University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2019/20 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Social Sciences and Law > University of Bristol Law School > Law and German (LLB) > Specification
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Programme code | 9LAWD004U |
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Programme type | Joint Honours (UG) |
Programme director(s) |
Steffan Davies
Nina Boeger (Law) |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Second School/department | Department of German |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Accrediting types: |
The qualifying law degree is recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for the purposes of satisfying the academic stage of training. (http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/) Accredited by the Bar Standards Board for the purpose of a Qualifying Law Degree. |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Law (2023) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
The LL.B. (Law and German) degree is a four-year Joint Honours programme. The programme provides an intellectual training through the study of the fundamental features of the legal systems of England and Wales and of the European Union, their underlying principles and values and the contexts in which the law operates, and through the provision of opportunities for the acquisition of a broad range of intellectual and critical skills in preparation for: a career in the legal professions; employment in a wide range of other legal and non-legal contexts; further education. Three years are spent at Bristol and one year (the third year of the programme) at a German-speaking university (see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/law/study/ugdegrees/ugproginfo/llb-lawgerman.html). The Bristol component also allows students to study German language, literature and history to degree level. During the year abroad, students acquire knowledge of the German legal system.
This course of study is recognised by the Bar Council and the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a qualifying law degree.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of knowledge and understanding through lectures, seminars, tutorials and directed reading with a strong emphasis on primary materials. Independent learning is achieved through written coursework and research projects. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Knowledge and understanding are largely tested through traditional unseen written examinations (which include both essay questions and hypothetical problems). Many units are assessed through coursework which requires a more detailed and expansive treatment of certain topics. The year abroad will be assessed according to the methods agreed by the host university, which may include a mixture of oral and written examinations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and written assignments (both essays/problems and research projects). All units are structured in such a way that the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation are developed. In addition, specific units focus on other intellectual skills (problem-solving and research) and opportunities for practising these skills are offered in other units. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All assessment tasks (written examinations, coursework and research projects) test powers of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Problem-solving is assessed both by written examinations (which contain hypothetical problems) and coursework. Research and autonomy is assessed through coursework and research projects. The year abroad will be assessed according to the methods agreed by the host university, which may include a mixture of oral and written examinations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to make oral presentations. Working effectively in a group, IT exercises and making use of feedback are integrated into specific units. Written communication is developed through written assignments, assessed coursework and research projects. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Assessment is primarily through written assignments (examinations, coursework and research projects) which provide evidence of communication skills. Coursework is also used to assess key skills (such as key IT skills). |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
By the end of their first year of study, students are expected to be able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the fundamental principles of some of the core areas of law and a level of competence in the relevant skills. They will be able to research secondary literature on legal materials, solve legal problems, produce written summaries and discursive accounts of the law, engage in moots and debates, retrieve web-based information from identified sites and engage in joint preparation for, and participation in, class discussion. The expectation is that their work may require substantial direction from members of staff. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
By the end of their second year of study, students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge of legal principles and their capacity to evaluate these principles using a variety of perspectives. They should also have developed a higher level of competence in the relevant skills. This will include the ability to research relevant primary and secondary materials in a given area of law, solve more demanding legal problems and consider legal reform, engage in regular good-quality written preparation for class, make structured presentations and engage in subsequent discussion, use a variety of online resources and engage in the joint production of written work. They are expected to be developing a capacity for self-directed learning. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
During their final year of study, students are expected to expand the breadth of their knowledge through their study of optional subjects and to develop further their ability to evaluate law. At this level students are expected to be able to demonstrate their capacity for self-directed study using the skills acquired and developed at levels one and two. This will include finding relevant materials on a set topic, solving complex legal problems, producing a lengthy written account of an area of law, and engaging in regular and spontaneous location of online legal materials. They will also be expected to collaborate where appropriate in their research tasks and to give seminar papers if required. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Knowledge and understanding are acquired through: lectures, seminars, tutorials, intensive language classes, directed reading, regular written coursework and practical language work (supported by the facilities of the Multimedia Centre), and a compulsory period of residence in the country or countries where the language is spoken. