International Foundation Program in Law

Modules

The modules in this program have been developed to give you a thorough preparation for various related undergraduate degrees.

Contract and Tort Law (Full Module)

The Contract and Tort Law module offers you an introduction to these two key areas of civil law. In Contract Law, you will be introduced to the legal obligations arising from contractual agreements, exploring the nature of contracts and the rules that a court applies to determine whether a contract is valid or not. Tort Law offers the opportunity to explore the basis and extent of legal liability arising from negligent (careless) conduct and its impact on others.

You will develop skills in legal research, critical analysis, and application of legal knowledge to a variety of different situations. The Contract and Tort Law module aims to develop you into a 'degree candidate' who can demonstrate the necessary tools for unraveling complex information, and able to apply the relevant knowledge and materials in a meaningful way. You should be able to use information effectively to write essays and solve problems and will gain insights into key concepts in Contract Law and acquire an in-depth understanding of the tort of negligence.

Politics and International Relations

This module will introduce you to the study of politics and international relations. It is divided into four interlinking parts. The first part challenges you to think about what politics is and where it can be found and engages the question of what is democracy. You’ll be introduced to the core political ideologies of liberalism, conservatism, and socialism in the second part, and how these influence UK and international politics. Part three explores the UK political system, its key institutions, and its place in the global system before the final part of the course introduces the most important theories of international relations and their application to contemporary global issues. You will leave the course with the ability to engage in scholarly debate on the subject of politics and international relations and to evaluate political issues and events in the national and global context.

Introduction to Criminal Law (Half Module)

In Introduction to Criminal Law, you will be introduced to the requirements for criminal liability, demonstrated through an in-depth study of a range of non-fatal offenses and general defenses. The module also offers you the opportunity to critically evaluate the law in this area.

You will learn to apply criminal terminology to case studies which will allow you to develop the skills necessary to interpret and argue complex criminal scenarios and understand real-life decisions for charging and sentencing offenders. In addition, you will develop evaluative skills through an insight into the flaws found in current legal definitions, particularly non-fatal offenses.

Introduction to Data Protection (Half Module)

The law relating to data protection is increasingly relevant to all aspects of our daily lives. This module will offer an introduction to data as a commodity and the need for data protection. You will be introduced to data collection and protection and will discover the rights and protections afforded by GDPR (UK and European protections) and make comparisons with other jurisdictions and their approaches to protecting data.

You will consider the desirability of data collection and the need for data protection and subject rights to balance interests. Once an awareness of GDPR has been developed, you will consider the effectiveness of protection and identify potential areas for development. You will be able to apply theoretical understanding to an array of real-life examples; this fast-paced and globally significant topic will provide great preparation for future Law study.

Our Inquiry and Research Skills for Law and Social Sciences is a core module in this course and is delivered in two parts to complement your other modules. The first part of this module looks at developing core research and inquiry skills including academic searching, using sources, teamwork, reflection, and problem-based learning inquiries. The second part of the module allows you to put everything you have learned into practice through a research-based project.

All students will also study an English for Academic Purposes module. This module is not about developing your conversational or everyday English skills; instead, it will develop your Academic English skills. You will consider how academic essays should be written, including looking at appropriate referencing and paraphrasing, as well as thinking about how presentations should be delivered in an academic context.

Teaching and Assessment

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, which is the same type of teaching you can expect at the undergraduate level in the UK.

Lectures are where all students on a module are together (this can be up to 100 students on the IFP), and the academic tutor introduces the topic of study. Seminars are much smaller groups (typically no more than 15 students), where you have the opportunity to explore a subject in more detail with your academic tutor and classmates. In your seminars, you will be expected to engage in discussions and debates around the subject matter.

How will I be assessed?

Across your modules, you will be assessed through a range of methods including essays, literature reviews, presentations, and examinations.