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Public Law 1: Foundations [AJ]

When you'll study it
Whole Academic Year
CATS points
30
ECTS points
15
Level
Level 5
Module lead
Alun Gibbs
Academic year
2025-26

Module overview

This Module, the first of two Public Law Modules, considers fundamental questions of constitutionalism common to both UK and EU legal orders. You will examine the UK Governmental and European Union (EU) institutions, the separation of power between them, and the modes of exercise of power in the UK and EU. This includes the differing legal competences of the domestic and European actors, and the reasons for those differences, as well as the interaction between the two regimes. You will examine the importance of values such as the rule of law, separation of powers and conferral of powers in shaping the understanding of constitutionalism in both legal orders. An important aspect of this module will be to study the theory, enforcement and application of rights in the UK and EU legal order. In particular, you will study the common law protection of rights in the UK and the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in implementing the human rights guarantees of the European Convention of Human Rights. You will also appreciate and examine the importance of rights in the EU legal system, including the growing significance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the function of economic rights in the internal market. Finally, you will be introduced to the rules of administrative law which prevail in each jurisdiction and the conceptions of administrative justice which stand behind those.