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A range of essay writing skills (short and extended essays), providing summative and formative assessment. Project work. Special subjects to allow students to address areas in-depth and the option of a dissertation. Examinations and coursework assessment in all three years spent in Bristol. Language is formally assessed through coursework, translations, essays, oral presentations and aural comprehension. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and essay writing. Units are structured in such a way that the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of literature are developed. History and linguistics units develop similar skills in that specific field. Language, problem solving and research are honed in the year abroad assignment. The option of Independent Study is also available in the final year. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A variety of assessment methods are used as per individual unit aims and objectives. Essay writing and examinations test the students' ability to analyse information and present reasoned arguments. Research skills are assessed by means of extended written coursework and dissertation. Language is formally assessed by translations, essays of various types, oral presentations and aural comprehension, including interpreting. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to give short introductory talks/presentations to initiate discussion. These oral skill are further developed in the language classes. The ability to think and work independently is stimulated by dissertation, essay and project tasks. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All units are assessed through written coursework and extended essays. These require a detailed and expansive handling of literature and extensive reading in support of their conclusions. The knowledge base is also tested through traditional unseen written examinations, through project work and Dissertation. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Year 1 of the programme has been expressly designed to lay the foundations which will allow students to fulfil the programme aims and objectives. A core unit in language is geared to lead the student in the development of their language skills. The year introduces and includes preliminary work on some of the main themes and key concepts of German literature, history and linguistics to provide a familiarity with these disciplines. It enables students to understand the cultural heritage, historical development and modern contours of the German-speaking world. The expectation is that their work may require considerable direction from members of staff at this stage, and the Year 1 units are designed with this in mind. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge in various areas of the discipline and their capacity to evaluate their work through the wide range of options available beyond the core language unit. The themes and language readings will be of greater depth and substance. Students will develop their analytical skills, their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars. They will be developing a capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and projects). Spoken and written language skills will be reinforced and enhanced. In Year 3, students will develop their command of spoken and written German during the mandatory period of residence abroad when they either follow a formal programme on instruction at and academic institution in a German-speaking country. Their linguistic critical, research and presentational skills will also be enhanced through the writing of dissertations in German during the year. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Students are expected to have expanded the breadth of their knowledge through the study of optional units; the units are more closely linked to staff research interests developing the conceptual and methodological approaches used with more depth and complexity. Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information, to synthesise these in an appropriate way, to engage in sophisticated evaluation of language texts. These skills will be perfected in the writing of longer and more demanding essays, already introduced during their study abroad. There will be an emphasis on independent learning, self-directed study and research skills. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
Workload Statement
Success at undergraduate level in the Social Sciences and Law depends on your being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. The programmes offered in the Faculty are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with larger lecture-based units providing the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving through to smaller seminar-based specialist units and finishing with an individual dissertation or research project. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning. But at the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing, whether in the library or at home. It is this skill of independent study above all others that you will take with you when you leave.
This model of academic development is particularly obvious in the more discursive subjects such as law, politics, social policy and sociology. The typical timetabled contact time for a discursive 20 credit point unit in the Faculty is about 30 hours. You will find that you need to allow for about 10 hours preparation on your own if you are to get the most from one of these teaching sessions. In addition there will often be class presentations or essays to write. Typically, the final year will include an independent research unit which by definition has a much smaller amount of more individualised support. Towards the end of any teaching block you may have additional revision or updating classes, and many programmes have occasional ad-hoc lectures of general interest and relevance. If you get stuck, there is always the chance to speak to your lecturer after a class or during their hours of general availability, or you could see your personal tutor. The Faculty also includes programmes which require increasing levels of mathematical sophistication, typically in Economics, Finance and Management. In this latter case, much larger numbers of lectures - up to 18 hours a week depending on option choices - and fewer small group classes are normal, as in the sciences.
As a result, and depending on your particular programme and option choices, your timetable is likely to be a lot less structured than that of fellow students who are linguists, scientists, engineers or medics. But the time that others spend in laboratories you should be spending in private study. In a sense, the library is your laboratory, and you will want to make best use of the excellent range of resources available to you here. A good University education does not tell you 'what you need to know'. Rather, we assume that, like your lecturers and professors, you are intellectually curious about your subject. We invite you to join us and we are there to help you satisfy your curiosity as best we can.
Assessment Statement
Please select the following link for a statement about assessment. This is University of Bristol access only.
https://www.bris.ac.uk/fssl/current-students/fssl-undergraduates/assessmentandfeedbackstatement.pdf
No additional information.
