Law, Justice And Morality LAW4038

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Law
  • Credits: 40
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Runs Throughout Semesters 1 and 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

Law, Justice and Morality is an advanced course in legal theory. It introduces students to traditions of thinking about law and justice, morality and ethics. The course looks at theories of law and theories of justice, traditions of moral philosophy, theories of natural law, and scrutinises situations in which law and justice come into tension.

Timetable

2 hours in person seminar per week

Requirements of Entry

This course is only available to LLB students.

Excluded Courses

none

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

  The summative assessment will comprise a short paper/exercise (worth 35% to be submitted in the first week of semester 2) a long essay (5000 words, worth 50%) and an oral assessment and presentation component (worth 15%)

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

To develop a critical understanding of the relation between law and morality

To introduce students to moral philosophy and the main strands in moral and legal thought

To introduce students to theories of justice

To enhance students understanding of the nature of law and legal institutions

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Show familiarity with key traditions in moral and legal theory

■ critically assess the relationship between law and justice and the ways in which moral thought affects legal thought

■ develop and articulate their own understanding of the appropriate paradigms of analysis of legal and moral thought

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

  Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.