Tort law addresses civil wrongs, aiming to provide a legal remedy. The scope of these civil wrongs is broad. For instance, tortious remedies might be sought in cases as varied as negligence causing harm, nuisances between neighbours and intentional wrongs. You will study core concepts in tort law at an introductory level. Topics covered may include:

• Key principles in tort
• Negligence
• Intentional torts
• Nuisance
• Defamation
• Vicarious liability

Related defences and remedies may also be covered. The study of tort law is mandatory for a qualifying law degree

Land Law immerses you in real life scenarios to promote an understanding of how land law really works. The module provides opportunities to work through legal problems from the perspective of a legal practitioner and discuss some of the documentation and protocols that are used by property lawyers.

We encourage lively debate and discussion and aim to develop your skills in critical thinking and reasoning logically and creatively, challenging convention and understanding how land law interacts with society.

Politics is the exercise of power, and no concept is more central in political analysis than the state. But what is the state and how is it developing in the 21st century? Is it an overbearing apparatus of oppression, or a condition for freedom, peace and order? In this module, you will critically engage with the foundational theories, ideas and concepts that define the discipline of politics.

We’ll look at the key thinkers and address the big questions, such as how is power exercised by the state and whose interests does it serve? Are corporations now more powerful than states? In the digital globalised world, are the boundaries of nation state power still relevant?

By the end of the module, you will have a firm grasp of the competing theories of power and how they relate to the state, enabling you to critically apply key concepts in political debate.

Gain the skills you need to complete independent research in Politics and International Relations. Direct your own learning by developing a research project on your chosen topic. Throughout the module, you will develop knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and you’ll analyse a large quantitative political dataset using various methods to test for statistically significant relationships between variables.

You will learn about three major approaches to qualitative research that will prepare you for future independent research work:

• How to conduct interviews

• How to analyse the discourse of political actors

• How to conduct comparative case studies

You’ll find that the skills you develop during this module will be a useful asset when seeking employment as a Politics graduate.

Legal Technology is a topic of growing importance. You will explore areas of interest in legal tech and will examine the legal and social implications of key innovations.

You’ll study how design thinking can be applied to create innovative solutions to legal problems and will consider the deployment of technology in ways that enhance the experiences of practising law and delivery of legal services. There will also be analysis of the social implications of these technological developments.

Many of these issues will be examined from a practical perspective.

Explore contemporary issues surrounding the law’s impact upon the lives of children and young people. In this module you will take both a theoretical and practical approach to understanding and applying the law. You will have the opportunity to work through legal case studies from the perspective of a practitioner.

You’ll look at a range of topics that involve children and young people, such as children’s and parental rights, rights to education and special educational needs and children’s rights in relation to protest and punishment. In addition, you will focus on practical legal skills such as drafting, legal letter writing and legal research.

The landscape of financial crime has dramatically shifted in recent decades, becoming a pervasive threat to economies worldwide and legal systems are constantly challenged to adapt. In this module you will delve into the core aspects of this complex field, specifically: fraud, money laundering, terrorism financing and the increasingly intertwined relationship between financial crime and cybercrime, where technological advancements often outstrip regulatory capabilities.

You will analyse how these crimes operate, including where appropriate, the implications of technology - cryptocurrencies, ransomware, dark web on these crimes - emphasising the inherent difficulties in effective legal enforcement.

In this module, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the limitations of global and domestic regulatory frameworks, engage in critical analysis of leading cases and statute. You’ll acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the challenges of financial crime prevention and detection, while acknowledging the ongoing struggle of law to effectively regulate these activities.

Explore the nature, scope and impact of human rights legal provisions and the wider culture of civil liberties legal reasoning on domestic law. You will acquire the reasoning tools to understand, analyse and independently evaluate human rights issues, for example, through wider ideals (such as human dignity), specifically human rights concepts, (such as proportionality) and particular mechanisms of the Human Rights Act 1998.

It is an important principle of human rights law that rights should be enjoyed not just in theory but also in practice and you will consider particular areas of human rights law, not just as a set of rules, but as a dynamic body of principles that have concrete and social impacts and implications. Drawing on contemporary examples and controversies you will have the freedom to explore issues that are of most importance to you.

The European Union Law module provides an in-depth exploration of the legal framework of the European Union, its foundational principles and its evolving relationship with the UK. You will examine the nature of EU law, the structure of the EU legal system and the key concepts that make it unique.

You’ll explore the competences of the EU and its nature as a supranational legal order, as well as the primary and secondary sources of EU law.

