LAW2302 : Legal Institutions and Methods (Graduate)
- Inactive for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Mrs Jennifer Wardle
- Lecturer: Dr Jiarong Zhang, Dr Jasmin El-Shewy, Dr Myriam Gicquello, Dr Bethany Simpson
- Owning School: Newcastle Law School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The Legal Institutions and Method module has three inter-related principal aims:
(i) To provide an introduction to the legal system of England and Wales;
(ii) To help you develop and practice fundamental critical, transferable and legal skills for use in the
other subjects that you will study at Newcastle; and
(iii) To engage you in critical reflection about the law.
Outline Of Syllabus
The English Legal System module is structured around two main areas:
(i) Legal Sources of the English Legal System;
• An overview of legal institutions including an introduction to the statutory law and the common law;
• The structure and functions of courts;
• The theory and practice of judicial precedent;
• Legislation and statutory interpretation;
• The European Convention on Human Rights with respect to precedent
and statutory interpretation;
• An introduction to the sources of international law and how they relate to the English Legal System
(ii) The civil and criminal justice systems;
• Trials and Appeals;
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 75 | 1:00 | 75:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 26 | 1:00 | 26:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 2 | 0:30 | 1:00 | Recorded material |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 0:15 | 1:00 | Skills Workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 87 | 1:00 | 87:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures: there will be 26 hours of lectures and these are used to provide a general introduction to the English Legal System, the four topic areas (Precedent, Statutory Interpretation, Criminal Justice System and Civil Justice System). The lectures will also provide guidance on reflective learning, answering MCQs and assessment feedforward and preparation as well as assessment feedback. Alongside the lecture materials, students will be directed towards relevant online materials such as videos and podcasts.
Seminars: There will be four one-hour seminars which provide the opportunity to develop oral, interpretation and evaluative skills. Seminars will include student activity such as group work to discuss seminar preparation questions and provide formative practice opportunities of competing seminar questions ahead of the summative portfolio submission. All seminars will be synchronous events.
Academic Skills Activities: students will have the ability to complete practice MCQs ahead of the summative assessment.
Workshops: There will be four one-hour workshops – these will be student led sessions which will focus on further deepening knowledge, development of professional skills and preparing for client letter writing assessment
Independent Study: independent study time includes time to read materials on the lecture and seminar reading lists and write up lecture notes.
'Drop-in/surgery' contact time is reserved so students can ask specific questions about the module content or any of its assessments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | 65 | 1500 words per worksheet x 2 worksheets |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 10 | Ten MCQs on four topics (40 questions in total): Precedent; Statutory Interpretation; Criminal Legal System; and Civil Legal System. |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 25 | Letter of advice – 1000 words max |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | Students to submit their first seminar worksheet which will be marked by the LIM team and given constructive feedback. |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | Students will be given the opportunity to practice MCQs in each seminar (which will enable seminar tutor feedback); and practice MCQs will be posted on canvas |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
MCQs: Students will sit a 10% MCQ test on each of the four topics to assess their knowledge and understanding of foundational issues in the English Legal System.
Portfolio Assessment: Students will submit a portfolio consisting of two completed seminar worksheets which will include a reflective commentary in respect of the skills that they have explored and developed on the module. This element of the assessment will be worth 65% of the overall grade.
The letter of advice (25%) will examine both professional skills – ability to explain law to a non-lawyer and also knowledge and understanding of a core aspect of the module – statutory interpretation
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- LAW2302's Timetable