What you will study
You’ll be introduced to the operation of the civil justice system in England and Wales, including looking at a range of areas of law which come under the umbrella term ‘civil law’. The civil law court system will be covered, as well as modern developments in the administration of civil justice. Key underpinnings of the legal system will be discussed, such as legal reasoning and legal precedent, as well as the role of various actors within the legal profession, including litigants and legal practitioners. You’ll have the opportunity to consider the ethical issue of some people being unable to obtain access to justice through the courts. You'll also consider wider critical approaches to understanding how the law is interpreted, including how issues such as judicial bias or policy can affect the development of the law.
You’ll also be introduced to a range of case law and legislation in the dynamic and constantly growing area of tort law. You’ll learn about a range of torts, such as negligence, which forms the basis of a lot of litigation, including claims relating to accidents at work, car accidents and other personal injury claims. The torts of nuisance and defamation will also be covered. Alternative approaches to tortious liability drawn from different jurisdictions across the world will also be explored.
Through the module, you'll be given the opportunity to engage with problem-solving scenarios to test your ability to apply case law and legislation to a range of issues and aid the development of your skills as a lawyer. You will also be given the opportunity to critically engage with legal arguments through analysis of academic materials and reflect on improvements which can be made to the existing law.
You'll develop a range of skills when undertaking this module, such as in communication, research, information technology, self-reflection, and critical analysis. In engaging with this module, you will have the opportunity to develop skills germane to a career as a legal professional. These skills are transferable to many contexts for a new prospective career or in your current employment in business, local and national government, education, charitable and non-governmental organisations, or other public-facing and regulatory roles.
Vocational relevance
This module is a good choice if you intend to pursue a career as a legal practitioner or would find some legal knowledge useful in current or future employment.
If you intend to use this module as part of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and hope to enter the legal professions, you should read our Careers in Law information. There are different entry regulations into the legal profession in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet these requirements.