Crime. It’s in the news. It’s on our screens. It’s happening around us, sometimes to us, sometimes by us. But what makes a crime a crime? As one of the foundations of legal knowledge, you will master the core principles of criminal law and explore a range of offences tried in our courts on a daily basis. You will be able to break down offences such as murder and theft into their constituent parts and apply them to an array of factual scenarios. You will form the analytical skills necessary to advise parties on criminal liability and defences. Whilst applying statutes and case law, you will effectively communicate cogent arguments both orally and in writing. At the end of this module, you will also be able to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal law in the context of our criminal justice system as a whole and be equipped with the building blocks to analyse and evaluate any criminal offence.
Lectures 16 hours, Workshops 16 hours
Individual Presentation (5minutes plus 300 word written reflection). Assessment Details: Individual Presentation Worth 30% of the total marks for the module. This Assessment is Pass Compulsory.
Examination (2 hours). Worth 70% of the total marks for the module. This Assessment is Pass Compulsory.
Reassessment Method: Like-for-like
For reading lists see the detailed module information on moodle
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) describe concepts, principles, and rules of criminal law
2) assess criminal liability in a given situation by applying relevant legal principles, case law and statutes
3) analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of criminal law in the wider criminal justice system, making appropriate reference to legal and academic sources
4) communicate an accurate and persuasive legal argument.
5) identify gaps in their skills and knowledge and use this to shape future academic development.
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