York Law School

Student Handbook Year 1 2011 - 12

www.york.ac.uk/law

IMPORTANT NOTICES

THIS HANDBOOK REALLY DOES CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION PLEASE MAKE AN EFFORT TO READ IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAMME AND REFER TO IT DURING YOUR TIME AT YORK LAW SCHOOL MANY OF THE QUESTIONS WHICH STUDENTS COMMONLY ASK ARE ANSWERED IN THIS HANDBOOK

THE INFORMATION IN THIS HANDBOOK IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING (October 2011). IF ANY ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AT THE EARLIEST AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY. YORK LAW SCHOOL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THIS HANDBOOK

You have received this Handbook alongside other materials, all of which serve their own unique purpose for starting you off at York Law School. Whilst all this information is useful, please do not feel that you have to read everything cover to cover immediately; certain information you might not need until later on in your degree. This Handbook is designed to guide you through your time at York Law School. This means that it is not a guide through your experience at the University of York. For further information about other aspects of university, such as tuition fees and support, it is advised that you go to the Universitys website, www.york.ac.uk This Handbook was written by staff and students of York Law School.

CONTENTS
Welcome from Stuart Bell, Head of York Law School Key Dates Getting Started o How will York Law School contact you? o Contacts in York Law School o Your First Few Weeks at York Law School Your Degree at York Law School o What is the LL.B? o What is a Qualifying Law Degree? o What is different about the LL.B at York Law School? o What will I study at York Law School? o How will I learn at York Law School? Problem Based Learning Plenary Sessions Skills Sessions Roundtables o The Big Picture how does year 1 fit into the rest of my degree? o A week in the lives of three York Law School students o Feedback at York Law School Engagement Assessment o How will I be assessed? Learning Portfolio Examinations o Marking Criteria o Progression o Award Requirements Degree Classification o Mitigating Circumstances o Failure and Appeals o Compensation Compensation and the Qualifying Law Degree o Academic misconduct o Reassessment Support Careers Frequently Asked Questions Maps and Getting Around 4 5 6 6 7 9 10 10 11 12 13 15

16 17 20 21 23 24

25 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 33 35 36 41 42 43

WELCOME TO YORK LAW SCHOOL

A very warm welcome to the University of York, and to York Law School (YLS). My colleagues and I are very much looking forward to working with you on the LLB (Bachelor of Laws) degree programme. You should know from your previous dealings with us that our approach to legal education is quite distinctive. We hope that you enjoy the learning activities which make up the degree programme. We think they will help to equip you for your future career, whether in law or in another field. We also think that the programme is intellectually stimulating, and will help you to reflect upon the role law has to play in society and upon how professional lawyers are involved in making and using law in the real world. As with many things in life, the more you put into the experience of being at the University of York and YLS, the more you will get out of it. You will see over time that there are many different ways to get involved in the life of YLS, and we encourage you to do so. YLS is a community, and you are part of it. Professor Stuart Bell Head of YLS

TERM DATES

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3

10th October 2011 16th December 2011 9th January 2012- 16th March 2012 23rd April 2012- 29th June 2012

GETTING STARTED AT YORK LAW SCHOOL

HOW WILL YORK LAW SCHOOL CONTACT YOU? Email: When you enrol at the University of York, you will be given an @york.ac.uk email address. This email address is the first port of call for all correspondence with YLS. Emails will often include details of changes to the schedule of learning activities, special events and also extra materials for upcoming sessions. Should you need to contact a member of the Law School staff, a full list of contact details is available later in this document. Yorkshare VLE: The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) provides an online space for learning. The VLE is a place useful learning materials are stored. These include plenary slides, sometimes with additional comments, as well as digital copies of materials used in the degree, such as the block guide or evidence from a Legal Skills case study. Pigeonholes: In YLS reception (located on the 2nd floor of the Law and Management Building) there are a series of pigeonholes for students. These pigeonholes are used for individual written correspondence, which can include, for example, written feedback on assessed work. Notice Boards: In the PBL area of YLS are a number of notice boards which contain details of upcoming events, including extra-curricular talks. There are also notices of book sales, where students in higher years sell their used books to other students for lower prices, and other useful information. Other notice boards can be found in the YLS Reception area.

