Issues in the Philosophy of Criminal Law - LAW00048M
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 |
Module aims
- The module considers a section of advanced questions in the philosophy of criminal law. Typically, these will include the justification of legal punishment; the nature and scope of criminalization; liability, excuses, and defences; and sentencing.
- The module aims to develop academic skills in the reading of legal and philosophical texts and the relating of those texts to moral and political problems.
- As a result, the module aims to develop in students analytical skills of problem identifying and solving.
Module learning outcomes
Subject content
- By the end of the module, students should be able to analyse and understand advanced arguments in the philosophy of criminal law;
- They should be able to demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of a variety of philosophical and legal issues relevant to the law.
Academic and graduate skills
- To identify, retrieve and discriminate among sources of information relevant to philosophical questions about law;
- To synthesise and analyse a variety of information sources to develop further knowledge, construct arguments, draw conclusions supported by appropriate authority, and evaluate the merits of alternative arguments.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Oral and written feedback will be given on the Autumn Week 8 essay by the end of the Autumn Term.
Indicative reading
H. Gross, Crime and Punishment: A Concise Moral Critique, OUP, 2012.