About this course
About
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year one
Exploring Law
Year: 1
This module introduces basic legal principles and concepts, and enables students to understand the structure and organisation of the legal system in the UK (with a particular emphasis on Northern Ireland). It introduces students to the concepts of reflective and independent learning, and provides them with the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment required for the study of law as a discipline. This module continues the induction process and offers the students an opportunity to obtain information about careers and personal development. Formal assessment on this module is by an online assessment exercise and coursework.
Criminal law
Year: 1
Criminal law provides the ideal vehicle to study both common law and legislation and develop an understanding of the relationship between law in Northern Ireland and the law in England and Wales. Students learn the scope and content of criminal law and understand the need for reform in certain areas through academic commentary and critical discussion and evaluation. In examining the principle and substance of criminal law students also gain the opportunity to develop skills in legal reasoning and analysis.
Public Law
Year: 1
Students by the end of this module should have a good grasp of the constitutional arrangements within the United Kingdom including: institutions of government, key principles underpinning the constitution of the United Kingdom, the arrangements for devolved governance in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the importance of European Union Law as a source of law within the constitution of the United Kingdom, the legal protection of human rights and civil liberties, mechanisms of accountability within constitutional law, especially judicial review, and proposed reforms and debates surrounding such reforms.
Law of Tort
Year: 1
The law of tort plays a central role in the modern legal system, and it is important that anyone engaged in a study of law should have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the principles of the law of tort. This module will explore those principles in detail and will enable students to apply the principles to practical problems and real-life situations.
Administrative Law
Year: 1
This module seeks to explore the fundamental legal principles that underpin administrative law in the UK. This module enables students to understand how government operates and how public power is exercised. This module aims to develop students understanding of administrative law in the United Kingdom. It aims to equip students with an understanding of the principles and ideas with which administrative law is concerned and to prepare them to think critically about these issues.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Year: 1
This module will give students an insight into the workings of the civil litigation system in Northern Ireland before embarking upon the forms of ADR that have developed to circumvent the disadvantages of civil litigation.
Year two
Contract Law
Year: 2
The module will provide a basis for acquiring knowledge and understanding and developing analysis of the key concepts, problems and issues in the law of contract. The theories, principles and rules of the law of contract will be explained. The module will address the key features of contract law including formation of contract, contractual terms, exclusion and limitation clauses, vitiating factors, discharge of contract and remedies.
European Law
Year: 2
This module provides an overview of the constitutional principles and legal institutions of the European Union. The module also introduces students to the central areas within the market integration process, namely free movement of goods and persons. After the Treaties of Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon, the impact of EU law has expanded even further than before. This module examines the development of European Law, the institutional structure and processes as well as the relationship between European Law and national law.
Land Law
Year: 2
This module provides students with the opportunity to study Land Law (which is considered to be a core subject in the study of law) in respect to both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. The professional bodies require law school graduate entrants to have studied Land Law at Degree Level. This module (together with Introduction to Property Law) satisfies the requirements of the professions in both jurisdictions.
Introduction to Property Law
Year: 2
This module provides students with an introduction to the core concepts of property law in both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. This module will directly prepare you for further detailed study of property law at level 5 (Land Law) and at level 6 (Equity and Trusts) as well as complementing the study of aspects of Tort, Contract and even Criminal Law. Completion of this module and Land Law (LAW311) in semester 2 year 2 allows you to meet the requirements of the professional bodies (in respect of property law) in both Northern Ireland and England and Wales.
Public International Law
Year: 2
This module is optional
The module will help the student develop a deep understanding of the complex and specialised area of public international law. Students will be encouraged to develop an in-depth critical understanding of both the content of public international law standards and the various means by which they are enforced. It will build upon knowledge in previous modules and will also act as a foundational basis which will enable learners to study issues in greater detail in subsequent modules in year three, including human rights.
Jurisprudence
Year: 2
This module is optional
The aim of this module is to develop a theoretical enquiry into the nature, purpose, limits and value of law. More specifically, the aims are to consider a range of legal theories and to ask broad philosophical questions about law and its relation to justice and the concept of 'legitimacy'. The module explores the source of authority of legal rules and encourages students to engage in criticism in relation to certain conceptions of authority.
