SD2S16 - Public Service Law 01 Aug 2023 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: SD2S16
Module Title: Public Service Law
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Leadership and Public Services
Faculty Sub Group: Leadership and Public Services
Module Leader: Beth Dando
Module Team: Simon Read, Michaela Prior, Jessica Marshall, Jennifer Law, Layla Pearce, Hayley Jenkins
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100647 - public policy
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Aug 2023
Valid To 31 Aug 2030

Module Aims

To introduce students to legal procedures and key legislation which affect public service organisations. It aims to provide a broad overview of the legal system whilst focusing on issues that affect the operation and administration of public service organisations.

Content Summary

English Legal System and its different institutions, Structure of parliament and method by which primary and secondary legislation comes into existence, Court hierarchy, the different classifications of law, Human Rights Act 1998, the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the police code of conduct and the Public order Act 1986 and the crime and Courts Act 2013, powers of arrest, search and seizure and detainees rights, road traffic legislation and road traffic offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988,careless driving and drink/drugs related offences, criminal and civil procedure and the law of criminal and civil evidence, analysis of types of evidence including confessions, admissions, hearsay and corroboration, evidence in both criminal and civil proceedings, evaluation of issues relating to identification and analysis of the essential principles concerning scientific/ forensic evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, handwriting, psychiatric evidence and expert witnesses, International Law with particular reference to the EU, the UN and NATO, comparison of key areas of the military legislation and proceedings with proceedings with practices employed in civilian courts through domestic legislation, military offences and procedures, military court proceedings and socio-legal issues within the armed forces.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 10
Seminar 30
Independent Study 88
Directed Study (Including online independent learning) 72
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Evaluate legislation and policy and its impacts on a range of public services.
LO2 Analyse and apply appropriate legislation to public service organisations.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Presentation (Asynchronous) 1 Problem based scenario. 10 N/A 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Case study 1 Evaluation of a specified public service policy/legislation. 0 1500 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Presentation (Asynchronous) 1
Case study 1

Reading List

Frost, T.,?Martin, J., Mithani, S., Huxley-Binns, R. (2022)?Unlocking the English Legal System. Seventh edition. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. 

Horder, J. and Ashworth, A.?(2022) Ashworth’s Principles of Criminal Law.?Tenth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Monaghan, N. (2022)?Criminal Law. 7th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Ormerod, D., Laird, K. and Smith, J.C. (2020)?Smith, Hogan & Ormerod’s Text, Cases, & Materials on Criminal Law.?13th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Spencer, M. and Spencer,J. (2022) ?Evidence. Seventh edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.