CONTACTING YORK LAW SCHOOL Academic Staff

Name
Dr TT Arvind Professor Stuart Bell John Bennett

Role
CSET Lecturer, Chair of Graduate School Board Head of School Teaching fellow, Programme Leader: LLM International Corporate and Commercial Law Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes Lecturer and Director of Professional Liaison Senior Lecturer, Director of Learning and Teaching, Chair of Board of Studies Senior Lecturer, Director of Clinical Programmes Senior Lecturer Professor of Socio-legal Studies, Director of Research Professor, Chair of Board of Examiners Lecturer Lecturer, Admissions Tutor Lecturer Professor Lecturer Lecturer

Contact Number
01904 325807 01904 325801 01904 325821

Room Number
249 261 251

Email Address
tta500@york.ac.uk stuart.bell@york.ac.uk john.bennett@york.ac.uk

Professor Stefan Enchelmaier Dr Laurence Etherington Ben Fitzpatrick

01904 325803

260

stefan.enchelmaier@york.ac.uk

01904 325804 01904 325812

271 259

laurence.etherington@york.ac.uk ben.fitzpatrick@york.ac.uk

Richard Grimes Dr Katarzyna Gromek-Broc Professor Simon Halliday Professor Caroline Hunter Phillip Morgan Dr Charlotte OBrien Dr Massimo Renzo Professor Jenny Steele Dr Sarah Wilson Dr Kathryn Wright

01904 325817 01904 325811 01904 325820

280 270 278

richard.grimes@york.ac.uk katarzyna.gromek-broc@york.ac.uk simon.halliday@york.ac.uk

01904 325806 01904 325822 01904 325806 01904 325815 01904 325814 01904 325809 01904 325816

248 255 272 250 247 258 279

caroline.hunter@york.ac.uk phillip.morgan@york.ac.uk charlotte.obrien@york.ac.uk massimo.renzo@york.ac.uk jenny.steele@york.ac.uk s.wilson@york.ac.uk kathryn.wright@york.ac.uk

Problem Based Learning Tutors Name

Sarah Archer Catherine Baker Adele Batty Richard Butterworth Louise Gittins

Role
Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor

Email Address
sa557@york.ac.uk cb895@york.ac.uk ab1067@york.ac.uk rb841@york.ac.uk lmg510@york.ac.uk

Jenny Kent Dr Wendy Laws Andrea Morrison Dr Martin Regan Jane Tai Alex Weston

Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor Problem-Based Learning Tutor

jk683@york.ac.uk wl566@york.ac.uk am825@york.ac.uk mr660@york.ac.uk jt561@york.ac.uk aw818@york.ac.uk

Administrative Staff
Name
Salwa Eweis

Role
Postgraduate and Research Administrator Departmental Administrator and Disabilities Officer Undergraduate Administrator

Contact Number
01904 325818

Room Number
281

Email Address
salwa.eweis@york.ac.uk

Louise Prendergast

01904 325810

281

louise.prendergast@york.ac.uk

Emma Watson

01904 325802

Reception

emma.watson@york.ac.uk

Library and Careers Support

Name
Alison Kaye Clare Ackerley Chris Wilkinson

Role
Academic Liaison Librarian Academic Liaison Librarian Careers Consultant

Contact Number
01904 324517 01904 324080 01904 433127

Email Address
alison.kaye@york.ac.uk clare.ackerley @york.ac.uk chris.wilkinson@york.ac.uk

YOUR FIRST FEW WEEKS AT YORK LAW SCHOOL The first few weeks at YLS York Law School are designed to help you settle in to your programme of study and to get used to the different learning activities on offer.

