module specification

Jurisprudence provides an introduction to legal theory, covering basic theoretical and ethical perspectives on the law. You will receive a sound understanding of the theories of different jurisprudential schools of thought and the contributions made to legal thinking by leading jurists from the Ancient Greeks to contemporary thinkers. The aim is to provide you with background knowledge of the science or philosophy of law.

You will learn how jurisprudence has contributed to the development of modern political, economic and legal systems. In addition, the course is placed in a modern setting and aims to raise contemporary ethical debates in order to raise awareness of the ethical background against which the law and legal practice needs to be understood.

The study of jurisprudence permits a fuller understanding of the rational and ethical values that underpin the law and systems of justice.

The aims of this module include:

1. To provide you with an understanding of legal ideologies which have contributed to the development of legal, political and socio-economic systems in the world.

2. To explore philosophical questions relevant to legal systems, particularly concerning the relationship between law and morality.

3. To encourage you to recognize the ethical issues inherent in legal thinking and practice and to examine and articulate their own arguments in respect of such issues.

4. To develop your powers of reasoning and critical thinking and to increase your awareness of the relevance of theoretical issues to practical problems.

5. To enable you to increase your capacity to work in teams cooperatively and effectively through participation in topical debates and to take initiative and responsibility in the context of such group work, so increasing competence in discussion and oral presentation.

6. To develop your ability to organise and synthesise large amounts of information in order to present key issues at an early stage in their research.

This module supports graduate opportunity and employability by giving you a host of transferable skills, including research, critical thinking and communication.

The syllabus includes the following:

Legal Ideologies 

Positivism
Natural law
Feminist theory
Dworkin’s Right Thesis
Ethical theory

All these subjects pervade each of the Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3.

Learning & Teaching Strategy
Weekly two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar.
The lecture will be used for:
• Dissemination of knowledge through an overview of each topic with detailed guidance on appropriate aspects;
• An introduction to relevant academic literature;
• Guidance on learning strategies;
• Use of WebLearn and IT resources;
• Whole group questions and discussion.

The seminar will be used for the development of skills necessary to attain the module learning outcomes through:
• Written and oral questions/answers designed to reinforce fundamental rules, principles and cases;
• A range of step-by-step analytical exercises;
• Problem solving;
• IT tasks, such as research of cases and statutes;
• Legal writing;
• Oral presentation;
• Oral communication;
• Teamwork.

Blended Learning
All learning materials, previous examination questions and sample Q/A’s will be on blackboard for use in directed private study.

Student engagement will be encouraged in both lectures and seminars through weekly use of WebLearn for access to all of the above materials.
There will be required use of the professional legal databases, especially Westlaw and Lexis Library, for legal research.

Opportunities for reflective learning/pdp
Each weekly seminar will contain space for students to reflect on what they have learnt in relation to the overall syllabus. There will be frequent feedback opportunities structured into the timetable and a range of sample answers posted onto WebLearn.

Employability
Employability strategy will aim to acquaint students with a range of employment avenues both in the legal profession and in those professions into which legal qualifications and skills are transferable.

Student’s Study Responsibilities
The need for attendance, punctuality, preparation and engagement will be emphasised with particular reference to written and IT research, problem-solving, team-work, discussion, debate and critical awareness of the subject.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1, Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key aspects of the syllabus.

2. Demonstrate the ability critically to relate legal theories to concrete branches of the law.
showing appreciation of uncertainties and ambiguities in legal principles and policy.

3. Demonstrate the ability to write critical, discursive essays relating to the topics covered in the syllabus, commenting on current research and primary sources.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/27A2F71E-2795-CBD7-844C-753545FC3B72.html

CORE
McCoubrey and White's textbook on jurisprudence, by H. McCoubrey; Nigel D. White; J. E. Penner; Emmanuel Melissaris, 2012, 5th ed
Understanding jurisprudence: an introduction to legal theory, by Raymond Wacks, 2020 , 6th ed
Jurisprudence: theory and context, by Brian Bix, 2023, 9th edition
Legal theory, by T. I. McLeod, 2012, 6th edition
The Oxford handbook of jurisprudence and philosophy of law, edited by Jules L. Coleman; Scott Shapiro; Kenneth Einar Himma, 2002
ADDITIONAL
Ethics: a very short introduction, by Simon Blackburn, 2021, 2nd edition
Natural law and natural rights, by John Finnis, 2011, 2nd edition
Legal philosophies, by J. W. Harris, 1997, 2nd ed
DATABASES
Westlaw Edge UK
Lexis+ UK