You will also examine the core doctrines of EU law such as direct effect, direct applicability and the supremacy of EU law, as well as the ongoing relationship between EU and UK law following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

Gain a foundational understanding of business law with a comprehensive overview of the legal framework that underpins contemporary business practice. You will begin by analysing the legal implications associated with diverse corporate structures, including companies, partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and sole proprietorships. You will go on to examine and explore:

• The concepts of legal personality and limited liability and their practical application
• The legal principles governing internal management and decision-making processes within the organisational context
• The legal dimensions of business financing and payment methods
• The taxation of corporate entities and their stakeholders

Commercial law is the area of law governing the way goods and services are bought and sold, together with connected questions of ownership of goods, responsibility for what happens to them ("risk"), storing and transporting and paying for them.

In this module you will study key areas of commercial law, typically including agency, sale of goods, bailments, carriage of goods and commercial dispute resolution.

Knowledge of Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution is an essential part of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and in this practical module you will examine some of the core principles of litigation and dispute resolution in England and Wales.

You will focus on a simulated case, reminiscent of the type of cases handled by large commercial law firms. You’ll cover several different stages of a case, from the first client meeting to trial. Your learning will focus on practical skills such as legal drafting and advocacy.

Family Law aims to examine law as it impacts upon the family as a unit and upon the individuals within a familial group. It takes law as an object of study and examines how family relationships are understood in that context.

You are expected to explain, analyse and evaluate the legal rules, concepts and values governing and regulating intimate or domestic relationships. You will locate the development of the law, including the institutions and procedures, within a broader historical, demographic and social context.

The module will promote awareness of the implications for family law of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into the UK. You will examine:

• The relationship between families and the state
• The interface between family law and family policy
• The roles of individuals within families
• Various theoretical perspectives on family law

Gain a clear understanding of what international law is and how it operates. The key areas you will cover are:

• The sources of international law, with particular attention on treaties and custom
• The subjects of international law, especially states and international organisations
• How international law relates to national law
• Responsibility for breaches of international law
• Settling disputes in international law, including the role of the International Court of Justice
• The immunities enjoyed by states and diplomats

This module examines how international law is applied in practice in three key areas:

• The use of force in international relations, including the law of armed conflict and its enforcement in international criminal law
• The different regimes for territory, covering land, sea, air and outer space
• International law and the protection of the environment

Gain a comprehensive overview of mediation and conflict resolution principles and practices. You will explore the nature of conflict, various conflict styles and the theoretical underpinnings of mediation.

You’ll learn practical skills in active listening, communication, negotiation and facilitation that will prepare you to effectively manage and resolve disputes in various contexts. The module emphasises ethical considerations and cultural sensitivity in mediation. You will develop a deep understanding of the mediation process and gain confidence in applying these skills to real-world scenarios, fostering constructive dialogue and building positive relationships.

How does the law regulate the world of work? Who is protected, what rights do workers have and what responsibilities do employers bear? This module provides a comprehensive introduction to UK employment law. You will focus on key topics such as:

• Employment contracts
• Wages
• Working time
• Work-life balance
• Equality at work
• Dismissal redundancy
• Collective labour rights

You will gain a solid understanding of key statutes and case law, develop a critical and analytical perspective on related legal rules and evaluate the underlying social and policy principles. Whether you’re pursuing a legal career, working in HR, a trade union, government agencies, or simply want to understand workplace rights, this module equips you with essential knowledge for navigating the world of work.

Explore the key challenges of contemporary leadership and governing in the fast-changing, interconnected world of the 21st Century. From a comparative perspective, you will critically assess the extent to which political actors – whether individual or institutional – control their own destinies or are constrained by the globalised context within which they are operating.

Key themes will include:

• Comparing sources of government legitimacy between authoritarian and democratic states
• Political leadership styles and strategies
• Political communication
• Variation in the impact of globalisation on the capacity and resources of states
• The EU and transnational political institutions
• The changing role of political parties

You will gain an understanding of the core principles and values of comparative analysis and develop the skills to critically engage with evidence from different types of comparative case study. The module will develop your understanding of the impact global trends have on local and national political actors.

Public policy defines our lives. It determines who gets what, when and how. This module gets to the heart of the power relations of policymaking by applying a critical lens to understanding policy.

You will examine how ideas, interests and institutions shape policy, and who wins and who loses from its formulation. We’ll explore critical theories such as feminism, decolonisation, Marxism and anti-racism, to understand the power dynamics in public policy.

We’ll touch on the key questions such as:

• Who decides what is a policy problem?
• Who bears the burdens or benefits of policy?
• Is evidence-based policy achievable?

By the end of this module, you will be able to apply critical thinking skills to analyse local and global challenges such as social inequalities and the climate crisis.

In this examination of the evolving landscape of global power, we identify the forces challenging the world’s leading nations and explore the fluid nature of influence in the 21st century.

We will analyse the shifting balance of power, explore the relative decline of traditional superpowers and the simultaneous rise of new actors on the global stage.

You’ll be encouraged to consider how economic, military, and cultural influence is being reconfigured in a multipolar world, reshaping traditional understandings of world order. Crucially, we will also analyse the internal and external pressures these powers face, form rising regional actors, to the evolving nature of global threats, and the erosion of traditional power structures.

Through different case studies and theoretical frameworks, you will gain a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between rising and established powers and the implications for global stability and future orders.

This module offers a critical introduction to the complex political landscapes of regions in the Global South, exploring how historical, economic and social forces have shaped contemporary states and societies.

You will examine colonial legacies and their lasting influence on political institutions, and the impact of external interventions on regions. The module also investigates the consequences of neoliberal economic reforms, the challenges faced during democratization processes, narratives of ‘development,’ and the dynamics of armed conflict and peacebuilding.

Consideration is given to grassroots activism as well as the role of regional integration and cooperation in shaping political and economic outcomes. Through these themes, you will develop a sophisticated understanding of power, resistance and development in the Global South.

Explore the world of equity and trusts law by examining and locating the subject within its broad historical context to identify its development and functioning over time.

You will discover and explore the key themes, concepts and issues prevalent in equity and trusts law today, including the key elements required for the validity and operation of various types of trusts, as well as relevant aspects of equitable remedies. You will also consider modern uses and policies.

Gain an introduction to the framework and key principles underpinning health care law and ethics. You’ll build on your understanding of these foundational issues through exploring specific and complex areas of health care law and practice, from a medico-legal and ethical perspectives. The chosen areas will reflect the continual developing nature of medical and ethical practice and will be relevant today.

You will develop your legal and ethical knowledge and skills of critical analysis in areas which continue to grow in significance, including life and death.

Study the current law of the environment in England and Wales. You will consider key aspects of environmental law such as overarching principles, policies and methods of regulation. You’ll explore some of the international environmental obligations that bind the UK. Specific areas covered might include:

• Principles of environmental law and regulation
• Civil and criminal liability for environmental harm
• Climate change
• Development control
• Protecting habitats and landscapes and the prevention
• Prosecution of water pollution offences

Study the principal features of Inheritance Law in England and Wales, including wills and intestacy. Taking a practical focus, you will examine the law from a practitioner perspective developing skills such as drafting letters and memos.

You’ll understand and be able to apply the principal features of inheritance law in England and Wales, understand property ownership/trusts and their interaction with laws on death and have a critical awareness of the history and socio-legal context within which inheritance laws operate.

Explore the legal, practical, political and moral issues involved in using national and international criminal courts, truth commissions and other techniques of ‘transitional justice’ to pursue accountability for mass atrocities and war crimes committed by repressive regimes.

You will study the legacy of Nazi Germany, the central and southern American dictatorships, apartheid South Africa, communism in Europe up to 1989, and the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

You’ll draw together disparate materials in law, politics, history and criminology to provide a critical window on how the very worst violations of human rights have been addressed.

Gain a comprehensive critical analysis of governance issues that exist in relation to the management of insolvent companies. In this module you will explore both the theoretical and practical issues that face a company that is first in financial distress, but not yet in an insolvency regime and how governance issues change when the company is insolvent and enters an insolvency regime.

Topics that are explored in this module include:

• The meaning and features of corporate governance
• The functions and principles of insolvency law
• How the duties, rights and decision-making of directors alters when a company is exposed to financial difficulties

You will examine the governance issues that arise when a company enters an insolvency regime, the role and duties of insolvency practitioners in insolvent regimes, the regulation of directors and insolvency practitioners and the impact that insolvency has on company creditors.

This module provides an overview of intellectual property law focusing on three key areas: copyright, patents and trademarks. You will examine, analyse and explore:

• Why we protect “intangible” property looking at the key aim of incentivising creativity
• The UK and international legislation and case law in the area of copyright
• How the law developed to protect groundbreaking technology in the 1700s and now protects AI-generated works in the 21st century
• Patent law and the protection of inventions
• The UK and international regime relating to trademarks and global branding
• How IP rights build recognition and generate profit

Examine a range of sex crimes and forms of sexual offending as defined by the law in England and Wales. You’ll consider the wider social context which may explain why some sex crimes are defined by law and how new crimes emerge as the social context changes. Topics explored include:

• The extent of sexual offending
• How sex crimes are committed
• Who the perpetrators and victims are
• How sex crimes are dealt with by the criminal justice system, including the experiences of victims who engage with the criminal justice system

Examine the principles of UK immigration and asylum law. Asylum is a subject seldom out of the media and it has received unprecedented political attention in the last few decades. Immigration is a considerable subject and in this module, you will focus mainly on the asylum process.

You’ll consider the general issues through the study of topics such as:

• The nature of an asylum claim
• The link between human rights and asylum
• Immigration detention the foreign prisoner crisis
• Deportation

A Law dissertation is an opportunity to become an expert in a focused area of the law, under the supervision of world-leading researchers in your chosen field. You will study independently to produce a dissertation to answer a research question chosen by you. This is particularly suitable if have a strong interest in deepening your understanding of a specific legal area and are able to work independently.

You will develop high-level research skills as you synthesize a wide range of primary and secondary legal sources, placing them within their wider societal and disciplinary contexts. The transferable skills gained in this module will be useful both in future legal careers and in research and policy-focused roles.

This module introduces Company Law, covering its core principles, key stakeholders and the significance of separate legal personality in corporate structure and liability. You will examine and explore:

• The concept of separate legal personality and its significance in corporate structure and liability
• The role of the company constitution in defining governance frameworks, as well as the duties, powers and liabilities of directors in managing corporate affairs
• The share capital maintenance rules that ensure financial stability and creditor protection
• The key aspects of company contracts and how companies enter into legal agreements
• Shareholders’ rights and remedies, including unfair prejudice claims and derivative actions in the context of corporate accountability
• Creditor protection that considers debentures and charges, providing insight into corporate finance and security interests
• Insolvency law including mechanisms for corporate rescue and creditor recovery

Evidence Law may be seen as a collection of rules and procedures which govern the means through which legal assertions or ‘facts’ may be proved and the manner in which a party may substantiate or refute?assertions or ‘facts’.

In this module you will conduct a broad investigation of these rules to understand the social context in which the rules operate, to examine the principles on which the rules are founded and to apply these to concrete situations.

Deliver public legal education presentations to members of the community, such as to school children, charities or support groups. You will work in a team to research, design and deliver presentations (virtually or in person).

Street Law presentations encourage audience participation and you will design a series of interactive approaches which supports the content of your presentation. The topics of the presentations vary each year and will be dependent on the needs of the community groups we work with.

You’ll receive thorough training before commencing your Street Law project. For instance, you will learn about the ethos behind the Street Law approach, professional responsibilities, safeguarding, and engage in skill development activities such as teamwork, leadership and public speaking.

Lancaster University School of Law's award-winning Law Clinic provides legal advice to members of the public on a range of areas of law, including consumer rights, family law, education law and private client matters. You will be trained in confidentiality, client interviewing, legal research and other topics before you see clients in the Law Clinic.

You will interview clients, conduct legal research, liaise with a qualified legal lawyer and draft letters of advice. You’ll use a professional case management system and all your work and advice will be supervised by a practising lawyer.

An important exploration of the key issues and challenges facing contemporary democratic states and movements in the 21st Century.

Arguably, modern democracy faces multiple challenges such as:

• The rise of populist movements
• Democratic backsliding
• Declining public trust in leaders and political institutions
• Globalisation and transnational government
• New forms of authoritarian leadership
• Increasing repression of dissent and protest

Taking a comparative approach, we will explore how these evolving challenges have impacted the politics of both democratic and authoritarian states, and we will evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies that have been taken to address them.

Using the skills in both research and comparative analysis that you have developed during the programme, you will carry out your own independent research and contribute to contemporary academic debate on the prospects for democracy.

Study conceptual questions about the nature of power, justice, freedom and the state – and normative questions about the kinds of political structures we should adopt. This module builds on previous modules on political philosophy and theory by offering the opportunity for advanced study in the area.

We will consider questions such as how can democracy safeguard our interests, and how might it endanger them? What is equality, and is it desirable? What does it mean to claim that we have ‘rights’?

You will read contemporary and historical texts in depth and debate their implications for modern governance and society. You’ll gain a deep understanding of the theories behind key issues in contemporary politics, equipping you to analyse complex political concepts. You will also develop essential interpretive and argumentative skills, enabling you to assess competing viewpoints and contribute thoughtfully and persuasively to ongoing discussions about politics.

This unique module is delivered in partnership with the UK Parliament. You will interact directly with MPs, parliamentary officials and clerks, while exploring vital questions of policy formation and constitutional reform.

