Undergraduate Course: Legal English for Visiting Students (ENAI07011)
Course Outline
| School | Centre for Open Learning |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course focuses on activating language skills through cooperative task-based work. Course participants read legal texts in order to exchange information and compare aspects of their own legal systems. Other language practice activities include courtroom role-plays; problem solving discussions; listening to talks; formal letter writing practice. There are opportunities for more individual work, for example in presenting a summary of a legal case or preparing and giving a presentation on a legal topic. |
| Course description |
The course aims to improve oral fluency and confidence in speaking English through a variety of activities including participating in mock trial roleplays; preparing and giving short talks; exchanging information about law cases; negotiating and participating in a simulated job interview. Writing activities focus on legal correspondence and writing case briefs and summaries. There is an emphasis on the development of vocabulary and reading skills. A range of materials from legal textbooks, case reports and newspaper articles will be used to present aspects of the legal system in the UK.
Throughout the course students will be encouraged to talk about their own legal systems. The tasks are predominantly based on authentic legal texts. Most tasks involve an integration of two or more language skills and are presented within a legal topic-based syllabus framework. UK legal topics, including Tort/Delict; Civil and Criminal law; Constitutional law; Company law; Contract law and International law, mirroring the syllabus for a typical UK undergraduate law programme, are focussed on in order to introduce vocabulary and conceptual knowledge so that students can talk meaningfully in English about aspects of their own legal systems. Students will visit the Scottish Courts and the Scottish Parliament and carry out a Law Library based research task resulting in giving an oral summary of a UK legal case to their colleagues. The course culminates in a law conference at which each participant gives a presentation in English on a legal topic.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | L2 English speakers / CEFR Level B2 /IELTS 6.5 minimum.
Students should have a basic understanding/knowledge of their own legal systems through having taken a first year UG law course or equivalent at their home universities. All enrolments are through the Visiting Student Office.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Students will improve their oral fluency and confidence in speaking English in a variety of legally-related contexts.
- Students will develop their active use of legal English vocabulary in the topic areas covered in the course
- Students will engage critically through reading, writing and discussion with some frequently occurring legal genres such as legal problems, case reports, legislation and legal correspondence
- Students will work with others in different roles in a variety of simulated legal contexts including preparing for and participating in mock trials, negotiations and job interviews.
- Students will research and give a presentation on a legally-related topic in English
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Outlook and engagement, Research and enquiry, Communication- problem-solving, interview, presentation, negotiation and discussion skills, academic and professional writing skills. |
| Special Arrangements |
Students wishing to enrol on the course MUST contact the Visiting Student Office. Further, to avoid disappointment, students are recommended to do this the Monday or Tuesday before the start of the course as the courses fill up very quickly and places are very limited. Please note you must register for these courses considerably earlier than other courses in the University. |
| Keywords | Legal English,roleplays,speaking skills,vocabulary,English for Specific Purposes |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mrs Jill Northcott
Tel: (0131 6)50 6200
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: |
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