| Unit name | Comparative Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD20001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Giliker |
| 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 |
Comparative Law is the study of the development and key characteristics of common and civil law legal systems. Students will be introduced to the historical origins of common and civil law legal traditions, comparative law methodology, sources of law, the role of courts, judges and lawyers, globalisation and harmonisation, and the structure and development of legal principle from a public and private law perspective. It provides an essential basis for those studying abroad, but will also give those hoping to enter international legal practice a broader understanding of global legal systems. The unit aims to introduce students to the methodologies of comparative law as a discipline as well as to give a basic grounding in common law and civilian legal systems. This will include the historical development of the systems, their structure, the different sources of law and basic distinctions between public and private law, as well as specific topics in these areas. Finally, the unit aims to introduce students to phenomena of legal globalisation and projects involving the harmonisation of laws, as well as enabling them to evaluate such developments.
By the end of this unit a successful student will be able to:
10 lectures and 8 two-hour seminars, plus 10 lectures in the Foundations of Legal Research programme
One mandatory formative essay of 1,500 words.
Two summative pieces of coursework of 2,000 words, each contributing 50% to the final mark.
The assessments will assess all of the intended learning outcomes for this unit.