Before you arrive at YLS, you will have been given your @york.ac.uk email address. It is really important that you check this at least daily. It may seem daunting when you get a timetable of events to attend during Freshers Week, especially if you thought that there was nothing on during the first week. But rest assured, the events that are organised for this week are really useful and start you off on the right foot. During the first week, you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow students, and especially those who will be in your Student Law Firm (SLF). The SLF is a key part of learning at YLS, and getting to know your SLF colleagues as soon as possible will prove helpful once the core learning activities begin. You will also be able to meet the staff at the Law School who will support you throughout your programme of study. Not only does this mean meeting the academic staff who will lead your learning, but also meeting your Personal Advisor, the Administration team within the Law School. So the first few weeks at York Law School are all about orientation. They are about creating the right balance between showing what YLS is all about and allowing you time to adjust to new surroundings. In the first week, there will be initial orientation sessions, and scheduled learning activities, for example, relating to skills in using online legal databases and the library. There are also more informal sessions organised, such as the welcome party held at YLS in week 2.

YOUR DEGREE AT YORK LAW SCHOOL

WHAT IS THE LL.B? At York Law School, the Bachelor of Laws degree (formally recognised as the LLB) integrates academic, applied, practical and interdisciplinary perspectives on the law into a single, coherent programme of study. Learning law is about much more than reading a series of legal rules and understanding them; it is more important to understand the law in its various contexts theoretical, social and practical. Accordingly, the LLB at YLS focuses not just on legal rules, but looks at the complex network of relationships and transactions they regulate. Focusing on law in the broader context requires different skills, and you will learn how to analyse legal problems, and how to approach situations from ethical, political and social viewpoints. While this is demanding, the degree is intellectually stimulating and, at the end of the day, a lot of fun. So what skills will you be developing, not just in your first year, but throughout your time at YLS? The answer is many, and it is important to note that these skills will set you in good stead whether or not you choose a career in law after your degree. The skills you will develop include: Oral and written communication skills Team-working Project management Advocacy Negotiation

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WHAT IS A QUALIFYING LAW DEGREE? A Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is a law degree that exempts you from a stage of training should you wish to go on to become a professionally qualified lawyer. A QLD means that you do not have to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) en route to becoming a qualified lawyer.

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WHAT MAKES THE LL.B AT YORK LAW SCHOOL SO DIFFERENT? Think back to when you were considering where to study your law degree. You may have visited many places and heard about various different types of degree programmes. YLS, as you will hopefully have seen, does not offer a traditional law degree, and that may be one of the main reasons that you chose to study here. The law degree here is different in that a significant proportion of the programme is built on Problem-Based Learning. Problem Based Learning or PBL for short is a key element of the learning process at YLS. Other material that you will be able to access in the first weeks at YLS is a Guide to Problem Based Learning. This guide covers the PBL process in far greater detail than this handbook will, but for now well give a brief overview of what PBL is all about. PBL may be different from any form of learning you will have experienced before. In PBL sessions, you will work with a realistic legal problem. In your Student Law Firm (SLF), you will work through the problem, and come up with a number of Learning Outcomes. These will form the basis of your self-directed study for that PBL cycle, after which, a week later, you will have the opportunity to feed back to the SLF on your learning at a further PBL session. YLS is also different in that it is still a relatively small School. Compared to a number of other law schools, the size of the intake here is relatively small. This means that students and staff have the opportunity to get to know each other, which makes the learning process more effective and enjoyable. One of the key features of YLS is the Student Law Firm (SLF). SLFs are only partly synonymous with traditional seminar groups that you may see on other degree programmes. At YLS, the SLF is much more. First and foremost, the SLF is the group with who you will spend most of your scheduled learning activities. We also hope that an SLF will be a source of academic and pastoral support for its members.

