Programme Specifications

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Law

Accounting

Finance

September 2023

November 2023

The LLB Law Joint Honours (Law and *another subject*) can be a qualifying law degree for the purposes of the legal profession and it also provides a much broader basis for life long intellectual, personal and social development. In addition to enabling students to acquire a sound knowledge base and an understanding of Law and the legal environment, it raises their awareness of the role of Law in society. In addition, the Joint Honours structure enables students to acquire substantial knowledge and understanding of another discipline thus preparing them for the diverse and multi-disciplinary employment environment.

The development of the joint discipline’s subject-based-skills, in addition to a study of its substantive components, promotes an awareness of the interrelationship between Law and another subject. The learning experience provides many opportunities to acquire a wide range of distinctive legal skills and other skills relevant to the joined disciplines. It also facilitates the development of generic skills. Together, these provide a sound foundation for entry into the legal profession and other professions, and for postgraduate study.

• To equip students with the analytical skills necessary to undertake the intellectual study of law.

• To stimulate students intellectually to take an active role in their learning and lead them to a critical appreciation of the discipline and its major debates.

• To develop students’ ability to apply knowledge to the resolution of practical problems.

• To equip students with the research skills to permit them to locate, read and critically assess the work of others and to conduct simple research projects of their own.

Accounting is concerned with the provision and analysis of information for a variety of decision-making, accountability, managerial, regulatory and resource allocation purposes. Finance is an activity concerned with the workings of national and international capital markets and the interaction between such markets and economic units, such as households, firms, financial institutions and governments. Accounting and Finance takes together these two closely inter-related areas.

The aims of the scheme are:

• To provide students with subject-specific knowledge and subject-related skills for a career in accountancy, finance; business or related area. These include:

• How the design, operation and validation of accounting systems affect, and are affected by, the development of accounting theory, individuals, organisations, information technologies, markets, society and the environment. This study is informed by perspectives from the social sciences. Such perspectives may be derived from but are not restricted to, disciplines such as economics, information systems, politics, psychology and sociology

• The design and operation of financial systems (which includes banks, stock exchanges, financial intermediaries, financial institutions and governments), structures and instruments and, in particular, to understand the pricing of financial assets, the measurement and management of risk, and the possibilities for optimising the behaviours of firms, financial institutions and individuals. Such study can be pursued from a variety of perspectives, including, but not restricted to, the behavioural, ethical, economic, sustainable and statistical/mathematical.

• To develop transferrable skills which are applicable widely to a range of occupations.

• To develop an appreciation of the concepts and characteristics of accounting and finance as an area of academic and applied study.

The learning outcomes of this programme are designed to meet the expectations of the Benchmarking Statement for Law. The Joint Honours Schemes provide the student with considerable flexibility when it comes to attaining the scheme learning outcomes. Candidates may pursue a traditional ‘Foundations of Law’ pathway, or alternatively choose a bespoke route by selecting modules of their choice (with appropriate academic guidance from the scheme leader). The structure and the delivery of the degree scheme recognise the need to achieve an appropriate balance between the acquisition of legal knowledge, and the development of legal and generic skills. Integrating these two components is a central feature of the learning outcomes listed below. Reference should also be made to guidance given in the Classification of Examination Results in Law & Criminology, which describes the expected level of performance for each class of degree.

The learning outcomes of the Accounting and Finance part of the degree scheme are guided by the two QAA Subject Benchmark statement for Accounting and Finance. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the areas that are listed in further detail later in this section.

• A1 Knowledge of major concepts, values, principles and rules of the legal system

• A2 An understanding of the institutions and procedures operating at sub-national, national, European and international levels

• A3 An awareness of the 'legal environment'

• A4 Knowledge of specialist areas of law.

• A5 An awareness of the role of Law in society and its historical context

• A6 An understanding of the theoretical underpinning of the Law

Learning and Teaching

Acquisition of A1-A6 is through lectures, seminars, assessed coursework, exams and independent research. Students also learn through participation in discipline-specific student societies and public lectures as well as through other public resources such as newsprint media, TV, radio and the internet. Throughout, students are encouraged to undertake independent reading to supplement, consolidate and broaden individual knowledge and understanding of the subject. Students also learn through self-reflection through engagement in the Personal Tutorial system and the Department’s Careers Development and Employability programmes.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Knowledge and understanding (A1-A6) is tested through a combination of unseen and pre-seen written examinations (A1-A6), essays (A1-A6), dissertation (A1-A6, depending upon topic) and may, depending on module option choices, include seminar presentations (involving both individual and group work), reports, literature searches, book or film reviews, e-portfolios, learning logs or blogs, and a range of other forms of assessment specific to particular module options.

