Keele Badge

LAW-20122 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 06 April 2026

LAW-20122 - Law in the 21st Century
Coordinator: Laura Higson-Bliss
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

This module explores contemporary issues with the Law in the 21st century. Indicative learning content includes: social media and law; artificial intelligence and robotics, environmental sustainability, intellectual property, data privacy, assistive reproductive technology and medical ethics. You will analyse the key legal frameworks and jurisprudential responses to these issues and will critically evaluate their successes. You will thereby be better equipped to engage with the emerging legal issues of the future and will be very valuable to employers in the legal field, as well as other social, medical and commercial fields.

Aims
This module explores contemporary issues with the Law in the 21st century, allowing you to critically engage with wider technological, environmental, ethical and social issues that have impacted the law and the legal sector. You will critically analyse the key legal frameworks and jurisprudential responses to these issues and their successes. By the end of the module, you will be better equipped to engage with the emerging legal issues of the future and will be very valuable to employers in the legal field, as well as other social, medical and commercial fields.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Articulate current legal issues in the 21st century to a non-academic audience, through the creation of a blog, vlog or podcast.: 1
Interact with AI models to achieve the production of legal content and to critically analyse their usage in providing legal advice.: 2
Develop critical arguments regarding the success and limits of the law in addressing the challenges posed by 21st century advancements.: 2,3
Engage critically with academic commentary.: 1,3

Study hours

Active learning hours (50 total):
20 x 2-hour interactive lectures = 40
10 x 1-hour structured engagement with online resources = 10
Independent study hours (250 total):
85 hours of assessment prep: 35 (essay) 25 (blog, vlog, podcast) 25 (AI assessment)
15 hours of formative prep
150 hours of preparation and consolidation for interactive lectures

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 30%
Blog, Vlog or Podcast on Contemporary Issue (1000 words or 10 minutes)
Students will be required to create a blog, vlog or podcast of 1000 words (or 10 minutes) articulating to a non-academic audience the law from a given list of topics. Support will be given to students in the creation of these assessments, encouraging students to engage with the process (i.e blogging techniques) to enhance their transferable skills for future employment.

2: Assignment weighted 30%
Generate Content using AI (1000 words)
Students will be given a legal problem question which they will then input into an AI programme (supported by the university i.e copilot) requesting AI to solve the legal issue. Students will then produce a reflective account (1000 words) of how well the AI programme solved the legal issue, the use of AI in the wider legal sector and the future of AI in helping support those working in the legal profession. A lecture will also be given on the chosen topic to allow students to make direct reflections on the accuracy of AI in answering the legal issue at hand.

3: Essay weighted 40%
Essay Question (2000 words)
Students will pick from a predetermined list of questions one essay question to answer (2000 words). The questions will relate to content discussed in the module regarding the success and limits of the law in addressing the challenges posed by 21st century advancements.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 06 April 2026