Business and Commercial Law
Year: 2
This module is optional
Business activities often create conflicts of expectations and interests between those seeking to profit through enterprise and third parties who interact with business organisations. This module enables students to acquire a thorough knowledge of the legal regulation in key areas such as employment and sales law. The module attempts to give students a clear conceptual understanding of the business and commercial law and to equip students to use their knowledge in the solution of common commercial problems.
Public Interest Litigation
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module examines the process of mounting public interest litigation challenges and considers the role played by public interest litigation in the wider democratic process.
Year three
Diploma in International Academic Studies
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module provides an opportunity to undertake an extended period of study outside the UK and Republic of Ireland. Students will develop an enhanced understanding of the academic discipline whilst generating educational and cultural networks. The placement normally takes place after Year 2 and is open to all Law students who have successfully completed Year 1 of the course.
Professional Practice - Law
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to gain structured and professional work experience, in a work-based learning environment, as part of their planned programme of study. This experience allows students to develop, refine and reflect on their key personal and professional skills. The placement should significantly support the development of the student's employability skills, preparation for final year and enhance their employability journey.
Year four
Law of Evidence
Year: 4
The Law of Evidence is key to understanding the judicial system. This module examines the fundamental principles of, and a number of important and controversial issues in, the modern law of evidence. Students will learn to apply the key rules and understand the exercise of judicial discretion on the admission of evidence to court and be encouraged to critique and challenge current rules and practice. The module complements other law modules, particularly criminal law.
Equity and Trusts
Year: 4
This module will explore the equitable jurisdiction through its historical development as well as the impact it continues to have on contemporary legal practice. This will be through the prism of examining its greatest creation, the trust. This will explore the creation of express trusts through the three certainties, beneficiary principle and formalities and constitution. This module will also cover implied trusts as well as the duties that will be bestowed upon trustees when they take up a position of trusteeship as well as the rights that a beneficiary under such a trust will have.
Transitional Justice
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module explores the real-life dilemmas negotiated in countries emerging from dictatorship and conflict. These include whether legal mechanisms can assist in achieving truth, justice, and/or reconciliation; or whether these goals are sometimes antithetical. The module will enable students to engage with international humanitarian law and human rights law, and in particular. The module also serves as an introduction to concepts and issues that are explored in greater depth in the LLM in Human Rights and Transitional Justice offered at the University of Ulster.
Medical Law
Year: 4
This module is optional
The aim of this module is to examine the law's involvement with medicine and to raise ethical and contextual awareness of selected medical topics.
Employment law
Year: 4
This module is optional
The importance of the employment relationship between employers, employees, unions and other statutory bodies and agencies is such that a thorough knowledge of both the context and the substantive law is necessary for those involved in this area in any capacity. The module attempts to provide the basis for this knowledge and to put students in the position where they may not only have an understanding of the law both conceptually and substantively, but also be in a position to use that knowledge prophylactically and in the solution of problems.
Media Law
Year: 4
This module is optional
The study of media law requires students to understand basic legal principles in such areas as freedom of speech, intellectual property, contempt of court, defamation, parliamentary privilege and copyright. It also requires the students to acquire certain skills, such as those of instant recall, analysis, argumentation and articulation, and the ability to apply legal principles to practical problems. This module provides the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment to acquire such knowledge and skills.
Company Law
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module introduces students to the body of rules and principles of law which regulate public and private companies. It is of practical significance to all those who wish to make a career in, or have dealings with, such companies.
Social Justice
Year: 4
This module is optional
An understanding of the relationship between the state and citizen, and the contractual and moral obligations of each, is the key to understanding the changing nature of the law as it relates to social justice issues. This module explores the way in which the law deals with social justice issues by providing insight into the effects of Government policies, legislation and case law on these issues. The module is centred around the theme of poverty and its relationship with other social justice themes like crime control, social control, conflict, health, and social exclusion, its impact on vulnerable groups and the treatment of those vulnerable groups, and its implications for citizenship and society.
Housing law
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module provides the student with a detailed understanding of the legal issues related to housing. Considering initially the nature of law, the legal system and human rights, the module focuses particularly upon relevant aspects of property law, such as the law of landlord and tenant, as well as related issues such as anti-social behaviour and occupier's liability.