• A1 Knowledge of the contexts in which accounting can be seen as operating (examples of contexts include the legal, ethical, social and natural environment; the accountancy profession; the business entity; the capital markets; the public sector) and why accounting is valuable in these contexts.

• A2 Knowledge of the main current technical language and practices of accounting (for example, recognition, measurement and disclosure in financial statements; managerial accounting) in a specified socio-economic domain.

• A3 Knowledge of possible alternative technical languages and practices of accounting (for example, alternative recognition rules and valuation bases, accounting rules followed. in other socio-economic domains, alternative managerial accounting approaches to control and decision-making).

• A4 Skills in recording and summarising transactions and other economic events; preparation of financial statements; analysis of the operations of business (for example, decision analysis, performance measurement and management control); financial analysis and projections (for example, analysis of financial ratios, discounted cash flow analysis, budgeting, financial risks) and an awareness of the contexts in which accounting data and information is processed and provided within a variety of organisational environments and the relationships with other systems providing information in organisations.

• A5 Knowledge of contemporary theories and empirical evidence concerning the operation and effects of accounting, including detailed coverage of at least one of its contexts (for example, accounting and accountability; accounting and the firm; accounting and the public sector; accounting and society; ), and the ability to critically evaluate such theories and evidence.

• A6 An awareness of issues in financial management, risk and the operation of capital markets.

• A7 An appreciation of the nature of the contexts in which finance can be seen as operating, including knowledge of the institutional framework necessary for understanding the role, operation and function of markets and financial institutions (for example the economic, ethical, legal, political, regulatory, social and tax environment, both national and international; the firm; the capital markets and the public sector).

• A8 A knowledge of the major theoretical tools and theories of finance, and their relevance and application to theoretical and practical problems (for example, the concept of arbitrage and examples of its use; financial mathematics; informational efficiency; optimal risk sharing; portfolio theory; asset pricing models and the valuation of securities; cost of capital; derivative pricing; risk management; information asymmetry; principal- agenct relationships; signalling; Fisher separation and capital budgeting criteria; behavioural finance; term structure and the movement of interest rates; determination of exchange rates and financial intermediation).

• A9 An understanding of the relationship between financial theory and empirical testing, and application of this knowledge to the appraisal of the empirical evidence in at least one major theoretical area. The appraisal should involve some recognition of the limitations' and evolution of empirical tests and theory (for example the efficient markets hypothesis; anomalies; risk management pricing of derivatives and other securities; portfolio management; interest rates; exchange rates; raising capital and capital structure).

• A10 An ability to interpret financial data including that arising in the context of the firm or household from accounting statements and data generated in financial markets. The interpretation should involve analysis using statistical and financial functions and procedures such as are routinely available in spreadsheets and other· statistical/econometric software packages. It may involve the skills necessary to manipulate financial data and carry out statistical and econometric tests (for example estimation and interpretation of asset pricing models; financial modelling and projections; event studies and residuals analysis; elements of time series analysis, such as serial correlation mean reversion, and stochastic volatility).

• A11 An understanding of the financing arrangements and governance mechanisms and structures of business entities, and an appreciation of how theory and evidence can be combined to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of such arrangements (for example, decisions as to sources of finance and financial structure; the pricing of corporate securities; the market for corporate control; financial planning; and international dimensions of finance).

• A12 An understanding of the factors influencing the investment behaviour and opportunities of private individuals (for example, bonds, equities, and derivatives; risk aversion; risk/return trade-offs; portfolio management and performance measurement; pensions and long-term savings; the tax treatment of savings and investments; international diversification; foreign exchange risk; objectives of, and constraints on, institutional investors and advisors).

