Law LLB (Hons)

Core modules

Constitutional and Administrative Law

Constitutional and Administrative law is all about legal power: where it is located in the British constitution and how and by whom its use is scrutinised and checked. This foundational subject for those considering a career in the legal profession, provides a broad framework in which all other areas of substantive law operate, whilst also reflecting on the historical development of liberal values and contemporary notions of citizenship that underpin modern British society and values. Initially you’ll focus on the constitution of the United Kingdom, providing you with a solid foundation in the main structures, relationships and themes in domestic constitutional law. Consideration will be given to questions such as: What are the key features of the constitution? Where is power located in the United Kingdom? What is parliamentary supremacy and how has it been impacted upon by such things as EU membership, the Human Rights Act 1998, devolution and Brexit? After considering key areas of constitutional law, you’ll move on to administrative law and related matters. The focus will be on the main non-parliamentary ways in which decision-makers are held to account and will involve looking at inquiries and ombudsmen and the important function of judicial review which you’ll examine through authentic, real world case studies. Finally, you’ll be introduced to human rights and civil liberties, particularly the substance and impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 and its place conceptually and practically within law.

English Legal System and Skills

You'll be introduced to key concepts in English Law and the skills you will need to be successful in the LLB and later use in your career. The key theme running throughout the module is that law is dynamic, and the study skills are pervasive. The concepts you will cover are, the sources of law and statutory interpretation, the structure of the legal system, the civil legal system, the criminal legal system, access to justice, the future of law. The transferable skills that you’ll obtain will be legal research (such as fact handling and case reading and informational literacy), group working skills (such as advocacy and negotiation), enhanced communication skills (both written and oral), interviewing skills, digital and analysis skills.

Criminal Law

You'll gain knowledge and understanding of the core principles and rules of criminal law, concentrating on the principles of criminal liability relating to a range of criminal offences and specific defences. You'll examine and analyse case studies to understand the relevant legislation and case law in relation to the offence and identify the lines of defence. By analysing these case scenarios, you'll identify key facts governing criminal liability and relate these to the applicable law, as well as evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each sides case. The knowledge gained will help not only those interested in a career in the criminal justice system but also those interested in careers in non-governmental organisations (i.e. charitable organisations). You'll become familiar with the key organisations and their personnel and responsibilities, such as the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and other organisations in the non-governmental sector.

Contract Law

You’ll gain a foundation in the basic principles relating to the formation of contracts, developing the idea of consensus and the rules and principles governing enforceability, performance and discharge of contracts. You’ll be introduced to common law and equitable principles as well as relevant legislation. In addition to studying 'black letter' law, you’re encouraged to critically assess the law and to evaluate it in a social, political and economic context. During group sessions you’ll take part in mooting activities, as preparation for your assessment but also as a means of developing your problem-solving, case location, communications and argument.

Into ARU

Entering third level education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all students to make the most of the opportunities Higher Education provides, so they reach their potential, become lifelong learners, and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you’ll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete various mini tasks. You’ll proceed at your own pace, though we expect all students to have completed their ‘Into ARU’ exploration by week 6. Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete by that date, will be signposted to existing services so that we can be confident that they are supported.

Tort Law

You'll develop a thorough understanding of the major area of the law of tort, including key concepts and principles with particular emphasis on their application and evaluation as the law operates in society. You'll gain a sound knowledge of the principles of tort enabling you to suggest solutions to factual problems and analysis of contemporary issues. You'll also develop an appreciation of those with the sectors such as courts, insurers, employers and the Health and Safety Executive.

Business Law

This module introduces you to the fundamental principles of company law as the legal framework under which business is established and operates. The modules aim to capture the dynamism of this aspect of law and to develop your awareness of the pace and function of company law in a practical and theoretical context. The module aims to develop an understanding of the legal principles and theories underpinning the law relating to companies and focuses on four major areas; corporate personality, rights and liabilities; corporate governance and corporate social responsibility; shareholders and remedies; companies in financial difficulties. This module will facilitate both a 'black letter' and socio-legal approach to law and will provide both a practical and theoretical framework for the law relating to business.

Business Innovation

Development and management of new products and services is deeply linked to the results of companies and innovation plays a key role in their long-term success. You’ll discover the innovation concept and its strategic role, as well as the process to develop innovative and sustainable new products and services. From the perspective of business and marketing, you’ll relate idea generation and launch with its practical application in industry and commerce. You’ll think independently and innovatively and improve your ability to work outside of the comfort of structure and predictability and security whilst learning the tools to develop your critical thinking and creativity. You'll learn innovation theories and new developments in suitability and the circular economy; understand how firms develop new consumer-centric sustainable and innovative products/services; improve your creativity skills and understand the success factors for new products. You’ll develop your own new product based on a provided brief and will present it in a pitch presentation with accompanying media to a panel for evaluation.

Equity, Trusts and Succession

You'll be introduced to the concept of property, proprietary rights, as they are recognised and protected in equity, and explore the nature of the trust including trusts formed under the laws of succession. We'll include an historical account of the development of and distinction between law and equity before examining the nature of equitable rights and remedies. Over the module, you'll gain sound knowledge and understanding of equity and the law of trusts, succession including wills and intestacy rules, developing your critical analysis to suggest reasoned solutions to factual problems. It covers the importance in a legal practice, possibly as a commercial or family practitioner, of property, conveyancing and succession as well as fiduciary relationships, charitable status and trustee duties, formalities and mental capacity.

