LAW41910 Advanced Criminal Law 1

Academic Year 2021/2022

This module begins by introducing the student to the general principles of criminal liability. It examines the nature of criminal (as distinct from civil) liability and considers the elements of crime including in particular the concepts of actus reus, mens rea and issues in causation. The module then introduces a number of offences, namely homicide, non-fatal offences and theft offences. It also looks at the extent to which individuals can be penalised for complicity in the wrongdoing of others.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Describe and analyse the general principles of criminal liability;
2. Distinguish between different offences relating to life, person and property
3. Apply substantive knowledge of criminal law to hypothetical factual scenarios
4. Engage with critiques of Irish criminal law
5. Suggest and appraise reforms of the law relating to issues covered in the module

Indicative Module Content:

Topics include an introduction to criminal law, the difference between civil and criminal law, the mental and physical components of criminal offences, homicide, non-fatal and theft offences.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Seminar (or Webinar)

4

Specified Learning Activities

20

Autonomous Student Learning

94

Total

142

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures
Tutorials
In-class discussion
Problem-solving exercises
Independent reading of case law and secondary literature by students 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
LAW20390 - Criminal Liability, LAW40820 - Issues in Criminal Law


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: A two hour, closed book examination with a selection of problem and essay questions. 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

70

Assignment: A legal writing exercise requiring analysis of case law, with the appropriate tone, structure and referencing. Week 4 n/a Graded No

30


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students are encouraged to avail of opportunities to discuss their ideas in lectures, as this can be a means of obtaining feedback from the lecturer and from peers. Discussion on prescribed reading is a central component of the seminars in this module, and the group discussion should be regarded as an opportunity to get feedback on one's engagement with the material. General feedback on the exam will be uploaded to Brightspace on the day provisional results are published, highlighting common issues in relation to each question on the exam. Students also have the opportunity of viewing their script after the publication of final results, and reading the comments of the examiner. After viewing their script students may schedule an appointment with the lecturer for further individual feedback.