Jurisprudence 1

Certificate in Jurisprudence 1

Jurisprudence is the philosophy and theory of law. It is concerned primarily with what the law is and what it ought to be. That includes questions of how persons and social relations are understood in legal terms, and of the values in and of law. Work that is counted as jurisprudence is mostly philosophical, but it includes work that also belongs to other disciplines, such as sociology, history, politics and economics. Jurisprudence spans over two millennia of history of people thinking about what law is and what purpose it serves. The objective of this programme is to provide students with an understanding of the philosophical foundations and theories of law; the nature of jurisprudence and its terminology; the major theories of jurisprudential thought, for example natural law, utilitarianism and positivism, examined through the writings of major authors in the field; the nature and role of law within society; concepts of justice and morality and the social contract, and the philosophical basis of various common law principles. Students will also be introduced to, and encouraged to reflect upon, questions of what makes for a valid system of binding laws, and the distinction between a just and an unjust legal system. On completion of the course learners will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the historical relationship between the key jurists and schools covered within the syllabus. Students will be able to critically examine and compare the work of such key jurists and schools and Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the work of key jurists and schools and explain the strengths and weaknesses of the work of key jurists and schools. The programme will be assessed by continuous assessment.

PLEASE NOTE: Jurisprudence 1 must be completed before taking Jurisprudence 2