• A13 An understanding off the financial service activities in the economy, and the factors that are changing these activities over time, and an appreciation of how finance theory and evidence can be employed to aid such understanding (for example, ideas of information asymmetry, moral hazard and risk sharing could be employed to analyse the fundamental nature of services, such as insurance, pensions, bank lending and consumer credit, and also explore fundamental problems arising in such financial service provision;. The efficient market· hypothesis could be used to explore the value added by investment and financial services)

• A14 An ability to understand financial statements, and a reasonable appreciation of the limitations of financial reporting and disclosure practices and procedures (for example financial statement analysis; the relation between cash flow accounting and accrual accounting; discretionary accounting practices; and financial statement-derived measures of financial performance, including risk).

Learning and Teaching

Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated are as follows: Lectures, tutorials, seminars, help classes, case studies, research, data analysis, and computer-assisted learning.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Formal end-of-module examinations, formal and informal in-semester tests (including long form, short form and multiple-choice answer formats), project work / report / case study (individual and group), essay, diary / reflection, formal and informal presentation (individual and group).  

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• B1 Identify, describe and evaluate different approaches to analysing the law

• B2 Identify and investigate research issues

• B3 Apply concepts, theories and ideas to concrete cases

• B4 Identify, investigate and formulate solutions to intellectual problems

• B5 Critically reason, analyse and interpret data and ideas

• B6 The ability to distinguish relevance and irrelevance

Learning and Teaching

While lectures introduce students to topics and ideas, the development of intellectual skills takes place when students engage with the topic themselves and interact with others in the intellectual learning community both during discussions (in seminars, where tutors seek to guide and develop intellectual skills), and in the process of reading and writing notes, essays or examinations. Reflection and self-assessment are also integral to the learning of intellectual skills. Tutors form impressions of, and assess, a student's ability and progress through contact with students in seminars and in the assessment of written work.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Intellectual skills (B1-6) are assessed primarily in essay and examination performance, plus the other methods of assessment set out above. The published assessment criteria reflect these intellectual skills that in turn are mirrored in the feedback to students. Students can assess their own performance by gauging their rate of progress in comparison to that of their peers, and in the light of tutor's comments. Students are free to discuss the informal development and assessment of such skills during staff office hours. Personal learning is enhanced through engagement with the Personal Tutorial system and the Careers Development Programme process.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills / Discipline Specific Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• C1 Seek, extract and effectively annotate information from a range of sources

• C2 Prioritise and organise information and deploy it as evidence in argument

• C3 Identification and retrieval of relevant and up to date information

• C4 Express informed opinions through written work and discussion

• C5 Learn from experience

The knowledge and transferable skills identified in the recent Joint Statement (referred to in section 10) are consistent with those identified in the Law Benchmarking Statement andin the Department's Learning Outcomes.

Learning and Teaching

All modules, and in particular modules taught at Part One, contain elements which directly address the development of practical skills (C1-5). The process of writing essays, preparing answers to seminar questions etc. and preparing for examinations allows the student to hone skills through practice, guided by feedback from tutors. (C1-5)

Discussion in seminars or engagement with debate in public fora leads students to improve their intellectual communication skills (C2, C4,). Students also learn and improve such skills through personal reflection on their learning experience (C5) and purposeful adaptation of their learning methods; a process reflected upon in all modules. Personal learning is also enhanced through engagement with the personal tutorial system and the Careers Development Programme process.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

All modules, and in particular the modules taught at Part One, contain forms of assessment which directly address the development of practical skills (C1-5). Exams, essays, critical reviews, and other forms of written coursework address skills C1-5.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

• B1 A capacity for the critical evaluation of arguments and evidence.

• B2 Analysis, filtering and evaluation of data and drawing reasoned conclusions concerning structured and, to a more limited extent, unstructured problems from a given set of data and from data which must be acquired by the student.

• B3 Numeracy skills, including the processing and analysis of financial and other numerical data and to appreciate statistical concepts at an appropriate level.

• B4 Location, extraction and analysis of data from multiple sources, including acknowledging and referencing sources.

• B5 Using contemporary information and communication technology for the acquisition, analysis and communication of information. Skills in the use of communication and information technology in acquiring, analysing and communicating information (these skills include the use of spreadsheets, word processing software, standard statistical packages; electronic financial databases; the internet and email).

• B6 Communication skills including the ability to present quantitative and qualitative information together with analysis, argument and commentary in a form appropriate to different intended audiences, and oral as well as written presentation.

• B7 Capacities for independent and self-managed learning.

