Accessibility statement

Foundations in Law 1 - LAW00015C

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  • Department: The York Law School
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Jed Meers
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

The module is compulsory for all students at Stage 1 of the LLB 3 Year; LLB 2 Year Senior Status; LLB with Year Abroad; MLaw. The module provides (a) structured support for students making the transitions to York Law School, to the study of law, and to Problem Based Learning; and (b) a basic introduction to the 'core' subject areas of legal learning, namely Criminal Law; European Law; Obligations (Contract, Tort and Restitution); Property Law (Land Law and Equity); Public Law (Constitutional and Administrative Law) and on the connections between those subject areas, which will be developed in the course of Foundations in Law 2. Students submit a written task for assessment which evidences the (i) basic development of the skills required to flourish in YLS, and (ii) relevant basic knowledge of the core subject areas.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

The module provides structured support for you as you move into the York Law School learning community, which, for many of you, will entail studying law for the first time, and which for most of you, will involve new ways of learning, including problem-based learning (PBL). You will have the opportunity to develop and practise the skills associated with effective problem-based learning. You will also start to develop key skills associated with legal scholarship, including those relating to the undertaking of research, the development of reasoned arguments, the use of evidence, and the practice of critical evaluation. You will also have the chance to reflect on the development of your learning, and to begin to consider strategies and techniques for developing your competence as a scholar. You will also develop an awareness and understanding of key legal institutions, key areas of law, and the relationships between and among them.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a positive contribution to your learning and development, and those of others, through regular attendance and active participation in learning activities in Foundations PBL workshops.

2. Analyse facts in a range of scenarios to identify stakeholder interests and legal issues

3. Undertake, describe and reflect on research strategies designed to identify relevant primary and secondary legal sources

4. Describe and explain the underlying concepts and principles of the foundation subjects of English law, the relationships between them, and interests, perspectives and contexts relevant to law

5. Apply principles and rules of law to establish the rights and obligations of parties, and suggest solutions to legal problems

6. Analyse, interpret and apply relevant sources to develop coherent lines of argument and present conclusions

7. Communicate, in a structured and coherent manner, and with clarity and precision, orally and in writing, the results of your research and work, and your arguments and solutions

Module content

Learning on this module carries forward directly into Foundations in Law 2 and Foundations in Law 3.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The summative assessment will be non-anonymous and will be marked by your Personal Advisor. You will receive individual feedback on the assessment and have the opportunity to discuss this with your Personal Advisor.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Ongoing feedback on progress in PBL, skills-related activities (including activities focusing in development of research skills). Feedback and input also available through Junior Partner (student mentor) involvement in some module activities. Written feedback on a formative essay produced collaboratively as a student law firm (SLF) that mirrors the format of the summative assessment.

Feedback will be provided within the Policy Turnaround Time.

Indicative reading

Foundations in Law 1 forms part of the problem-based learning component of the law undergraduate programmes. PBL does not involve the use of 'reading lists' in the conventional sense. A range of OUP texts relating to legal institutions, and the 'core' subject areas of legal learning, namely Criminal Law; European Law; Obligations (Contract, Tort and Restitution); Property Law (Land Law and Equity); Public Law (Constitutional and Administrative Law) are available to students through the Law Trove resource to which YLS subscribes. The Foundations in Law suite of modules integrates subject-content from a number of existing modules: Criminal Law; European Union Law; Obligations 1; Obligations 2; Property Law 1; Property Law 2; Public Law 1; Public Law 2. The texts associated with those modules would also be associated with other Foundations in Law modules.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.