Curriculum Area: Social Sciences
Law AS/A Level
Who is the Course For?
The course attracts students of many different kinds. Some are looking toward a legal career, but the law affects everyone and many students take the course just out of interest.
Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
| Unit 1 | Understanding Legal Structures and Processes |
| Unit 2 | Understanding Legal Reasoning, Personnel and Methods |
Advanced Level (A2)
| Unit 3 | Freedom of the Individual and Protection Human Rights. Understanding Substantive Law |
| Unit 4 | Freedom of the Individual and Protection Human Rights. Understanding the Law in Context |
Teaching and Learning
Teaching methods include lectures, case studies, discussions in large and small groups, moots (mock trials), and occasional presentations by students; there are also opportunities to visit the courts. Students are provided with outline notes for all topics, but are expected to do some background reading, to make their own detailed notes and to write essays and problem solutions.
Methods of Assessment
The assessment is based entirely on timed written exam papers spread over the two years; there is no “coursework” element. In the AS year each paper lasts an hour and a half: The first exam is two essay questions from a choice of six. The second exam is two “stimulus response” questions from a choice of four. In A2, the first exam is also an hour and a half long where candidates answer two “problem” essays from a choice of four. The second exam is longer, two and a half hours, where the candidate answers two out of four essay questions and one stimulus response question out of a choice of two.
Course Combinations
Law can be taken with any combination of subjects.
Resources
There is an online “E-Book” which students can access through the internet. Supplementary Law Textbooks are available for students to use through the course. The College Library is well stocked with relevant books. Detailed notes written especially for the course are available on the College’s web pages (at http://www.stbrn.ac.uk/other/depts/law), which also contain direct links to many relevant external sites. Students are encouraged to use these and other internal and external resources.
Enrichment
Opportunities to visit Bristol Law Courts and a law library to learn how to research law.
Associated Costs
There are no specific charges payable in connection with this course, except for any optional visits a student may wish to take part in.
Qualification
The course leads to AS Level Law (WJEC 2251) after one year and/or A Level Law (WJEC 3251 ) after two years.
Specific Entry Requirements
You will need five GCSEs at grade C or above or the equivalent from four subject areas including GCSEs English. The course involves a lot of reading and writing, so reasonable fluency and accuracy in English are essential if students are to do well.
What Next?
A Level Law is not required for entry to Law degree courses or the legal profession, but it is accepted (with other appropriate subjects) for entry to degree courses in Law and nearly all other courses of higher education.
Students wishing to study Law at university will not be disadvantaged by studying A Level Law. The course helps them prepare for the LNat test and develops students’ legal skills
It is also a useful qualification for anyone looking for employment as a legal executive, legal secretary, police officer, journalist, social worker, civil servant, forensic scientist, accountant or tax adviser.