Year One

Criminal Law

You will develop an understanding of the general principles of criminal law and its operation within society, coupled with an awareness of the social and political forces that influence the scope of the law and its enforcement. You will encounter basic concepts of the structure of English Criminal Law, and some knowledge of procedures, theories, and historical and political contexts, so as to understand and debate legal arguments and policy. In your studies, you will be expected to assess and present arguments for and against in open debate and also work collaboratively with your peers on specific tasks.

Tort Law

You will examine the law of civil liability for wrongfully inflicted damage or injury: the law of tort. We emphasise the processes and techniques involved in judicial (as opposed to legislative or administrative) law-making; the relevance and responsiveness of doctrines thus developed to society’s actual problems; and the policies and philosophies underlying the rules. As well as acquiring knowledge of the application of these technical areas of law, you will develop skills of legal reasoning and critical judgement, with particular reference to insurance, loss spreading, developing medical knowledge, professional standards and consumer protection. Work is undertaken independently and in debate and collaboration with your peers.

Introduction to Legal Theory

You will engage with fundamental questions about the nature of law, order, and justice. You will consider the impact of political, moral and social theories on ways of thinking about law. You will think, in depth, about the underlying principles of the legal system by studying questions such as the nature of rights, the permissibility of punishment, and the nature of legal obligations. You will have opportunities to develop your research, argumentation, and advocacy skills through class discussion and written engagement with central issues in legal philosophy.

The Modern English Legal System

This module exposes you to a critical overview of the machinery of justice at the heart of the English legal system and provides you with fluency in fundamental legal techniques. Through the study of law in context, as practised in the Warwick Law School, you will pay particular attention to sources of law, techniques for interpreting cases and statutes, legal rhetoric, making an argument and writing. You will be introduced to key sources of law and be trained in their retrieval and analysis. You will develop these skills through collaborative work and independent study, including online research.

Year Two

Contract Law

On this module, you will learn to understand and explain the fundamental principles of contract law, one of the building blocks of the common law and which underlies commercial and consumer law. Using primarily a case-law approach, you will have opportunities to study the relationship between case law and statute and to tackle specific problem-solving tasks that will help you develop both your theoretical knowledge, including your understanding of the social context and function of the courts, and your legal writing skills.

General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law

All of us are involved in one way or another with government and administration in this country, seeking to exercise certain rights. You will learn about the principles of British public law, both constitutional and administrative, the role of Parliament and courts and many aspects of power at different levels. The emphasis will be on your ability to describe and assess the main elements of public law, drawing on a variety of evidence, and to explain and discuss the ways in which the system of government in the UK is changing and fragmenting, with particular reference to the Human Rights Act 1998, and the status, effect and primacy of European law and arrangements for Brexit.

Foundations of European Law

This module introduces you to the institutional structure and substantive laws of the European Union. You will study direct effect, supremacy and fundamental human rights, and engage with topical issues such as the democratic accountability of the European Commission, Council of Ministers, European Council and European Parliament. You will familiarise yourself with the role and function of significant European institutions such as the Court of Justice and Court of First Instance. Working independently, you will use ICT to research databases, in particular the Europa websites. There are opportunities to communicate your understanding orally and in writing, and to identify principles of EU law that apply to specific legal problems.

Year Three

Law of Trusts

You will study the law of trusts in a variety of areas, from traditional contexts to their modern operation in commercial contexts. In addition to the private law of trusts you will study the law governing the recognition and regulation of charitable (public) trusts. You will also employ critical, contextual and comparative methods to appreciate the nature and operation of trusts law across the full range of contexts in which they operate. Working as an independent researcher, you will apply your knowledge to legal problems and present your evaluation both orally and in writing. You will work also collaboratively on class-based tasks in order to demonstrate your time-management and teamwork skills.

Examples of optional modules/options for current students

Shakespeare and the Law; Social Theory of Law; Human Rights in Practice; Gender and the Law; Internet Regulation; Legal Issues of Brexit; Climate Change and Law; Corporate Tax Law; Family Law; Crime and Punishment; Medicine and the Law.