LAW-20046 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

Within a framework of sociological and political theories of families, we will attempt to provide and develop a critical understanding of the law relating to families but also learn how family disputes are resolved in practice.
Topics include: creation, structure and regulation of the family unit; concepts and definitions of family and marriage; domestic violence; family breakdown; family finance; and the law relating to parents and their children.
The module is delivered through the provision of weekly lectures and 8 x 1 hour tutorials with a Revision Advice, Essay Guidance and Planning tutorial to help prepare you for the assignment submission, a 2,500 word essay.

To provide a critical understanding of the law relating to families.
To be able to take a 'socio-legal' approach to examining the subject so that students examine family law within a framework of sociological and political theories of families.
To explore the ways in which the law creates, structures and regulates family units.
To understand how in practice the law regulates the end of formal partner relationships with specific reference to finance.

Intended Learning Outcomes

articulate an acceptable level of knowledge of the substantive legal principles underpinning Family Law, both in writing and orally: 1
undertake independent legal research to critically analyse key areas of family law and developments or reforms in this area: 1
produce an acceptable piece of written work using conventional English and the accepted apparatus of Legal scholarship: 1
critically appraise specific cases under consideration and their relevance to the development of related principles in Family law: 1

Study hours

18 x 1 hour lectures = 18 hours
8 x 1 hour seminars = 8 hours
1 x 1 hour revision and essay tutorial = 1 hour
Tutorial preparation = 30 hours
Private study = 43 hours
Essay research and writing = 50 hours
TOTAL = 150 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment