Politics and Law

Description

Our BA Politics and Law examines the most important rules that govern the relationship between the various branches of government and between the individual citizen and the state.

We ask a number of large questions about our democracy: Who should decide our laws politicians or judges? Should we place limits on the power of our elected representatives or should we place our faith in them? Who can we trust to safeguard our fundamental civil rights? Should we trust anyone? Who actually does make our laws? Is it true the system responds to the expressed preferences of ordinary citizens (and voters)? Students of politics and law have traditionally grappled with these questions from their own particular perspective, and developed principles about constitutional government that have proved enormously influential.

Our course asks you to also think about these issues from a legal perspective and to recognise the vital importance of the legal system (judges, courts and tribunals) in putting these principles into effect and resolving the tensions between competing principles. If you develop an interest in the law, you can apply to transfer to our four-year LLB Law and Politics at the end of your second year and, if admitted, obtain a qualification that permits you to proceed directly to a legal practice course on graduation.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our course are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you have 120 credits of compulsory modules and no optional modules. For BA Politics and Law your optional modules can be chosen from within the Department of Government and Law School in your second and third year. There is a great deal of choice for these optional modules due to the extensive range of modules offered by our departments.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available.
During your second year you will have 105 credits of compulsory modules and you will take a further 15 credits of optional modules. In your final year you will have complete choice where you will have 120 credits of optional modules, although 30 credits will be taken from our School of Law and 90 credits will come from our Department of Government.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Introduction to Politics;
Introduction to European Politics or Introduction to International Relations;
Public Law 1;
Legal Skills; and
Foundations of the Law of Property.

Year 2

Political Analysis;
Joint Seminar in Politics and Law;
Public Law 2;
Foundations of the Law of Obligations;
Contract; and
one half-year law optional module.

Year 3

One full-year law module or two half-year law modules; and
a combination of three full-year politics modules or six half-year politics modules.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-levels: AAB-ABB
• GCSE English: C; GCSE Maths: C
• IB: 33-32 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher level on a case-by-case basis)
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 12 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above) or achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above).

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at the University of Essex please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studetnfinance.