PUBLIC LAW 1 - 2026/7

Module Overview

The module is a core subject for a qualifying legal degree as required by the Bar Council to qualify as a barrister and a core subject to be examined later as part of the Solicitors¿ Qualifying Exam.

It introduces students to the constitutional arrangements of the UK and the key institutions and concepts inherent in its uncodified constitution such as Parliamentary Sovereignty. It then explores these against the specific situations influenced by these aspects such as EU membership, devolution, and participation within the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

This module serves as a basis for several modules that follow later in the degree. For example, it introduces the key judicial review concepts that are involved in Public Law 2 (Level 5) and the institutional aspects and domestic legal considerations arising from EU membership that are further covered in the EU Law module (Level 5). It also explains the mechanics of the Human Rights Act which, as well as being relevant to Public Law 2, is relevant to many optional subjects at Level 6 such as Family Law, Medical Law, and the Law of Evidence.

Where relevant the module makes comparisons with the constitutional arrangements of other jurisdictions (e.g.US and many continental jurisdictions such as Germany and Spain) and accordingly students can expect to obtain an awareness of intercultural variations in constitutional frameworks.

Module provider

Surrey Law School

Module Leader

LEWIS Sebastian (Law)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Intro to constitutions, constitutionalism, and the UK constitution
• Sources of the Constitution
• Separation of Powers and Institutions 
• Parliamentary Sovereignty 
• Rule of Law
• Devolution 
• Former EU membership 
• ECHR and HRA
• Judicial Review

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Written short-answer examination in lieu of the oral examination for qualified circumstances

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topics covered; the ability to identify, apply, and critically engage with key legal principles and doctrines; and a critical understanding of the core concepts underpinning the UK constitution such as Parliamentary Sovereignty, Separation of Powers, and the Rule of Law.

The multiple choice questionnaire enables students to demonstrate breadth of knowledge across the syllabus, and to apply ideas studied in lectures. It requires students to distinguish between closely related concepts, to engage with underlying principles and doctrine, and to select answers that reflect accurate and analytically precise understanding of the law.
 

The oral assessment is conducted before a panel of two members of teaching staff associated with the module (excluding PGR staff). It is designed to develop students¿ ability to articulate complex legal ideas clearly and effectively, to think critically and respond to questions in real time, and to defend their arguments under scrutiny. It fosters confidence in handling pressure, and develops skills of structured reasoning and persuasion that are essential for legal practice. The questions will be distributed to students one week in advance, and on the day of the assessment each student will be allocated a question at random via software. Students will be given a short period of time to prepare their response before presenting it to the panel. The oral assessment will last no more than 10 minutes. The panel may ask follow-up questions to further assess the student¿s understanding and depth of knowledge. Marks will be provided immediately after the assessment, together with brief feedback.
 

The short-answer test is designed for students who are unable to undertake the oral assessment due to qualifying circumstances. It provides an alternative means of demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the topics covered, as well as the ability to apply legal principles in a clear and structured manner. The format enables students to engage with specific questions requiring focused analysis, precision in the use of legal concepts, and concise articulation of arguments. It assesses the ability to select relevant material, to express ideas clearly in writing, and to demonstrate analytical rigour within a time-constrained setting.
 

Module aims

• To provide a foundational knowledge and understanding of the principles inherent in the UK's uncodified constitution.
• To introduce and examine key constitutional concepts such as Parliamentary Sovereignty, Separation of Powers, and the Rule of Law.
• To enable students to understand how the key concepts shape the constitutional arrangements in a number of specific areas such as EU membership, devolution, and participation in the ECHR.
• To provide a critical understanding of the mechanics of the Human Rights Act.
• To equip students with the knowledge and skills to engage in the critical evaluation of the operation of the relevant law in the specific situations studied.
• To provide a theoretical and comparative foundation for the idea of a constitution, constitutionalism, and constitutional law

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

Teaching will be supported by the University¿s VLE, SurreyLearn, and will employ a mix of two-hour lectures and one-hour tutorials.

Lectures will draw from a variety of methods, including PowerPoint slides, short videos, live surveys, and didactic delivery to communicate key information effectively. There will be at least two different lecturers delivering the material to provide students with diversity in teaching perspectives and approaches. The first lecture will provide an overview of the UK as a state and its constitutional elements. Thereafter, the initial lectures will focus on the institutions and concepts within the constitution. Once a baseline of knowledge has been established, this will be used in the remaining lectures to help students develop analyses of how the constitutional arrangements shape specific constitutional contexts, such as devolution and the Human Rights Act. There will also be a feedback lecture to respond to the formative assessment and a revision lecture in preparation for the summative assessment.

The tutorials will build upon the lecture topics and provide students with the opportunity to discuss orally the material in preparation for the oral assessment. The tutorial questions will be similar in style and content to those that will be distributed for the oral assessment, giving students a chance to practise articulating and defending their ideas in discussion. They will require students to undertake set readings, answer questions, and participate in debate stimulated by the readings and questions. The emphasis on oral discussion is essential in this module and reflects the skills required in a legal career, including the ability to present arguments clearly, respond under pressure, and engage critically with alternative viewpoints. Research will require students to use digital resources, including practice databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis, which they are likely to use in professional legal practice.

Experience shows that this is not an easy module for some first-year students, and it will be stressed from the outset that students need to be resilient in their engagement with the teaching, the tasking, and with each other in order to succeed. The teaching events will create an inclusive, mutually supportive community in which students know what is required of them but feel comfortable participating in the debates that arise. An online discussion forum will be available for questions and discussion when teaching is not taking place.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: LAW1057

Other information

Employability: As a core module it is a pre-requisite to qualification as a barrister and it also examines material that forms a key part of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.

Digital Capabilities: Students will engage with the module via the virtual learning environment (SurreyLearn). They will also be required to find tutorial resources and undertake further research using the external legal databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexus.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Where relevant and within available time constraints, the module will take a comparative approach and consider the constitutional arrangements for other countries such as USA, China, and South Africa. This will provide students with an appreciation of how constitutions are shaped by prevailing social and cultural influences within a jurisdiction.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students will be encouraged to be active participants in the learning and teaching events and will have ample opportunity to participate in questioning and debating the issues involved. Students will be encouraged to spend a good deal of time reflecting upon the material, the legal concepts and the issues involved. The formative assessment is designed to provide an opportunity for feedback and reflection and will enable improvements to be made for the summative exam. It also provides an early opportunity for students to develop their essay writing skills and this will help them in future modules with coursework assessment.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.