Leeds law school modules

Module overview: This module will build on the rules of Contract Law undertaken in Level Four and will provide students with a grounding in Commercial Law and an appreciation of commercial factors which influence the operation of a business.

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: The module seeks to introduce the student to the main ethical and legal themes underpinning Medical Law.  As part of this process students will be required to critically examine the various ethical theories, subsequent case law and legislation that inform this area.  The module is a single semester elective module which aims to foster independent learning, the ability to think critically and to build on problem-solving skills developed throughout Levels 4 and 5.

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: The module explores some theoretical perspective on legal education, law generally and specific topical legal issues and allows students to develop their critical thinking and analytical skills.

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: N/A

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: The aims of this module are to enable students to acquire an understanding of the legislation and case law which shape the development of Family Law. Students will develop the key skills of interpreting statutory provisions and illustrating judicial decision making in areas reliant on judicial discretion. Students will critically evaluate the legal concepts and issues discussed and consider how the law applies in the real world in developing problem-solving skills to everyday family issues.

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: Institutions and the Business Environment is a level 4 introductory module exploring the domestic and international business environment in which organisations operate. Private, public and third-sector organisations are part of a complex, interlinked, organic social system affording them both opportunities and threats.  The module seeks to develop an understanding of the key external factors and issues that organisations face in all aspects of their activities and how they are placed in such an uncertain environment.

• Level: 4
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module explores the variety of ways in which the law has been used to facilitate international trade. It is designed to help both Business and Law students to define, analyse, and apply legal and non-legal rules in the context of the operation of International Trade Law in a public law context.

• Level: 5
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: This module develops an understanding of the fundamental principles of Child Law, placing these in the context of rapidly changing value systems, state intervention and the law’s influence on and regulation of the child in the family. Students will be able to relate the law and legal system affecting the child, looking at both legal and non-legal solutions to Child Law problems. The module will also improve problem-solving skills.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of companies as legal entities. It explores companies as a form of business organisation and considers both the legal relationships between the participants in a company and the impact of companies as legal entities on society as a whole. Students are encouraged to consider the economic, social and political role of Company Law.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: Effective competition between firms trading in any market for goods or services should produce lower prices, better products, wider choice and greater efficiency in the use scarce resources.  There is a tendency for some firms, however, to try to avoid the rigours of competition by, for example, price fixing, sharing out markets or exploiting a very strong market position to stifle potential competitors.  The Competition Law module examines the legal controls on anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant market positions by undertakings.  The EU’s competition rules, which are directly effective in the UK, provide the principal framework for the module but study of these is supplemented by introducing some of the more recent developments in the UK’s national antitrust rules. Many major enterprises operating in the UK, the EU and globally have been subject to antitrust investigations and sanctions and antitrust law is now one of the core commercial law topics affecting transnational business conduct and decision-making.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module examines the law and procedure in relation to evidence-gathering by the police during a criminal investigation including proactive investigation techniques and practice and procedure in the police station.  Students will consider key evidence principles such as Relevance, Admissibility and Weight and the methods by which evidence can be challenged.  Students will become familiar with key sections of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, Criminal Justice and Public Order Act and Criminal Justice Act, as well as the Criminal Procedure Rules and Crown Court Benchbook. The course will examine the rights of the suspect at the police station, the ‘right to silence’ and ‘inferences from silence’, ‘confession evidence’ ‘bad character’ and hearsay evidence.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: The module provides the student with an in-depth understanding of the law and legal framework relating to the individual employer/employee relationship. In doing so, it encompasses the broader social, economic, political, historical, philosophical, moral and cultural context. It explores the common law principles governing the employer/employee relationship and considers the effect and impact of statutory intervention. Focus is on the formation, operation and termination of the contract of employment including employment status, implied and express terms, changes to contracts of employment, unfair dismissal and redundancy. This module fosters and further develops the independent learning, critical thinking and problem-solving skills developed throughout Levels 4 and 5. The module does not deal with trade union or industrial relations law, except where it has a direct impact on the individual employment relationship. The module also does not deal with health and safety or the law relating to pensions

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module has been specifically designed to give a detailed insight into the fascinating world of marketing. It explores a variety of concepts, models and theories concerned with marketing, as well as relating them to the profession and reality of marketing in practice.

• Level: 4
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module provides an introduction to the key intellectual property areas of copyright, trademarks, patents, the law of confidence and design rights. This will include a detailed analysis of the legal requirements for each intellectual property right (IPR); the scope and duration of protection for each IPR; how each IPR might be infringed; the defences and remedies that might be available; and the application of the relevant laws in problem-based realistic scenarios. 

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 1

Module overview: This module explores what is meant by International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law, both in terms of legal principles and their practical application. It considers the international human rights framework with reference to the role and function of the United Nations; it introduces students to the nature and structure of international human rights and the systems and institutions that seek to protect and promote human rights. The module focuses on civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, torture and the rights of prisoners. The module also introduces students to International Humanitarian Law principles and the difference between this field of study and International Human Rights Law and practice. It explores the concept of command responsibility, the definition of ‘victim’ and the means of reparation for violations of both International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law and Customary Law. The majority of workshops and lectures are dedicated to International Law (approximately two thirds), with the remaining relating to International Humanitarian Law. Students are encouraged to engage actively in wider reading and make both guided and independent links between their studies and world affairs, evaluating the social, economic and political success, or otherwise of international human rights and International Humanitarian Law. Students are offered the choice of being assessed by either by way of a single written assignment, or by way of a shorter written assignment (worth 70%) and an oral assessment (worth 30%). This means that those students seeking to develop their presentation skills and/or are more confident at expressing their thoughts and ideas in person and by way of visual aid have the freedom to opt for this mode of assessment.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: This module presents a contemporary analysis of the Media and Entertainment Law industries, both in terms of its practical application and its theoretical framework. Students will study key aspects such as broadcasting, the print press, the music industry, online news and entertainment and social networking sites, and will cover the law relating to intellectual property for the entertainment industry.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: This module will allow students to explore the area of Mental Health Law and policy. There is a particular focus on the critical examination of the policy shifts which can be seen to influence this area of law and the impact they have had on the medicalisation or criminalisation of mental disorder. The module is a single semester elective module which aims to foster independent learning, the ability to think critically and to build on problem-solving skills developed throughout Levels 4 and 5.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 2

Module overview: The module is designed to give an historical perspective to Terrorism in the UK by considering the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. It then follows the legislative path following 9/11 and counter terrorism strategies that have been developed.

• Level: 6
• Module credit points: 20
• Pre-requisites: None
• Module semester: Semester 6