| Unit name | Public Law I |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0101 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Syrett |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit provides an introduction to the foundational rules, principles and practices which regulate the powers, functions and composition of the key institutions of government in the UK. It explores the theoretical concepts underpinning the UK's constitutional arrangements and analyses the institutional mechanisms through which legislative, executive and judicial power is exercised. It is aimed at teaching students how to read and research legal materials as well as to engage critically with constitutional aspects of public law.
This unit aims to introduce students to the structures of the United Kingdom’s constitution and legal system, the major institutions of government, their functions and composition and the principles which underpin the relationships between them. Students will gain practice in handling case-law and statute and will be encouraged to place the subject-matter in its social and political context. Students will be equipped to research topics in the field of the unit from a standard range of legal and non-legal materials, using both paper and electronic resources.
Six fortnightly two-hour seminars and attendance at relevant weekly one-hour lectures.
Formative assessment: 2,000 word coursework.
Summative assessment: 3,500-4,000 word research essay.
This assessment will test whether students are equipped with a basic knowledge of key constitutional issues and legal principles. They will have developed the capacity to critically analyse and evaluate existing constitutional principles and institutions and to consider proposals for reform. They will have developed legal research and writing skills on which they will be given guidance in the formative assessment and tested in the summative assessment.
Most recent editions of:
