What understanding will you gain from W201?

The module is designed to raise your legal awareness and give you:

an understanding of how public power can be subjected to law, including the role of fundamental values; how the power of institutions can be defined; how the law defines the state against other states and allocates power within the UK
an understanding of how procedure can be an element of control; how conflicts between institutions are resolved; how conflicts between the state and individuals are resolved; how the law defines concepts of liberty - personal and political liberties
an understanding of how a legal approach to analysis of public power differs from other approaches (historical or political)
an understanding of the limits of legal controls on public power (political and social context)
an understanding of the basic principles of criminal law: what conduct and state of mind must be proved for a person to be convicted of a criminal offence
a definition of the elements of particular crimes such as murder, burglary and theft
an understanding of the requirements of defences such as infancy, insanity, intoxication, loss of control and diminished responsibility
the ability to apply the legal concepts you encounter to factual scenarios, developing your skills of analysis and problem-solving
the confidence to reflect critically on the current state of the law, appreciating that in many areas, the criminal law is widely felt to be flawed or inconsistent; and be aware of proposals for reform