Open University

Certificate of Higher Education in Law and Languages

Knowledge and understanding

You’ll be able to demonstrate:

• Some of the concepts, values, rules and principles of the legal system of England and Wales, and an awareness of some of the powers exercised by the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
• Some of the areas of substantive English law and their impact on individuals and society.
• Some of the social, political, economic, historical and ethical dimensions of law.
• The ability to communicate fluently and appropriately with competent speakers of your chosen language in a broad variety of oral and written contexts, including academic ones, maintaining a good degree of grammatical accuracy and appropriate style.
• Broad knowledge of aspects of the societies of the countries where your chosen language is spoken (including aspects such as literature, cultures, linguistic contexts, politics, geography, and social and economic structures).
• Good intercultural communicative competence, including an awareness and understanding of the cultures and societies associated with each language and the ability to describe, analyse and evaluate the similarities and dissimilarities between cultures and societies with your own.

Cognitive skills

You’ll be able to:

• Ask and answer appropriate questions about law and legal systems, identifying gaps in your own knowledge.
• Recognise legal principles and authority to start to develop reasoned answers to questions.
• Make use of a wide variety of written, spoken and multimodal texts for different audiences in your chosen language, employing appropriate reading and listening strategies.
• Write short texts of different types in your chosen language and/or English, following appropriate structures and conventions, including academic language, selecting and making critical use of written and spoken sources.
• Make spoken presentations on particular topics, using appropriate styles and techniques, and take part in spoken interactions likely to arise while travelling in an area where your chosen modern language is spoken, using appropriate discourse strategies.
• Interpret and evaluate evidence in the light of alternative explanations, arguments and theories.

Practical and/or professional skills

You’ll be able to:

• Conduct basic legal research under guidance.
• Identify, retrieve and start to evaluate legal information from electronic and other sources acknowledge the sources of information that you have used, in a style appropriate to the task.
• Start to gather and process information from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources, in English and your chosen language.

Key skills

You’ll be able to:

• Communicate relevant ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Recognise different textual, numerical and statistical data and ways of working with these.
• Reflect on your own learning and development, making effective use of feedback, and demonstrating a willingness to acknowledge and correct errors.
• Collaborate with others to achieve joint outcomes.
• Demonstrate the ability to independently find, evaluate and use a wide range of information, data or tools accurately in complex contexts.
• Recognise and use effective learning strategies.

This certificate has only one stage, comprising 120 credits:

• In Stage 1, you’ll study a balance of both introductory law and language modules.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

French

You'll choose one from:

• Exploring languages and cultures (L161)
• Introduction to French studies (beginners) (L102)

You'll choose one from:

• Criminal law and the courts (W111)
• Civil justice and tort law (W112)

You'll study the following:

• French Studies 1 (intermediate) (L112)

German

You'll choose one from:

• Exploring languages and cultures (L161)
• Introduction to German studies (beginners) (L103)

You'll choose one from:

• Criminal law and the courts (W111)
• Civil justice and tort law (W112)

You'll study the following:

• German Studies 1 (intermediate) (L113)

Spanish

You'll choose one from:

• Exploring languages and cultures (L161)
• Introduction to Spanish studies (beginners) (L106)

You'll choose one from:

• Criminal law and the courts (W111)
• Civil justice and tort law (W112)

You'll study the following:

• Spanish Studies 1 (intermediate) (L116)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Skills for career development

You’ll develop a broad set of employability skills, including the ability to:

• Understand the foundation subjects of law and the legal system of England and Wales.
• Apply legal principles to resolve issues.
• Present and make a reasoned choice between different opinions and solutions.
• Read and discuss complex and technical legal materials.
• Communicate effectively, clearly and accurately with others.
• Use information and communication technology (ICT) effectively.
• Manage time and work independently and as part of a team.
• Take responsibility for your own personal development, set realistic objectives and meet your own goals.
• Manage and motivate yourself.
• Plan, organise and prioritise your work, evaluate and reflect on it.

Career relevance

Studying law alongside a modern language opens up many career options in law-related fields, business and finance or international organisations. Your understanding of another language and the cultures that use it is an asset that will be highly valued by employers and that will widen your opportunities in the international market. A qualification in law and a language can lead to opportunities in a wide range of areas, such as:

• Business and finance.
• Civil service.
• Human resources.
• Paralegal professions.
• Journalism.
• Research.
• Translation and interpreting.
• Editing and publishing.

Other careers

Employers are keen to utilise the legal awareness that law and language graduates offer. They value applicants who can communicate well, analyse, evaluate and present ideas and arguments effectively. Developed legal thinking can be a firm basis to move into areas such as the civil service, tax advice or journalism. If you want to work as a translator in your chosen language, this certificate will allow you to develop a law specialist.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your certificate.

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

• A week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
• Course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
• Module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
• Details of each assignment and their due dates
• A tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
• Online versions of some printed module materials and resources.