. Also, perhaps practise talking about your reading for the week with friends on your course before the seminar to get you comfortable talking about the subject.

• Remember everyone is in the same boat and it's ok to be wrong at times; that's the best way to learn.
• Be prepared to listen. You should listen to and respect the views of your classmates as well as your tutor. You may not agree with them and may wish to challenge or clarify their points but listen carefully first. It's also worth observing how your tutor and other students talk about the topics in class to see if you can adopt some of their approaches to contributing to topic discussions that you could try yourself.
• Check if your module materials provide a list of topics to be studied throughout the module and any hand-in dates for coursework. Your tutor may provide additional information on these in the first seminar.

Teaching & Learning

In your first year, the majority of you will study four core modules: Criminal Law; Tort Law; Understanding Law in Context; and Law, State and the Individual. Lectures delivered in person will be recorded and uploaded to the Module Moodle page via Lecture Capture, and you will be able to access these later in your own time if you need to check any points made or for revision purposes. Seminars and workshops will be taught in person. Attendance at seminars/workshops is compulsory and we strongly urge you to get into good habits early, and to attend lectures to enjoy the full University experience and enhance your learning.

Every module in the Law School has its own webpage in Moodle and, once you enrol, you will be able to find all the information you need for that module online. Lecturers might contact you via announcements on the Moodle page or by direct email if they have information or messages to share about the module. You should also feel free to contact your lecturer or tutor if you have any queries or concerns once teaching commences in Week One or Two.

We hope of course that public health issues relating to Covid-19 are well behind us and intend to provide a full, in-person teaching experience in 2024/2025. However, we still have a duty to each other in terms of staying healthy and we request that you do not attend class if you are feeling unwell or have cold/flu like symptoms.

Your First Year Modules

For details of your first year core modules, who will be teaching them and their assessment methods please visit the Law School modules webpage. You can filter the information by course to see which modules are core for your degree programme.

In the Law School, assessments are marked using the 20 point marking scale. Here is an example of a Marking Scale for Law problem questions. Individual modules will expand on the 20 point marking scale criteria so it is important that, when writing your assessments/problems, you refer to the specific marking scale for the module in question.

Please also familiarise yourself with the Academic Integrity guidelines before you begin your studies and look out for details of your introductory lecture on Good Academic Practice.

Learning Key Legal & Academic Skills

Visit the Legal Skills page to learn more about developing key skills to be successful whilst studying law.

The Warwick Skills Award (WSA) is a University-wide scheme through which you can record the skills you learn at University and gain recognition on a formal transcript at Graduation. Two of your First Year modules, Law, State and the Individual and Understanding Law in Context attract WSA point. Find out moreLink opens in a new window.

Finding your Teaching Rooms

The Law School is situated in the Social Sciences Building and based next to the Library on the main campus and about a two minute walk from the Piazza.

Your first point of call for most initial enquiries is the Warwick Law School Reception, which is located in room S0.07C and at the entrance of the Law School.

How to Decipher Room Numbers

Most University room numbers are in three parts each of which conveys information.

For example, to find S0.07C: S= Social Sciences Building, 0= the ground floor (0 = ground floor, 1 = first floor etc.), 07C = the room number

The Law School offices are shared between the ground, first and second floors of the Social Sciences Building. Rooms in the Law School often begin with the letter ‘S’. Each room has on its door the name of its occupant or function.

Lectures and classes take place in a variety of places across campus so make sure you keep a campus map handy for the first few weeks whilst you’re getting orientated. Alternatively, the University of Warwick’s interactive campus map is a great way to find your location and help plan your route, and you can even view floor plans of various buildings. Please note that it is your responsibility to find the locations of your lectures and seminars and to ensure you arrive at them on time.