Constitutional and Administrative Law

Module overview

This module considers the foundational principles underpinning the UK constitutional settlement and law. You will study the historical development of the UK constitution and its unwritten character, the key constitutional principles underpinning constitutional governance; including Parliamentary Sovereignty, Rule of Law, Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence. The module also critically examines the development of rights protection and the enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998. Finally, the module looks at the centrality of administrative law and judicial protection to the accountability of public power within the UK Constitution. You will study the grounds of judicial review and critically evaluate developments in administrative justice.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

critically evaluate specific rules studied and others’ arguments;
construct and present clear and coherent written argument on complex issues;
analyse in depth relevant primary and secondary source materials;

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

the significance of the rights protection in the UK following the enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998, including discussions about reforms to the Human Rights Act
the composition and functions of the key legal actors and institutions of the UK Government
Grounds of Judicial Review and the underlying principles lying behind Judicial Review
the sources of law for the UK constitution
Principles and practices of Administrative Justice
the nature, functions and basic doctrines of the UK constitution

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

critically assess the nature and role of law in the UK
construct complex arguments clearly and coherently in order to pose cogent questions about rights and values in constitutional law
thoroughly engage with primary sources of UK constitutional law
adeptly analyse legal and non-legal sources relevant to the topic of administrative law and administrative justice

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include: • Two (2) hours of lectures each week, providing an overview of the module content and, where appropriate, offering a detailed discussion of specific elements of module content. • Eight (8) hours of tutorials per semester, in which small groups will discuss material read in advance; this will primarily consist of cases relevant to that tutorial’s topic, and the application of the rules which emerge out of that reading. Learning activities include: • Directed reading as per distributed reading lists. • Independent research to add to core knowledge, where appropriate • Preparation of answers to problem questions in advance of seminars. • Class discussion including small group work. • Completion of a summative examination.

Study time
Type	Hours
Tutorial	16
Completion of assessment task	30
Lecture	40
Revision	50
Preparation for scheduled sessions	150
Wider reading or practice	10
Total study time	296

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	70%
Examination	30%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	30%
Examination	70%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External