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WHAT WILL I STUDY? In each of the three years of the LLB at YLS, you will study different, but related modules. There is a strong element of progression in the programme in that your learning in each year is intended to enable you to build on your learning from previous years. On the LLB programme, there are a number of compulsory modules, and a number of optional modules. The list of optional modules can change depending on a number of factors. This is a breakdown of how the three years work, in terms of compulsory modules and option choices. Compulsory Modules Criminal law Introduction to Law and Society Legal Skills Obligations 1 Property Law 1 Public Law 1 Advanced Legal Skills Obligations 2 Professionalism & Ethics Property Law 2 EU Law Public Law 2 Dissertation Optional Modules No options in year 1

Year 1

Year 2

2 optional modules, one in Autumn, one in Spring

Year 3

2 optional modules, one in Autumn, one in Spring

Modules at York Law School are located in one of three streams. You will work across all three streams during your LLB programme: The Foundation Stream contains those modules which the relevant bodies of the legal professions require you to study in order to obtain a qualifying Law Degree. The Law and Practice Stream contains those modules in which your Learning focuses on practical perspectives and often takes the form of simulated legal practice. The Law and Society stream contains those modules in which you study relationships between Law and other disciplines.

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Heres a guide to the modules youll study in your first year:

Criminal Law

Introduction to Law and Society (ILS)

Legal Skills Obligations 1

Property Law 1

Public Law 1

Crimes are behaviours which the state has decided to take an interest in by prohibiting. You will consider how crimes are defined and why certain behaviours are criminalised and why others are not. Introduction to Law and Society helps you to see law as part of a bigger picture. You will consider, for example, how law and legal institutions relate to society, how law deals with culture and what makes a law or legal system unjust. Legal Skills involves study, practice and development of skills which will help you integrate academic theory and law in practice. The law of obligations considers legal relationships between two parties. Obligations arise in a variety of relationships involving private individuals, businesses and, in some cases, governments. You will consider how obligations are formed and what happens when they are breached. Property law deals with ownership and other rights in different types of property. You will consider how these rights can be created, how they are restricted, transferred and what happens when entitlements conflict. Public law refers in broad terms to the relationship between the citizen and the state. You will consider how the institutions of government are regulated and how human rights are protected by law.

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HOW WILL I LEARN AT YORK LAW SCHOOL? At York Law School, there are a number of different ways of learning, some of which you may be familiar with from previous learning experiences, others perhaps less so. Heres a brief summary of what each is and what you can expect to get out of each: PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SESSIONS: As mentioned earlier, you will be able to access the York Law School Guide to Problem Based Learning. The following things are worth noting at this point. You will be a member of a Student Law Firm (SLF) when you arrive. Each firm will be presented with different problems, including some brought by clients of the firm. These problems vary in what they look at, from disputes between neighbours to corporate commercial transactions. The aim of the firm is not necessarily to solve the problem because the problem may not actually be solvable, and there is rarely just one single right answer. The problems aim to give some context to the often abstract concepts that you will meet on the degree, and serve to show realistic contexts for the operation of the law. The SLF will work with a PBL tutor who acts as a facilitator to help the SLF identify the legal issues in the problem, the facts that are known, the facts that are not known but need to be found out and then, through this process of unravelling the problem, discover the legal and contextual issues at the centre of the problem. These issues will be expressed as Learning Outcomes which will form the basis of study for that PBL cycle. The issues are explored in various ways, such as plenary sessions, individual study and collaboration among SLF colleagues. The PBL cycle typically lasts a week, at which point the SLF meets again to discuss their findings, before having the chance to reflect more deeply on the theoretical issues raised by the problem. PLENARY SESSIONS: Plenary sessions, as the name suggests, are sessions in which the whole year group works together. They are not principally about the transmission of large quantities of information, but they should raise questions about, and explore contexts for issues raised by that weeks problem. SKILLS SESSIONS: Skills sessions give you the opportunity to develop legal and other transferable skills, often in the context of learning activities which involve simulated legal practice. They present an opportunity to practise skills in a safe environment where you can experiment, make mistakes and learn collaboratively. ROUNDTABLES: Roundtables are activities in which you will have the opportunity to explore issues in depth with colleagues from your Student Law Firm and from other SLFs. Roundtables provide you with a good opportunity to develop a number of important academic skills including structuring an argument, using evidence to develop an argument, evaluating your views and those of others, and communicating ideas effectively in a variety of different ways.