The Law of Information, Intellectual Property and Social Media

This module is designed to enable you develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the major areas of the law of information, intellectual property and social media including key concepts and principles and such detailed rules as are necessary to illustrate those broad principles as they apply in particular situations. This study will enable you (i) to gain a sound knowledge and understanding of the law relating to information, intellectual property and social media, (ii) to suggest solutions to factual problems and (iii) to apply this knowledge and understanding to the critical analysis of contemporary business and social issues relating to the law of information, intellectual property and social media. Teaching is by large group sessions and seminars. In addition to providing a structured outline and an introductory critique of topics and concepts, large group sessions will be used to consider research methods, relevant case law and statutory material. Seminar groups will focus on selected topics, cases, journal articles and other materials which you're required to read and analyse and, as appropriate discuss or apply in the context of problem solving. Particular emphasis is placed on discussion, application and evaluation of the law as it operates in business and society. The module develops a wide range of legal skills including those directly linked to employability and in particular employers producing, using and processing personal data information and those initiating or using social media, patents, trademarks and copyright material. You’ll also develop skills in research, problem solving, analysis and application.

The Law of Family Relationships

The module explores the ways in which the state regulates the formation and termination of marriage, types of personal and familial relationships and the conduct between family members. It specifically addresses the economic issues and legal solutions confronting marital and non-marital families, particularly upon divorce, domestic violence within marriage and non-marital family units, property rights and the family home and the relationship between private decision-making and state-imposed solutions. Finally, the module examines the nature of childhood within law, how agency is granted or denied to children, how the law offers vulnerable children protection and security, regulates parenting through the intervention of courts and wardship.

Property Law

The module starts with the consideration of the question 'what is land?'. You'll explore the nature of ownership and the legal and equitable estates and interests that can exist in land and examine how estates and interests are protected including the system of unregistered and registered title to land. Whilst looking at the underlying principles of land law, you'll study the various estates and interests in greater detail, including leasehold estate and third-party interests such as mortgages, easements and covenants, co-ownership and the role and duties of trustees and beneficiaries of co-owned land.

European Union Law

This module critically introduces you to the nature and scope of EU law with reference to its key institutions and formation. This includes the way in which EU law is enforceable through national domestic courts and the European Court of Justice (ECJ). It then examines essential topics of EU substantive law with reference to EU legislation and case law. These topics include the free movement of goods and persons with the EU, the creation of European citizenship, the free movement, and rights of workers within the EU and the legal reasoning and judicial remedies used by the ECJ to resolve conflicts between EU and national law. Given the event of Brexit meaning that the UK has ceased to be a member of the EU and the IP (Implementation) Completion Day has passed, the module will pay particular attention to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (which amended the 2018 version). UK courts are no longer bound by any principles laid down or decisions made by the EU although the UK court may have regard to decisions and principles from the ECJ - as well as anything done by the EU or any of its entities - after IP completion day if it considers it appropriate to do so. This legal uncertainty will enable you to engage in interesting and creative discussions about how UK national law will develop post-Brexit.

Civil Litigation

You'll cover basic law and procedures involved in acting in a civil litigation claim. You'll look at interviewing a client and taking instructions in a basic litigation matter. Based on a case study in the context of a personal injury matter, you'll take client instructions and explore the evidential basis of the claim, consider the costs and funding and the steps needed in the personal injury protocol before considering other causes of action such as simple breaches of contract and reviewing the implications of the claim not being settled. As part of the module, you'll draft a simple claim and look at the procedural steps that need to be taken to issue a claim in the County Court and serve it on a defendant before considering the draft of their defence.

Employment Law

You'll learn about the sources and institutions of employment law and examine the law relating to the formation, content and termination of contracts of employment, the nature of the employment relationship and the status of employees and others performing services. You'll discuss the protection offered to employees in relation to dismissal and the impact this has on employers, as well as considering issues of business reorganisation and managerial prerogative, and their relationship with the law of employment through the law relating to redundancy and transfer of undertakings. You'll also consider issues of discrimination in employment (including equal pay). You're advised to have prior knowledge of contract law. Employment law as a subject will give you knowledge of the workplace and the relationship between employers and employees, so is particularly valued in careers such as Human Resources Management.

Diversity, Equality and the Law

Pluralism is a reality within all countries in the world due to the fact of globalisation and migration, ethnicities, differing religious and comparative beliefs, gender and sexual orientation and a range of other 'differences'. At the same time, societies are made up of people who have no disabilities and those who have a range of disabilities. The reality of difference within a society raises both ethical and legal questions. For example, what differences should be recognised by law as warranting some king of response to ensure, for example, people are not discriminated against or treated as being of less worth than others based on particular characteristics not everyone shares? And what should follow in practical terms once these differences area acknowledged as requiring some form of legal response or protection for certain individuals based on certain characteristics? These questions are complex in as much as claims may be coming from certain groups for exemptions or exceptions from legal norms based on some specific characteristic they may have and share with others within a specific community or group with whom they identify. In other instances, claims for equality may be coming from very large sectors of a society such as from women seeking full equality with men or advocating stronger recognition of what they see as specific rights they deserve such as around reproduction. This module will explore pluralism at a conceptual level before looking at how the law engages with pluralism to attend to equality and diversity and how that might be improved. This module is particularly useful for anyone looking to work in areas of anti-discrimination law or non-legal professions were tackling discrimination and delivering equality feature, such as working with civil society organisations, working in businesses, working in the public sector.

Undergraduate Major Project in Law

In this module you’ll undertake a substantial piece of law research or a legal practice related project (which could be based on your experience of a specific organisation), focused on a topic relevant to your studies and career aspirations. You’ll identify and formulate problems and issues, conduct bibliographical research (and any other research methods appropriate to your project), determine solutions and engage in critical evaluation, including formulating proposals for reform of the law or procedure where appropriate. Your findings could be presented in a range of ways for example a report containing recommendations for your chosen organisation as part of your work-based project.

Modules are subject to change and availability.