Human Rights Law
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module enables students to master the complex area of human rights law. Students will be encouraged to develop an in-depth critical understanding of both the content of human rights law standards and the various means by which it is enforced. Students will come to see both the strengths and weaknesses of human rights law and to appreciate the system of international, regional and national enforcement mechanisms which seek to protect and promote human rights.
Dissertation - Law
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module provides students with the opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of independent, scholarly research in a chosen area of law and present that research in the form of a 6,000 written dissertation.
Law of Armed Conflict
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module examines the role of international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict and the extent to which it applies to military operations in societies emerging from conflict. International humanitarian law may play a role in mitigating the effects of the use of armed force, for example in regulating the conduct of hostilities and in the protection of civilians; but it also permits high levels of violence provided certain core rules are observed.
Law, film and visual culture
Year: 4
This module is optional
Law, Film and Visual Culture is a deliberately alternative approach to the traditional study of law, both in terms of the basic materials used to ground an approach to the topics under study, and in the teaching arrangements. It is an attempt to foster a developed spirit and capacity in critical intelligence in relation to the cultural make-up of the social environment and thus aims for wide applicability and to break the notion of law as confined to a specific arena.
Law and the Family
Year: 4
This module is optional
The module explores the ways in which the law regulates the family and deals with issues such as marital breakdown, domestic violence, and child abuse. As well as critically addressing this range of issues, it also provides insights into the forces that shape family law, and render it less of a private area of activity than is sometimes thought. Family law is an area of concern to policy-makers, social scientists and politicians alike, as well as lawyers, and is a subject of continued, heated, debate.
Legal Practice (UG Law Clinic)
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module is taught using clinical legal education and is designed to introduce students to the knowledge and skills required for legal practice. Through the facts of a mock social security case, students will open and manage a client file, conduct a client interview, identify the relevant legal issues, research the legal issues, determine the best course of action in the case and prepare a letter of advice to the client. This will be done in the Ulster University Law Clinic using the same procedures and methods as are employed there when dealing with real cases. The module will culminate in students conducting a live client interview, to gather information about a real client's case. The module is assessed through the real client interview (competent/not yet competent) and the subsequent preparation of a letter of advice. On completion of the module, students will have acquired the skills necessary for competent legal practice and will have had experience of handling a client interview.
Legal Technology: Innovation & Informatics
Year: 4
This module is optional
Traditional law and technology courses have looked to the regulation of new technologies, and therefore the restrictive power of law on the use and development of new technologies (in terms of privacy, intellectual property, security). This module looks at the other side of the picture; the ways in which new technological developments will influence the future development of law, legal service provision and access to justice.
Elements to include: (i) Legal Document Management (including electronic legal research, e-discovery, specialized legal databases), (ii) Legal Infrastructure (including: case management, legal lead generation, managing the firms legal business process and legal process outsourcing), Computational Law (including: legal expert systems, computable contracts, and unauthorized practice of law issues) (iv) online dispute resolution and its facilitation by expert systems (v) design thinking & visual law.
Law and the Environment
Year: 4
This module is optional
In light of growing scientific, public and political concern about multiple ecological 'crises', it has never been more essential to consider how the law can best be used to manage the environment in a sustainable way. However, this is not a wholly new challenge for the law. This module will introduce students to the main forces shaping the evolution of environmental law and key debates around the most effective forms of environmental regulation, as well as exploring how these are reflected in specific areas of environmental law.
Associate awards
Diploma in Professional Practice DPP
Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS
Attendance
Each module of study usually involves a weekly two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar. In addition, students are required to undertake substantial directed independent learning. Generally, three modules are studied per semester on the full time programme.
Start dates
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
The principal teaching methods on this course are lecture, seminar and independent learning. The lectures are largely expository but student participation in seminars in the form of question and answer sessions is encouraged. Assessment typically involves sitting an examination or submitting coursework or a combination of the two. Coursework is assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, case studies, presentations, tests and mooting.
Content
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
- the relevant generic national Qualification Descriptor
- the applicable Subject Benchmark Statement
- the requirements of any professional, regulatory, statutory and accrediting bodies.
Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10- or 20-credit modules (more usually 20).
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars). The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessment. The precise assessment will depend on the module and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification and the assessment timetable. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised.
Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance). Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award.
Attendance and Independent Study
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
-
Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
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Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
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Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
Academic profile
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.