Law

Teaching is delivered in two main styles: lectures and small group tutorials.

With two lectures in each module per week and a tutorial once a fortnight, you will have approximately 12 contact hours each week.

Lectures will provide you with the framework for each subject, whereas your tutorials will be an opportunity for you to engage with the subjects in more depth. Tutorials are held in small groups of 8 or 9 students, enabling you to participate fully and have your voice heard. In these group sessions, you will discuss the answers to pre-set questions, developing your critical thinking skills and learning how to confidently articulate your arguments. As the groups are small, you will receive close attention from your tutors and get to know them well during your studies.

We use web-based and electronic course materials to supplement traditional teaching methods and support student learning. There is easy access to computers both in the Law School itself and in the David Wilson Library next to the School. You will be able to access information about your courses and tutorials electronically.

Assessment methods include assessed essays/coursework, exams and multiple choice question papers. Professional legal writing - for example, writing a letter of advice to a client - is also built into our curriculum and you will start developing these practical skills from your very first year with us.

Criminology

You will be taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials, supported by materials available on our virtual learning environment. During lectures, you will learn the foundational knowledge of each subject area before attending a seminar where you can explore the subject in more depth through discussion of key ideas with other students.

By accessing the virtual learning environment, you will learn interactively and at your own pace through podcasts, webinars, online discussion forums and audio/visual learning aids. We believe that by giving you the opportunity to be taught by us in a variety of ways, your learning experience and engagement with the subject will be enhanced.

Our team of staff are on-hand to help you with any problems you might have, whether it be through a meeting with your personal tutor about a personal matter, or a drop in session with a member of teaching staff about an academic concern.

We believe in the importance of developing transferable skills while you study with us and our assessment methods are designed to reflect this. You will be assessed mainly through exams, essays, reports and presentations, but you will also have the opportunity to engage in creative forms of assessment such as factsheets, blogs and briefing papers.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Academic support

Our Student Learning Development Team provides help in the following areas:

• study and exam skills
• academic writing
• presentations
• dissertations
• numerical data skills
• referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.