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2014/15 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
LAW2120 French Law
20 creditsClass Size: 25
Module manager: Dr Chloe Wallace
Email: C.J.Wallace@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2014/15
Pre-requisite qualifications
A level French at grades A-C or equivalent standard (e.g. Lower Intermediate French modules offered by the Language Centre).This module is mutually exclusive with
| LAW1250 | French Public Law |
| LAW2125 | Droit Français |
This module is approved as a discovery module
Module summary
This module, which is taught partially in French, covers the basics of French public and private law. You will learn about the French Constitution and its history, the way in which the French legal system applies constitutional principles, the sources of French private law, the court system in France and the basic principles of contractual and non-contractual obligations.Objectives
The first objective of this module is to give students a critical understanding of the French private law system and the French constitution, as well as an introduction to the basic principles of contractual and non-contractual obligations in French Law and an introduction to French Administrative Law.The second objective of the module is to develop French legal vocabulary and legal structures, and develop ability and confidence in both written and spoken legal French.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, the students will be able to:
- Describe the various sources of law in the French private law system, and place them in hierarchy
- Describe the French private law court system
- Describe and critically evaluate the role and evolution of the French Civil Code
- Describe and critically evaluate the place of jurisprudence in the French legal system
- Analyse and apply the basic principles of the French law of contractual and non-contractual obligations
- Describe the institutions of the French Fifth Republic, and analyse the impact which French constitutional history has had on the form and functioning of those institutions;
- Describe and critically evaluate the significance of the French interpretation of the separation of powers to the French public law system
- Describe the system of administrative courts
- Analyse and apply the basic principles of judicial review of administrative action in France.
- Understand and use, in both spoken and written French, appropriate vocabulary and linguistic structures relating to the French private law system and to the French political, constitutional and administrative law systems.
Syllabus
Weeks 1-3: Sources of private law in France, including the civil code and jurisprudence
Week 4: The French private law court system
Week 5-7: Principles of the law of contractual obligations
Weeks 8-11 Principles of the law of non-contractual obligations
Weeks 14-15: The political institutions and their historical background
Weeks 16-18: The Constitution of the Fifth Republic and the role of the Conseil Constitutionnel
Week 19-20 The separation of powers and the French administrative jurisdiction
Weeks 21-24 Judicial review
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Lecture | 22 | 1.00 | 22.00 |
| Seminar | 8 | 1.00 | 8.00 |
| Independent online learning hours | 40.00 | ||
| Private study hours | 130.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
Prior to each lecture, students will go through some online material in French ( created using Articulate) to prepare for the lecture and allow them to develop their passive linguistic skills at their own pace. Each seminar will require approximately 8-10 hours of preparation, including a contribution to the seminar in French, which will be assessed. In addition, it is expected that students will spend 2-3 hours carrying out further reading after each lecture.Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Student progress will be monitored by means of:- Verification that they are completing the online material
- Contribution to seminars
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 2 x 1,800 word essays in English | 50.00 |
| Oral Presentation | Students assessed on two short contributions to seminars, made in French | 10.00 |
| Report | 2 x 700 word case or legislation commentary (in French) | 40.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Verbal presentations: Students will make assessed contributions to at least 2 seminars out of 4 per semester, and the best mark of the two in each semester will be recorded - thus, a poor performance first time can be compensated for. Students who miss a seminar which they are supposed to contribute due to illness can contribute to another, later seminar. Where this is not possible, when a student misses multiple seminars due to illness, or when a student obtains fail marks in both contributions, a short oral examination can be held.
Reading list
There is no reading list for this moduleLast updated: 27/03/2014
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- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
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