AS Law

AS/A2 LAW

OCR (1-2 years)

Course Content

AS Lawwill be about the English Legal System.

You will discover how the civil and criminal courts work and learn about the part played by legal people, such as judges, lawyers, juries and the police. You will see how the law develops and changes over time, find out how offenders are sentenced and consider whether legal services meet the needs of the public.

A2 Lawwill be about the Criminal Law.

You will study the major crimes against the person, such as murder and manslaughter, examine property offences from theft to robbery, and explore the general defences to crime, including intoxication and insanity! You will gain a detailed understanding of the principles, which underpin criminal liability.

Methods of Teaching

Activities will include lectures, teacher-led class discussions, group work, research and essay writing. You will be provided with study booklets, which reduce the burden of note taking, but be aware that this subject does involve a lot of reading. You will need to be well organised and thorough in your command of detail. Throughout the course a mature approach to independent learning and a willingness to contribute to class discussion will be important.

Assessment

There are two units of assessment for both AS and A2 law. Each unit is assessed by means of formal examination. You will be entered for on exam in January and one in May/June.

AS LawAssessment
Module 1:
English Legal System
(2 hours) Answer four questions.
Section A:Answer at leastonequestion from a choice offiveessay-based questions to demonstrate knowledge, analysis and evaluation.
Section B- Answer at leastonequestion from a choice oftwoapplication-style questions to demonstrate knowledge and application skills.
Module 2:
Sources of Law
(1 hour) There are two data questions involving analysis, explanation or legal reasoning. Choose one question and answer all 3 parts.
A2 LawAssessment
Module 1
Criminal Law
(2 hours)
Answer 3 questions.

Section A: Answeronequestion from a choice ofthreeessay-based questions.

Section B: Answeronequestion from a choice ofthreeproblem-based scenarios.

Section C: Answeroneobjective question from a choice oftwo.

Module 2
Criminal Law - Special Study
(1hour 30 minutes)
Questions based on source material released prior to the exam.

Answer all three parts.

Financial Implications

Study booklets specifically designed for thecourse are issued for each unit of study. Payment of £10 is required to cover the costs of all the booklets for the duration of thecourse.

You will also need to buy a textbook for both AS and A2 Law. Single or group copies of books that you need to consult will be available in the College Learning Resources Centre.

The College has a Student Support Fund for those students who have difficulty meeting these costs.

Career Possibilities

Law is a good subject to study as a preparation for higher education and for a wide variety of careers, such as the legal profession, management, police work or local government.

If you are thinking of studying Law at university, you do not have to take AS/A2 Law. However, it will give you a much clearer idea of what the subject is like and whether a degree course in Law is right for you. You will also have a head-start in two of the 'core' components of a law degree - Legal Systems and Criminal Law.