This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 (archived)

Module LAW2031: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Department: Law

LAW2031: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Type	Level	Credits	Availability	Module Cap	Location
Open	2	20	Available in 2006/2007	None.	Durham

Pre-requisites

The Law of Obligations (LAW1023) AND Public Law (LAW1013).

Corequisites

None.

Excluded Combinations

None.

Aims

Building on the foundations laid in the two first-year triple modules, this module aims to explore the nature, operation and interaction of the various avenues of legal challenge to official ( or 'administrative') action in English law, together with the EC law dimension.

Content

Nature and interaction of the five chief avenues of legal challenge to official action: by appeal, by application for judicial review, by suing the state in tort or in contract, by raising 'collateral' defence in criminal or civil proceedings, and by complaint to Ombudsmen.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge

Students should be able to:
Demonstrate a sound understanding of existing administrative law in England and Wales and an appreciation of the European context in which it operates

Subject-specific Skills

Students should be able to:
apply the existing law to factual scenarios and give legally cogent advice.
Analyse and evaluate the existing law in the light of the legal, social and political questions raised.
Engage in informed debate concerning shortcomings in the existing law and options for reform.

Key Skills

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Lectures are used primarily to impart knowledge - and also to suggest approaches to evaluation and critical analysis;
Tutorials will be used to develop and enhance students capacity for legal-problem solving in a particular factual situation, evaluative critical analysis and their appreciation of laws' linkage with broader fields of enquiry;
Assignments (formative) are used both to develop problem-solving skills, the ability to engage in sustained evaluation of proposed schemes of reforms, and the ability to evaluate the law in a critical and contextual way.
Summative assessment comprises one unseen examination of two hours fifteen minutes including fifteen minutes reading time. Students are given a choice of questions to answer, but the paper is structured in such a way as to assess students on all the specific outcomes. In particular, students are required to answer both problem and essay type questions: the former primarily assessing knowledge and analysis of specific factual situations raising key legal issues; the latter primarily assess knowledge, evaluative capacity and an awareness of placing the analysis of law in wider contexts of enquiry.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total Hours
Lectures	28	3 per fortnight	1 hour	28
Tutorials	6	1 per 3 weeks	1 hour	6
Other (written work "post mortem" classes	2		1 hour	2
Preparation and Reading				164
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component	Component Weighting	Element	Length/Duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Examination	100%	two-and-one-quarter hour written examination - including 15 minutes reading but not writing-in-the-answer-book time		100%

Formative Assessment

2 essays during the year

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.