Project Description
AS/A Level Law Course
Exam board: WJEC
AS Level: 2150QS – A Level: 1150QS
Law pervades our lives. It provides the framework within which a successful society can flourish. Conversely, the absence of an operational legal system permits terrible injustices to be visited upon the most vulnerable members of a society.
At a more prosaic level, law shapes our lives in a multitude of ways. It sets the terms of our employment, provides protection from harm, compensation for injury and impinges upon our closest relationships with others.
As a student of law you will be challenged to think about and respond to questions which are of fundamental importance to our future. A Level is about analysis, attention to detail, argument and communication
Law is a rigorous academic subject that will give you some excellent attributes:
- Precision – there’s no room for vagueness in legal argument; you’ll be the sort of person who gets straight to the point – accurately
- Clarity of thought – in expression and argument
- The ability to place an argument in its context – which means you’ll develop the ability to see the ‘bigger picture’ and make connections between the seemingly unrelated: very useful
- Persuasiveness – law is about getting a point of view across
- Communications skills – making yourself understood, both verbally and in writing
- Presentation skills – you’ll have to write and speak fluently and effectively.
Law appeals to those with an intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm in social, political and economic issues as well as to those who are considering pursuing further study of the subject in higher education. Law is often an integral part of higher education courses, e.g. Accountancy, Business Studies, and Criminology etc. In addition, it provides a coherent and satisfying course of study for candidates who want to increase their knowledge of law and legal rights, and may help candidates pursue careers, e.g. police, probation service, consumer advice, social work, banking, local government etc.
You’ll need to be highly motivated and self-disciplined to learn the law properly.
Entry Requirements
To study A Level Law you need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4-9 / C or above including English Language and Mathematics.
Curriculum
The WJEC AS and A level in Law enable learners to develop an understanding of both public and private law within the law of Wales and England. The specification enables learners to develop their ability to analyse both legal rules and principles and factual issues. It enables learners to construct persuasive legal arguments and to evaluate the strength of such arguments. It also enables learners to develop the ability to think critically about the role of law in society.
AS and A Level Law specifications encourages learners to:
- develop their knowledge and understanding of the Welsh legal system and areas
of both private and public law within the law of Wales and England; - develop an understanding of legal method and reasoning as used by lawyers and
the judiciary; - develop and apply the techniques of legal method and reasoning to analyse and
offer answers to problems, based on legal principles, legislation and case law; - and develop the ability to construct conclusions and communicate legal
arguments by reference to appropriate legal authorities.
At A2 learners develop the ability to:
- communicate persuasive legal arguments by reference to appropriate legal
authorities; - evaluate the strength of legal arguments;
- and be able to demonstrate critical awareness of the influence and operation of
the law in society
Subject Contents
The AS units cover the study of the Welsh and English legal systems and the nature
of law. They also cover the study of the law of tort.
The A2 units cover the study of two further areas of law, from a choice of human
rights law, law of contract and criminal law.
The Nature of Law
The nature of law must include the study of the distinction between enforceable legal
rules and principles and other rules and norms of behaviour; criminal and civil law
and the different sources of law i.e. custom, statutory law and the common law.
At AS, the nature of law is assessed in Unit 1.
At A2 the pervasive nature of law and society, law and morality and law and justice is
assessed in Unit 3 and Unit 4.
Law and society
- Rule of law; human rights; the meaning and importance of fault in civil
and/or criminal law - Balancing conflicting interests; identification of the different interests of
parties to disputes - Public interests against private interests; the subordination of
individual rights to community interests
Law and morality
- The distinction between law and morals
- The diversity of moral views in a pluralist society
- The relationship between law and morals and its importance
- The legal enforcement of moral values
Law and justice
- The meaning of ‘justice; theories of justice
- The extent to which substantive legal rules, legal institutions and processes achieve justice or create barriers to justice
AS Level
A2 Law
This is a unitised specification which allows for an element of staged assessment.
Assessment opportunities will be available in the summer assessment period each year,
until the end of the life of the specification.
This specification is divided into a total of 4 units, 2 AS units and 2 A2 units. Weightings noted below are expressed in terms of the full A level qualification.
AS Level
A2 Law
Access Arrangements
Access Arrangements allow candidates/learners with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment.
For example, readers, scribes and Braille question papers. In this way, Awarding Bodies will comply with the duty of the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.
We can arrange access arrangements and assess you with our special assessor. The deadline for application to the exam board is the February of the year the learner sits the exams.
To find out more about exam access arrangements click here
FAQs
SWANSEA COLLEGE A LEVEL COURSES
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