In recent years the existing Parliamentary institutions of the UK have come under unparalleled stress. Brexit, devolution and declining public trust in politics have led many people to question the fundamental structure of UK political institutions. However, Parliament remains at the centre of political life in the UK and is fundamental to the development of public policy. This leads to key questions about the extent to which the UK Parliament is fit for purpose as a 21st century policy-making institution.

This is an opportunity to gain important professional skills in communication and policy analysis, as you evaluate the parliamentary policy-making process and critically analyse topics such as House of Lords reform, devolution and representation.

The module includes a placement where you will work on real-world policy-making scenarios. You’ll gain practical experience and in-depth knowledge of the policymaking process within different political contexts. You’ll also deepen your understanding of key theoretical frameworks and concepts in policy analysis and development.

As well as gaining professional skills, you’ll discover how academic knowledge acquired during your degree translates into different policy-making contexts. By the end of the module, you will be able to conduct robust policy research using various methodologies and tools, evaluate the ethical implications of policy decisions, and advocate for ethics and value-based approaches to policymaking.

Why do we see gaps between what politicians say on immigration and what they do?

In the United Kingdom and in most of the Global North the movement of people across international borders is a key political issue of our time. The public, researchers and politicians across the political spectrum participate in passionate debates about immigration. Political parties make strong claims about how they would “manage” or “cut” migration, recognising that it is a key voting issue.

Meanwhile, the systematic study of human movement supplies us with robust evidence concerning such questions as:

• Is migration desirable or not?
• How should we understand its effects on origin and destination countries?
• How to address it in policy terms?
• Is migration a matter of human rights?
• Can border control be reconciled with respect for the rights of people on the move?

The module draws on cutting edge research in political science, international relations and similar fields. It equips you with fact-based evidence so that you can confidently participate in the ongoing societal debate on what it means to inhabit a world on the move.

We are living in an era of accelerating crises – of democracy, capitalism, environment, and governance itself – that are reshaping the 21st century global order. In this module you will examine these intersecting crises and their uneven social, political and economic impacts.

Moving beyond traditional political analyses, the module offers an original perspective on the complex interplay of technological disruptions, economic instability, health emergencies and geopolitical shifts. Informed by critical public policy, political economy and sustainability debates, the module explores how different actors, from international institutions to grassroots movements, attempt to contain these crises and how they are transformed by them.

Our understanding of power, security and governance is being reshaped by a world where crisis has become the norm. You will assess competing understandings and responses to ongoing challenges through in-depth case studies of specific crises, critical debates around their nature, and forward-looking research about their possible trajectories.

In this module we critically examine the politics and history of the Middle East and Asia Pacific, focusing on how these regional categories have been historically constructed and contested. Themes will include:

• Colonial legacies
• Nationalism
• Authoritarianism
• Gender and politics
• Religion and ethnicity
• Political movements
• Changing forms of governance

Through comparative case studies, you will be introduced to the diversity of political systems and experiences across the two regions, and you will investigate patterns of similarity and difference.

The module responds to contemporary global developments and supports critical reflection on state, society and regional identity.

Unpack the socio-political contexts of two dynamic actors in world politics - the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

In the first part of the module, we will critically evaluate the application of familiar concepts such as modernity, legitimacy, nationalism and capitalism in understanding China under Xi Jinping.

In the second part, we will examine the emergence of President Putin’s Russia, before assessing implications of the consolidation of his power for Russian domestic and foreign policies. The aim of this section is to assess reasons for the deterioration of Russia’s relations with the West.

The module concludes with a comparison of the political directions of China and Russia, and the implications for their role in a gradually changing world (dis) order.

In this module you will engage with some of the most challenging issues in international relations. Latin America and Africa are two of the most dynamic yet overlooked regions in contemporary international society.

You will explore various of facets of Latin American and African political processes and examine their shared colonial history, which continues to shape their political economies, post-colonial politics and policy-making, and rich cultural life. This is seen in their role as primary commodity exporters in the global economy, extensive ongoing external intervention, corruption, inequality, poverty, conflict, social movements, electoral populism, deep religiosity and creative renewal.

You will be encouraged to take what you have learnt and undertake independent research on issues affecting these regions and beyond.

Examine two of the world’s most important powers - the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) – and a transatlantic alliance that was forged post-war and remains one of the most important globally despite current challenges.

The module provides an introduction to the EU’s normative power and its attempts to upload its distinctive European values internationally before looking at the US as the pre-eminent global superpower. In particular, the dynamics of EU-US relations will be explored and scrutinised. How has the Trump presidency affected the relationship between Brussels and Washington? What are the long-term prospects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), still of vital importance to Central and Eastern Europe states? As Europe increasingly turns to security issues, how realistic is President Macron’s proposal for a European army to replace long-established American hard power?