Unit name | Public Law |
---|---|
Unit code | LAWDM0059 |
Credit points | 30 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Professor. Phillipson |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit examines the rules, principles and practices which regulate the powers, functions and composition of the key institutions of government in the UK. It explores the theoretical concepts underpinning the UK's constitutional arrangements and analyses the mechanisms through which legislative, executive and judicial authority is exercised. It further addresses the legal principles governing the relationship between the individual and the state. Consideration is given to principles of judicial review, and the role of human rights law as means by which redress may be obtained and government rendered accountable. The impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on all the above issues is a key concern.
This unit aims to give students a good general grounding in UK Public Law, that is, in the main principles of constitutional law, administrative law and human rights law. It will cover the structure of the United Kingdom’s constitution and legal systems, the major institutions of government, their role and functions, as well as the relationship between the individual and the state. It starts by considering the nature of constitutions and principles of constitutionalism and then goes on to consider the nature of the UK’s uncodified constitution and its disparate sources, in particular prerogative powers and recent controversial attempts to render them more limited and accountable. The latter issue is discussed as an aspect of the rule of law; the unit considers the other two key principles of the constitution: parliamentary sovereignty and the separation of powers. The impact of Brexit and the key legislation catering for it is considered in relation to all these topics and also to the devolved structure of the UK. Administrative law is represented by a detailed study of the principles of judicial review set in the context of administrative justice more broadly. Methods of protecting human rights and civil liberties in the UK focus on a detailed discussion of the Human Rights Act 1998 and how it gives effect to the European Convention on Human Rights in domestic law.
In addition to teaching the substantive content of Public Law, this unit has also been designed to foster the development of certain key skills which should be transferable to other units. These relate both to the handling of legal materials and to matters of a more general intellectual nature. In terms of legal materials, students should be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a variety of asynchronous and synchronous activities
2 x summative assessments: 2x coursework with a specified word count (50% each)
The assessment will assess all of the intended learning outcomes for this unit.
The core texts for this unit are:
Beyond the core texts:
If you would like a brief introduction to the political issues underpinning the subject, you may find the following useful:
Two other good, short introductory textbooks are:
If, alternatively, you are looking for a rather fuller treatment, two good major texts are: