LW6026 - Legal History

You will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutor guided independent learning and student independent learning.

Lectures:
The large group lectures are intended to introduce key areas and themes of legal history. You will be expected to undertake independent learning to consolidate your learning and understanding of the lecture programme.

Seminars:
The small group seminar sessions will develop your analytical abilities. Seminars will cover a range of activities and will require you to demonstrate your ability to locate and make effective use of legal source materials. You will be expected to engage in independent and, at times, directed learning in consolidation of work done in preparation for and during seminars and for other activities. You will learn to effectively organise and communicate information orally.

Independent learning:
This is an important aspect of the module which will centre on you identifying further reading and research to provide deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the chosen topics of legal history.

The University supports 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 Module Tutor who will be responsible for guiding you in your engagement and learning on the module. Material will be delivered to you by lecture and through the eLP. The eLP site will contain the following resources: lecture notes; PowerPoint slides; the module handbook, which contains seminar exercises; and advice on assessment. The comprehensive online reading list includes books, articles, television and radio programmes. As well as contact with the lecturer you will also be taught by your seminar tutor. Should you have queries you may approach the lecturer or your seminar tutor or e-mail your query to any of the module team. You may communicate with your Module Tutor by e-mail or in-person and are encouraged to make contact if you encounter any difficulties relating to any aspect of the module.

Academic support is also available to you through summative and formative feedback on assignments.

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:

At the end of the module you will have:
• Become able to recognise and apply some of the current theories and critical scholarship at the forefront of specialist subjects within the area of legal history

• Developed a systematic and in depth knowledge and understanding of key aspects of the area of legal history and be able to demonstrate detailed and coherent understanding in that area

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

At the end of the module you will have:
• Developed your abilities to conduct self –directed research including accurately identifying issues which require researching, retrieving and evaluating accurate, current and relevant information from a range of appropriate sources including primary sources

Formative assessment
You will deliver an oral presentation on your chosen research area, on which you will receive individual feedback from seminar tutors and peer feedback from students in the seminar group, based upon agreed assessment criteria.

Summative assessment
This will be undertaken on an individual basis by written coursework which is 90% of the marks for this module. The second part (10%) is earned by attendance and engagement in seminars and by the completion of 4 tasks each of which carries 2.5 marks. If the task is completed and the work presented in the linked seminar, the marks will be awarded The assessment (both parts) aims to encourage a deep and critical approach to learning, developing an ability to think widely about the issues presented within the module and to explore these with directed and independent learning.

Assessment criteria are provided to enable you to understand what is expected of you and how you will be judged on your performance.

Feedback will be given in accordance with the Law Schools’ Undergraduate Feedback policy currently in force.

You will receive feedback on the formative assessment, as detailed above. Summative feedback will be available in written form on scripts and orally from module tutors. There will opportunities for feedback to your questions in seminars.

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This module is an opportunity to study the history of English law, the legal profession, the courts and legal institutions, judges and lawyers, legal literature and records, trade, commerce and business, family law, and named crime. The focus is the history of the unique English common law and legal system.

You will enjoy a large degree of choice. In the seminars you will critically engage with primary sources and secondary literature as part of your research-rich learning, drawing from Northumbria’s extensive on-line databases and library facilities.
You will choose your assessment topic from a range of options and, with help and advice from your tutors, you will devise and independently research your coursework question. You will be assessed by this written assignment (90%), and by a series of four tasks, each worth 2.5% of your mark (which you will complete for discussion in a corresponding seminar). The 10 marks (total) available for these tasks rewards attendance and engagement and are designed to help you develop different skills i.e., research, source analysis, critical analysis, and dissemination, to consolidate your understanding of English legal history and progress towards your final assignment.