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THE BIG PICTURE HOW DOES YEAR 1 FIT INTO THE REST OF MY DEGREE? You should not underestimate the challenges of adapting to the different learning environments which make up the first year of the LLB Programme. It is absolutely normal to experience some difficulties with this transition. Your performance in assessment in Year 1 does not contribute to your overall degree classification. However, a lot of your learning from Year 1 will help you, in many different ways, as you progress to later stages of the programme, and beyond.

So what exactly does the first year of the LLB at YLS aim to achieve? Introduce basic legal skills of critical reasoning and legal method, basic research and retrieval techniques, written and oral communication, an introduction to regulation and the interpretation of different sources of law Introduce different methods of learning, including Problem Based Learning Introduce different contexts for legal issues, including social, commercial and practical contexts Introduce the idea of reflective learning Provide knowledge and understanding of the foundations of legal knowledge to satisfy the professional requirements for the academic stage of training Develop a range of transferable, intellectual and practical skills that can be used to enhance understanding and knowledge of legal principles and also be used in a variety of careers, both in law and related areas Encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning as well as the development of reflective learning skills

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A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A YORK LAW SCHOOL STUDENT To give you a sense of what this means in practice, three students have written about their typical week in 2010-11. You should note that there have been some adjustments to the timetable for 2011-12 which means that the format of your week will not be the same as Toms (below): 1st Year - Tom Monday: Today is where the bulk of plenaries happen, though it is not as daunting as that sounds. Theyre always really interesting and thought-provoking. Theres always a chance to ask a question or spark a debate, and it never ends up in a situation of being talked at for an hour! Theres usually an hour between the plenaries in the morning and afternoon to go and grab some lunch from Heslington or the cafe on Hes East. After the plenaries are over, its time to take stock of what weve been told and prepare for the PBL interim tomorrow. Tuesday: After a plenary or two today, the afternoon is spent at the interim session of PBL. Here, we collate our research about the two problems that we were given the previous week. These are usually really helpful, as the plenaries from Monday and today usually have some interesting extra information, and the firm members will often have found something that I havent got! Tonight is spent trying to finish at least one of the problems. Wednesday: This is a free day, where no planned learning activities occur. There may sometimes be an ILS roundtable which are just large multi-firm discussions that are really good and a useful way of gaining skills such as presentation and discussion. Normally, I use the day to finish the other PBL problem, so I can go out to Ziggys in the evening... Thursday: Today we have the first feedback of the PBL problem, and are also given another one. The feedback is really fun, and we all share our learning with each other in the firm and our firm tutor. Theres loads of fun ways to get everyone involved and the feedback process often includes packs of playing cards, top trumps and chocolate! We also then get given the next problem, and go through the process of obtaining learning outcomes that will shape our research and learning for the next week! Friday: This morning is a 9.15am start (sometimes tough if, as normally, Ive gone out the night before) for Legal Skills. This allows us to do things like negotiation, interviews, letter writing and more. We do this as a firm and its really hands on and practical, making it an enjoyable if not slightly early start to the weekend. The afternoon will be another PBL feedback and where we will get the second and final problem of the week. Tonight is spent winding down with a couple of games of FIFA. Saturday: Not much work to be done today, maybe a bit of research for the two problems, tentative at best. The football is on at 3 so its tough to get motivated for law, but thats

