University Foundation Programme – Law and International Relations

The English Legal System & Law Making

How the law works. Work explores the nature of law and the difference between civil and criminal law, the criminal courts, magistrates and juries, judges and judicial independence, barristers, solicitors and legal executives, access to justice and funding — then statutory interpretation and the doctrine of judicial precedent.

Criminal Law & Tort

Liability, from crime to carelessness. Work explores actus reus and mens rea, non-fatal and fatal offences against the person, theft and robbery, attempts, and the defences of insanity, automatism, intoxication, self-defence and duress — then the civil courts and alternative dispute resolution, and liability in negligence.

Law, Society & the Constitution

The bigger questions. Work explores law and morality, law and justice, the role of law in society and the meaning of fault, the rule of law, delegated legislation and its controls, and the institutions, sources and impact of European Union law.

The Law of Contract

Agreements the law will enforce. Work explores offer and acceptance, consideration and privity, intention to create legal relations, express and implied terms, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, exclusion clauses, misrepresentation and economic duress, discharge by performance, breach and frustration, and remedies.

NEA Research Essay

Arguing like a lawyer. Students research and write an essay on a title of their own design, building a coherent legal argument, applying statutes and case law, weighing different perspectives and demonstrating legal method.

Revision & Final Exam

The final stretch. The course revisited through problem questions and evaluative essays, with exam technique practised on A Level-style questions before the final internally invigilated exam.

Democracy, Parties & Elections

Power and participation in the UK. Work explores direct and representative democracy, the widening of the franchise, pressure groups and rights, the major and minor political parties, FPTP, AMS, STV and SV, referendums, and case studies of three general elections and the influence of the media.

Political Ideas

The ideologies behind the arguments. Work explores the core ideas, internal tensions and key thinkers of conservatism (Hobbes, Burke, Oakeshott, Rand, Nozick), liberalism (Locke, Wollstonecraft, Mill, Rawls, Friedan) and socialism (Marx and Engels, Webb, Luxemburg, Crosland, Giddens).

The Constitution & Parliament

The rules of the game. Work explores the sources and nature of the UK constitution, reform since 1997 and devolution, the Commons and the Lords, the legislative process, select committees, the opposition and Prime Minister’s Questions.

The Executive & the Branches

Who really governs. Work explores the Prime Minister and Cabinet, ministerial responsibility, the Supreme Court and judicial review, the balance of power between Parliament and the Executive, the impact of leaving the EU, and where sovereignty lies today.

The Cold War, 1941–1955

A divided world. Work explores capitalism and communism, tensions in the Grand Alliance at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam, the Iron Curtain and Soviet control of Eastern Europe, the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid, the Berlin blockade and airlift, NATO, the Warsaw Pact and atomic weapons.

The Cold War, 1956–1995

From crisis to collapse. Work explores Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland, the Berlin Wall, the arms and space races, détente, SALT and Ostpolitik, the “new Cold War”, Gorbachev, glasnost and perestroika, the events of 1989, German reunification and the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Truman & Post-war America, 1945–1952

A new superpower. Work explores the United States in 1945, the presidency and the main parties, post-war prosperity and division, Truman’s character and policies, containment in Europe and Asia, reconstruction and the rise of McCarthyism.

Civil Rights & the Eisenhower Presidency

Pressure for change. Work explores the impact of the Second World War on African-Americans, early campaigns for civil rights and the federal and state response — then Eisenhower’s “dynamic conservatism”, Nixon as Vice-President and the end of McCarthyism.

The 1950s: Affluence & the Cold War

Tranquillity and crisis. Work explores the growth of the economy and the consumer society, superpower rivalry with the USSR, reactions to communism in Asia and crises in the Middle East, and the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement.

Kennedy & the “New Frontier”, 1960–1963

Promise and peril. Work explores the 1960 election, the ideas and personalities of the Kennedy administration, Berlin and Khrushchev, Castro’s Cuba and deepening involvement in Vietnam.

The United States by 1963

Taking stock. Work explores the rise of the Civil Rights Movement and its opponents, Kennedy’s response, and America’s position as a world power, its prosperity and the growing pressure for change from women and youth — drawn together in a holistic overview.

Challenges to the American Dream, 1963–1980

Turbulent decades. Work explores Johnson’s Great Society and Vietnam, civil rights legislation and protest, Nixon and Watergate, Ford and Carter, and the reasons for Reagan’s victory — alongside the independently researched Historical Investigation.

Markets, Customers & Research

Understanding the marketplace. Work explores types of business ownership and objectives, markets, supply and demand, price elasticity, PESTLE and competitive advantage — then customer needs, segmentation and positioning, and planning, conducting and analysing market research.

People & Finance

Running the organisation. Work explores staffing, recruitment and training, organisational structure, motivation theory and leadership styles — then sources of finance, financial statements, budgeting and variance analysis, and break-even.

Planning a Marketing Campaign

From insight to action. Work explores financial ratios and business risk, setting marketing objectives, SWOT, STEEPLE and Porter’s Five Forces, targeting, and applying the full 7Ps marketing mix to plan and evaluate a campaign.

Branding, Promotion & Relationships

Winning and keeping customers. Work explores the promotional mix, branding and integrated marketing communications, then relationship marketing, CRM and customer data, and the ethics of personalisation.

Strategy, Growth & Global Business

Thinking big. Work explores mission and strategy, organic and inorganic growth, strategic decision-making and measuring competitiveness — then globalisation, routes into international markets, glocalisation and exchange rates.

Ethics, CSR & Final Assessment

Doing business responsibly. Work explores business ethics, corporate social responsibility, employment, consumer, competition and advertising law, and stakeholder governance — before the final synoptic assessment on strategy for business growth.

Careers & UCAS

Weekly careers lessons and regular one-to-one tutorials take students through UCAS registration, personal statement writing and target-setting, with sessions on clearing, budgeting at university and the first week of university.

Public Speaking & Debating

Essential skills for law. Students practise presenting opinion versus fact, debating techniques, persuasive and informative speaking, improvisation and interview technique, building the confidence to argue a case under pressure.

PSHE & Citizenship

Ready for life in the UK. PSHE, citizenship and UK law, and SMSC studies cover critical thinking, employability, relationships, health and wellbeing, personal safety and preparation for higher education.

English & Enrichment

A fully rounded programme. English conversation and IELTS, dance, multi-sports, guest speakers, course-related trips and work experience, and the optional Duke of Edinburgh Award.