• B8 Experience of working in groups, and other interpersonal skills, and in presenting the results of their work orally as well as in written form.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated are as follows: Lectures, tutorials, seminars, help classes, case studies, research, data analysis, and computer-assisted learning.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Formal end-of-module examinations, formal and informal in-semester tests (including long form, short form and multiple-choice answer formats), project work / report / case study (individual and group), essay, diary / reflection, formal and informal presentation (individual and group).

10.2.2 Professional practical skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• C1 demonstrate reasonable knowledge of some of the contexts in which accounting operates

• C2 demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of, and an ability to use, current technical language to describe practices of accounting and an ability to apply them in straightforward structured situations from given data generated for the purpose

• C3 demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of some alternative technical language and practices and, where relevant within the context of a particular degree course, an ability to apply them in straightforward structured situations from given data generated for the purpose

• C4 with reasonable accuracy, record and summarise straightforward transactions and other economic events and prepare financial statements complying in outline with relevant regulatory requirements

• C5 analyse the operations of a business and perform straightforward financial analyses and projections; and demonstrate a reasonable awareness of the contexts in which accounting data and information is processed and provided within a variety of organisational environments, and the relationships with other systems providing information in organisations

• C6 demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of theories and empirical evidence concerning the effects of accounting in at least one of its contexts

• C7 demonstrate reasonable awareness of issues of financial management, risk and the operation of capital markets. In cases of degrees with significant finance content see the Subject Benchmark Statement for Finance for required levels of knowledge and understanding

• C8 demonstrate possession of the required cognitive abilities and non-subject specific skills to a reasonable level of achievement.

• C9 an appreciation of the nature of the context and institutional framework in which finance operates

• C10 knowledge of the main theories used in finance and an ability to apply them in straightforward structured situations from given data generated for the purpose.

• C11 an ability to interpret financial data and carry out straightforward statistical and financial analysis appraisal.

• C12 an ability to relate empirical evidence to finance theory in at least one of the main areas of finance with a reasonable understanding of the significance and limitations of such evidence.

• C13 an understanding of the financial needs of business entities, a reasonable appreciation and understanding of how theory and evidence may be used to guide practice; the workings of capital markets; the relationship between risk and return; and the nature and use of financial derivatives.

• C14 an understanding of the principles of personal investment.

• C15 an ability to use and interpret the information in financial statements.

• C16 an understanding of the economic, political, regulatory and social environments in which finance and financial services operates, and the ethical considerations embedded in these operations.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated are as follows: Lectures, tutorials, seminars, help classes, case studies, research, data analysis, and computer-assisted learning.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Formal end-of-module examinations, formal and informal in-semester tests (including long form, short form and multiple-choice answer formats), project work / report / case study (individual and group), essay, diary / reflection, formal and informal presentation (individual and group).  

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• D1 Time management and personal organisation

• D2 Self awareness and self confidence

• D3 Interpersonal skills

• D4 Team working

• D5 Numerical skills

• D6 IT skills - e.g. WWW, legal databases, e-learning, email and word processing

Learning and Teaching

The programme aims to promote, develop and nurture students’ awareness of and competence in the key transferable skills which are integral to teaching and learning activities across the programme (and in line with the Joint Statement (D1-6). Skills D1-6 are developed through specific modules and learning activities, including small group seminars which specifically focus on D2-3, 5. Skills D6 –D7 are enhanced by aspects of the core modules that include employability and professional skills, through being embedded within the tutorial support system on which all students are enrolled and through regular extra-curricular employability events and sessions.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Assessment of student capacities in relation to the above outcomes (D1-6) is central to criteria employed in the evaluation of a range of assessment forms employed at all three levels of the degree scheme. These include coursework essays and other forms of written assignment, practical exercises, seminar participation (including group work).

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• D1 Problem solving skills

• D2 Research skills

• D3 Communication skills

• D4 Improving own learning and performance

• D5 Teamwork skills

• D6 Information technology skills

• D7 Quantitative skills

• D8 Personal development and career planning

Learning and Teaching

Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated are as follows: Lectures, tutorials, seminars, help classes, case studies, research, data analysis, and computer-assisted learning.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Formal end-of-module examinations, formal and informal in-semester tests (including long form, short form and multiple-choice answer formats), project work / report / case study (individual and group), essay, diary / reflection, formal and informal presentation (individual and group).