Exam Board – AQA
Qualification – A level
Entry requirements – Grade 6 in English language
Course specification
A level law is a dynamic and insight course which give students more awareness of their rights and responsibilities within legal frameworks and allows them to develop competence in using legal skills regarding the nature of law and in the English legal system. Learning how to analyse and apply legal rules in real life helps develop students’ critical thinking, decision making and debating skills, and capacity to evaluate and solve complex legal problems. These abilities are highly sought after by higher education and employers.
Students will study a range of legal aspects, including the English legal system, criminal law and the law of tort. When studying criminal law, students will focus on different offences, including murder, manslaughter and assault; examining various legal arguments for conviction and consider defences that may be available to the defendant. The Law of Tort centres on negligence, the rules and principles concerning liability and fault in actions concerning negligence. Students will develop an understanding of public policy factors relating to negligence, along with duty of care principles.
A level law is assessed in three two hour written examinations which are all equally weighted. Students are required to answer a variety of questions, including a variety of multiple choice, short answer, and extended writing questions.
What doors does this open up for me?
Law is the underlying foundation of any just and fair society and encompasses all aspects of everyday life. Anyone who is interested in the role of law in today’s society; then studying law will give an understanding into the relationship between law, morals, justice and societies. Students will consider contemporary issues, exploring a wide range of interesting cases and Acts of Parliament and improve their knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of a whole range of issues affecting the legal system today.
It is a well recognised and highly sought after A level by universities and is praised for developing students’ ability to research, critically evaluate and reason, and problem solve.
A level law compliments many other subjects, including government and politics, criminology, and psychology. Studying law also leads to entry into countless fields of higher education and employment, such as law, politics, sociology and economics.