http://www.bris.ac.uk/law or Email: law-ug-admissions@bristol.ac.uk
The following units are must pass: GERM10009, LAWD10016, LAWD10008, LAWD10014 and LAWD10012. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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German Language 1 (Post A-level) | GERM10009 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Introduction to Law | LAWD10016 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Law of Contract | LAWD10008 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Law and State | LAWD10012 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Criminal Law | LAWD10014 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Plus 20cp from the following: | ||||
Language and Power: Introductions to German History | GERM10039 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
German Literature and Film: Genres, Texts, Contexts | GERM10035 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
The following units are must pass: Law of Tort (LAWD10011), Constitutional Rights (LAWD10013) and Law and the Policy of the European Union I (LAWD20023). For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Law of Tort | LAWD10011 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Constitutional Rights | LAWD10013 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Law and Policy of the European Union I | LAWD20023 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Comparative Law | LAWD20001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
German Language 2 (Post A-Level) | GERM20001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Students must choose 20cp from the following list: | ||||
From Caligari to Hitler: German Film 1919-1945 | GERM20033 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Transnational Nation: Germany 1840 - 1990 | GERM20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Transnational Nation: Germany 1840 - 1990 | GERM20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Inventing Austria | GERM20051 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
From Judgement to Trial: Selected Works by Franz Kafka | GERM20049 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Inventing Austria | GERM20051 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
From Judgement to Trial: Selected Works by Franz Kafka | GERM20049 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
General Linguistics | MODL20016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Catalan Language (Elementary) | MODL23014 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Czech Language (Elementary) | MODL23015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
General Linguistics | MODL20016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Introduction to teaching Modern Languages as Foreign Languages | MODL20021 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Beginners Portuguese | MODL20022 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Women and Nation TB-2 | MODL20023 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Year Abroad (Law and German) | LAWD39003 | 120 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
120 |
Mandatory Unit German Language 3 is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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German Language 3 | GERM30001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Land Law | LAWD20002 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Trusts | LAWD30120 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Select one of the following: | ||||
Final Year Research Project | LAWD30091 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Dissertation | LAWD30132 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 |
Students taking LAWD30091 may choose either 20cp from the following Law units AND 20cp from the optional Language units listed below OR 40cp from the optional Language units listed below. Students taking LAWD30132 must take 20cp from the optional Language units listed below. | ||||
Jurisprudence | LAWD20004 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Crime, Justice and Society | LAWD20034 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Company Law | LAWD20037 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Evidence | LAWD20038 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Medical Law | LAWD20039 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
General Principles of International Law | LAWD20041 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Introduction to Intellectual Property | LAWD20043 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
British Immigration, Nationality, and Citizenship Law | LAWD20045 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Roman Law | LAWD20046 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Family Law 1: Adult Relationships | LAWD20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Advanced Obligations | LAWD20048 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Issues in Corporate Governance | LAWD30001 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Information Technology Law | LAWD30003 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Clinical Legal Studies | LAWD30005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Rich Law, Poor Law | LAWD30017 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Commercial Law | LAWD30028 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Banking Law | LAWD30090 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Criminology | LAWD30100 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Insolvency Law | LAWD30104 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Law and Government | LAWD30105 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Legal History | LAWD30106 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Sex, Gender and Law | LAWD30110 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Employment Law | LAWD30113 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Environmental Law | LAWD30123 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Human Rights in Law, Politics and Society | LAWD30125 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Transnational Arbitration | LAWD30128 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Corporate Law Simulation | LAWD30112 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
International Dispute Settlement | LAWD30117 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Law and Race | LAWD30135 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Family Law 2: Child Law | LAWD30131 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Critical Company Law | LAWD30133 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Students may select from the list below: (Students may choose MODL30011 if they took MODL23014 in their second year of study and students may choose MODL30012 if they took MODL23015 in their second year of study). | ||||
Exiles and Migrants in German Literature | GERM30058 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Performing Germany: National Identity in Changing Times | GERM30075 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Performing Germany: National Identity in Changing Times | GERM30075 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Die Mitte: Centrist German Politics and its Language | GERM30079 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Visibility Matters: Identity, Diversity, and Power in the Cultural Marketplace | GERM30081 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Communism in Europe | MODL30001 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
The Italian City: Medieval and Early Modern Cultures | MODL30020 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Translating in a Professional Context | MODL30010 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Catalan Language (follow-on) | MODL30011 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Czech Language (follow-on) | MODL30012 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Follow-on Portuguese | MODL30037 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Liaison Interpreting | MODL30006 | 20 | Optional | TB-1,TB-2 |
Pan-Africanism: ideas and archives | MODL30026 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
MODL30005 is mandatory for Single Honours Students | ||||
Independent Study 1 | MODL30005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Sociolinguistic Anthropology: Language, Culture, and Society | MODL30016 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Pan-Africanism: ideas and archives | MODL30026 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Law and German (LLB) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
An oral distinction may be awarded.
The alternative classified honours degree of Arts (Modern Language Studies) may be awarded on this programme. For further details please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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