LW6006 - Law of the European Union

This module will embrace a variety of teaching methods to enhance your overall learning experience. You will have the opportunity to learn through the twice weekly lectures and six two hourly seminar sessions. In the lectures the module tutor will introduce the key topics, concepts and principles and identify key issues that should be considered and debated. The module tutor will also use the lectures to direct you to some of the current critical scholarship within the area but you will also be expected to conduct further independent research to supplement this.

The lectures are followed by six two hourly seminars. You will be given seminar instructions in advance of the seminar which may identify a legal problem or may require you to read specified cases and articles or to engage in independent research. The two hour seminar may take the form of a debate or you may be asked to do a mini presentation or propose solutions to a legal problem. You will be expected to complete all the directed tasks in advance of each seminar.
During this module you will have an average of 36 contact hours.

The module will also be supported by a dedicated e-Learning (eLP) site which will include guided reading using electronic reading lists, webcasts of lectures, self-evaluative tasks as well as opportunities to engage with your tutor and fellow students. In addition you will be expected to engage in independent learning which centres on you identifying further reading and research to provide deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the topics covered.

You will be provided with detailed feedback on your formative and summative assignment for this module.

The University is well-placed to support you in learning and research with an excellent library and teaching facilities, access to on-line legal databases and resources and appropriate software.

This module is designed and will be managed by your designated Module Tutor who will be responsible for guiding you in your engagement and learning on the module. All relevant materials and instructions will be accessible on-line through the module eLP site, maintained by your Module Tutor, who will also provide updates on issues of current legal significance and answer questions via the module’s discussion board on the eLP. Extensive use is therefore made of the eLP at module level to facilitate discussions between you and your Module Tutor, to provide materials, make announcements and to highlight recent developments in the law.

Academic support will also include feedback from tutors during small-group seminars. Tutors will also support your learning through summative and formative feedback on assignments. Should you have any queries you may approach the lecturer or seminar tutor or email your query to either member of staff. It is also possible to make an appointment to speak to your tutor face to face. At programme level you will be supported by the Programme Leader who will provide pastoral support throughout the module and the programme as a whole.

The Programme Administration and Student Liaison teams are responsible for the non-academic administration of the module, such as receiving your completed assignment, returning your marked assignment and recording your marks. They will contact you throughout the duration of your module with details about the study day, assignment hand-in dates and other issues.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the principal provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Treaty on European Union TEU) and their effect within the domestic legal order. You will also be introduced to other sources of EU secondary legislation and understand the implications of noncompliance by the Member states.
• You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the legal principles developed by the Court of Justice of the European Union and the EU rules relating to the free movement of goods, persons and workers.


Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:


• You will develop the ability to conduct self –directed research including accurate identification of issues which require researching, retrieval and evaluation of accurate, current and relevant information from a range of appropriate sources including primary sources.

• You will develop the ability to read and understand legal terminology and identify the legal principle or principles in judicial decision making.

• You will develop the ability to effectively communicate complex legal arguments and propose solutions to legal problems.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• To exercise initiative, self-manage and exercise judgement in a professional and ethical manner and to reflect on their personal and professional development .

• Show that you are willing to receive and act upon constructive feedback in order to improve your skills.

Assessment is integral to the student learning experience and the assessment strategy for this module enables you to demonstrate your ability to analyse, integrate and apply your learning to various contexts, through a range of tasks.


Formative assessment will be achieved in a variety of ways including self-test questions on the eLP, group discussion in seminars, informal peer assessment and a practice exam question. Answers to self-test questions will be provided on the module eLP and your tutor will give oral and written feedback to you as required.


Summative Assessment will be undertaken on an individual basis by way of an unseen 2 hour examination constitutes 100% of the marks for this module. The assessment will include a mix of practical problem solving questions and more discursive essays which require you to demonstrate knowledge of critical scholarship.


Assessment Criteria and Grade-Related Criteria will be made available to you to support you in completing assessments. Grade-Related Criteria are descriptions of the level of skills, knowledge and/or attributes that you need to demonstrate in order achieve a certain grade or mark in an assessment, providing a mechanism by which the quality of an assessment can be measured and placed within the overall set of marks.

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This optional module aims to provide you with a knowledge and understanding of the European Union legal system, including the Treaties and sources of law; the institutions and law making processes; the enforcement and application of EU law within the domestic legal order; and the fundamental freedom of movement of goods, persons and workers. The module will enable you to understand the importance of EU law as a source of law in other disciplines (such as employment and environmental law) and the way in which it can be enforced by the domestic courts. The module will provide you with the important skills of researching and interpreting sources of EU legislation and case law and will therefore provide an invaluable skill for future legal professional practice.