入学要求 Requirement：
学术要求：Applicants should possess a good first degree (First or Second class or equivalent) awarded by either a UK university or a recognised overseas institution.
英语要求：Non-native speakers of English without a first degree in English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 or more in each element (or equivalent). Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
学费 Tuition Fee: 2011/2012 10000pounds
课程特征 Course Features:
This programme offers an exciting opportunity for non-law graduates to progress into a career in law in England and Wales while also obtaining an internationally recognised Masters–level qualification.
If you wish to practise as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, you must obtain either a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). Surrey’s MA Law programme aims to offer a ‘fast-track’ QLD option to applicants who have already completed a degree at undergraduate level.
The core legal subjects are taught over two years at Masters level, allowing opportunities for in-depth study and intensive engagement with the subject matter.
课程内容 Course Content ：
Module Overview
You will take nine compulsory modules, seven of which are foundational subjects (FS) required by the Law Society and Bar Council for a QLD.
Year 1
--Legal Skills
This introductory module explores the resources available for the study of law and develops the skills necessary for legal study. It is structured to provide you with the necessary skills and a contextual background for studying substantive law.
--Contract Law
This module considers the role of contract law in providing a basis for commercial and individual transactions. The module aims to provide you with an understanding of the English law of contract in context, as well as an appreciation of the philosophical and ethical concepts which have influenced the development of contract law.
--Public Law
This module provides you with an understanding of the constitution and the various contexts in which it operates. You will address such questions as ‘Where does power lie in the constitution?’, ‘Who has ultimate constitutional power?’ and ‘What role should judges play in upholding the constitution?’
--Property Law 1
This module introduces the principles of equity and the development of the law and theory of real property. The primary objectives of the module are to develop an understanding of the underlying principles and rules relating to land law and trusts.
--Criminal Law
This module will provide you with an understanding of the practical operation of criminal law and its sometimes contradictory underpinning theories.
Year 2
--European Union Law
This module aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the constitutional and institutional framework of EU law, and to serve as an introduction to the substantive law of the European Community (EC). It is intended to equip you with the foundational knowledge necessary to understand the more specialist areas of EC law you may encounter in your future career, and enable you to understand the interaction between national, supranational and international levels of law.
--Property Law 2
This module provides you with a full understanding of the nature of trusts, the equitable rules regarding charities and wills, the responsibilities of trustees and their control of trust property. Emphasis will be placed on principles and ethical values underpinning this area of law and their policy implications.
--Tort Law
In this module you will critically consider tort law in the context of the policies, objectives and values of the society in which it is embedded. The module focuses on the major areas of tort law, although the relevant law is considered in its social context and measured against stated or perceived objectives, as well as certain jurisprudential theories, such as the various species of ‘rights-based’ theories.
--Legal Research Skills and Application for Graduates
This module will introduce you to different aspects of legal research and give you the opportunity to prepare a piece of advanced research that will develop your legal research skills at postgraduate level.
Programme Structure and Modules
Module Year of Programme Credits
Legal Skills 1 0
Contract Law 1 30
Public Law 1 30
Property Law 1 1 30
Criminal Law 1 30
European Union Law 2 30
Property Law 2 2 30
Tort Law 2 30
Legal Research Skills and Application for Graduates 2 30
Total 240
In the summer vacation, you will have the opportunity to acquire legal experience, for example, through vacation placements and mini pupillages. Students whose performance is outstanding may be offered work placements by the School of Law.
教学与评估 Teaching and Assessment：
For all foundational subjects, teaching consists of weekly lectures and fortnightly seminars in groups of up to ten students. Lectures provide a broad introduction to each subject area and are taken alongside LLB students who are covering the same areas of law as part of their degree programme. They are meant to provide a basic introduction to each subject and you will be expected to supplement this by reading set cases, textbooks and other materials.
In addition you will attend fortnightly seminars for each module designed specifically for this programme. The seminars develop the introductory understanding provided by the lectures and are taught at a postgraduate level. Preparation and participation in them will give you experience in Masters-level research and discussion.
In the seminars you will engage with topics of current interest and in doing so explore the practical application of concepts discussed in lectures and the difficulties that may arise in practical situations. You will be asked to read set materials critically, to research current issues and to prepare presentations on set topics. Problems arising from practical situations will also be discussed and remedies should be suggested and critically analysed.
The Legal Skills module is an introduction to the programme; it explores the resources available for the study of law, and develops skills necessary for finding, reading and using them. The module on Legal Research Skills and Application for Graduates consists of six seminars introducing you to the realities of postgraduate legal research.
Assessment
For the foundational subject modules, summative assessment will be by coursework, which will count towards 25 per cent of the final mark for each module, and by final examination, which will count towards 75 per cent. Seminar presentations will be formatively assessed and you will be given feedback on your performance by seminar leaders.
As for all postgraduate programmes, the pass mark for each module will be 50 per cent. Students obtaining an overall mark of 60 per cent or above will obtain a degree with merit, and those obtaining an overall mark of 70 per cent or above will obtain a degree with distinction. Marking criteria will be available in the student handbook.
其它信息 Other Information：
Industry Links and International Relevance
Surrey’s MA Law programme will provide you with an internationally recognised Masters qualification. As a QLD, it will allow you to proceed to a legal practice course or the Bar Professional Training Course and then towards qualification as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. Successful students will therefore have the opportunity to practise their profession in one of the world’s largest centres of commerce and finance and to represent their clients in one of the most prestigious court systems.
Students whose performance on the programme is outstanding in their first year may be offered an eight-week placement with the New York City Council during the summer vacation, subject to availability. This placement will be an unpaid internship, but will give successful students the opportunity to develop essential skills, and will provide them with work experience that will enhance their attractiveness to potential future employers.
Detailed Programme Information
The programme is a QLD tailored to graduate students who would like to study the foundational subjects at a more advanced level and with a focus on research and current developments. Because the programme is spread over two years, you should have ample opportunity to research these subjects in depth and should, at the end of the programme, be knowledgeable about fundamental legal concepts and principles, critically aware of important legal issues and new insights, and capable of self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems.
You will also have the opportunity to develop your research skills through the Legal Research Skills and Application for Graduates module which is designed specifically for this programme. Thus students completing this programme will be capable of critical evaluation and analysis of advanced legal materials, of formulating research questions and of presenting findings and conclusions in a logical and systematic way.
The focus on research and problem solving should provide students with important skills that will be highly valued by future employers. In addition outstanding students may also be given the opportunity (subject to availability) to develop these skills further through a placement opportunity during the summer vacation between the first and second years.
Placements
Work placement opportunities may be made available during the summer vacation between the first and second years to MA Law students whose overall performance is outstanding. Furthermore you will benefit from careers advice and activities provided by the School of Law and by the University.
Research Topic
Having been introduced to research methodology and concepts, you will undertake research in a subject of your own choosing and write a paper of 7500 words on that subject.
You will be supervised by a member of academic staff with knowledge of your chosen subject area. This research topic not only develops your research skills and understanding of legal sources but also allows you to explore areas of interest to you not provided in the core curriculum.