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okay as once you get into the swing of researching the PBL problems, it doesnt take a huge amount of time. Sunday: Today is spent, after treating myself to a well deserved lie-in, researching via the wonderful WestLaw, Lexis Library et al. This actually becomes really interesting after a while and I tend to get a lot of my work done today, and I make sure a lot of it is done before the inevitable 4pm kick off for the Sunday football on Sky! 2nd year Mike Monday: Monday is usually the day we have most of our plenaries. Depending on which week it is, there can be up to four one hour plenaries. I wont do any work in the evening, as I have a RAG committee meeting in the evening. Tuesday: Tuesday morning there will usually be a plenary of some sorts, with the PBL interim in the afternoon. The interim is always really useful, as more often than not therell be something in my research that I havent looked at but somebody else in my firm invariably will have, and vice versa. Tuesday night is the night that I will generally go out with friends into town; having a complete break from work gets more important as you go through YLS, and having one night where I just completely switch off is really useful. Wednesday: Following the interim yesterday, this is a day that I will put aside for PBL work generally. The interim will throw up at least a couple of things that I either havent researched enough, or simply havent looked at. Like most universities, there are no sessions timetabled for the afternoon on Wednesday, so its not uncommon for me to go and play some sport with friends. Thursday: Today is the day that we feedback on our PBL problem/s and also the Professionalism and Ethics (P & E) problem (every other week). If its the week where the P&E cycle ends, it can be a pretty long day, but if you keep concentrating then Thursday is often the day where you can learn the most. Because theres a lot of work that requires a lot of concentration, we always try and keep our sessions light-hearted and fun; have regular breaks and dont be afraid to make jokes in the session. Theres usually quite a big gap between the two sessions, so a group of us may go into Heslington for lunch. Friday: Friday is set aside for Advanced Legal Skills, which is an extension of 1 st year Legal Skills. ALS is a more practical way to end the week and is one of the modules that most people on the course tend to enjoy, because we actually get to DO law rather than simply having plenaries on abstract concepts. Friday evening is a quiet evening because, well, its Friday night. Ill usually get together with my housemates and do something, either go out for a film or get takeaway. Saturday & Sunday: How busy I am at the weekend depends on the workload. If Ive managed to keep on top of the PBL cycle, Ill make a few more notes on that so I have enough for the interim. If Im feeling particularly productive, I will look at the Block Guide
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for the week just gone and attempt a learning portfolio task. This is something that I wish I had done more in year 1 and started earlier in my 2nd year, because it really does help when it comes to the assessment period in summer term. 3rd year Tom Third year is a bit different from your first two years as your timetable isnt as full. You have a lot more time to focus on things like your dissertation that counts for 40 credits. If you manage your time theres still plenty of time to enjoy yourself though. The assessments are more spaced out than in the first year, so you have more time to prepare for assessments. Monday: Mondays tend to be quite busy as I have my plenaries for EU law and Public Law II. After my plenaries I tend to make sure Im up-to-date with all of my PBL work for the week. Tuesday: On Tuesday mornings I have my Company Law in Practice plenary/seminar. This was one of the options I chose for third year. This session alternates between a PBL session and a plenary week by week. Wednesday: By Wednesday all of my plenaries for the week are done with. In the mornings I usually have a bit of a lie in and then go through my PBL work for Thursday/Friday. Sometimes we meet as a firm to discuss anything that were finding difficult in the PBL. Wednesday afternoons are always free so I tend to head over to the sports centre for the afternoon. Thursday & Friday: On Thursdays and Fridays I have a PBL session for EU law and Public Law II. These are usually about an hour and a half to two hours long and are a good chance to check that you understand all of the work for that week. Its quite nice to catch up with your firm and we try to make the feedback fun by bringing in food or making-up games to choose who focuses on which learning outcome. One of the best bits about being a third year is that you dont have any early starts on Fridays so you can make the most of the student lifestyle! I use Fridays to work on my dissertation. Its definitely worth starting in good time so that you can just chip away at it a few hours at a time. I tend to spend 6/7 hours on Fridays working on this and getting up-todate with anything I didnt have time to do earlier in the week. Friday nights are usually filled with watching TV with my house or heading to the pub for a drink. Saturday: If Im not going away to visit friends I usually use go to the gym and use the rest of the day to get ready for the next week. Sunday: On Sundays I run a YUSU Volunteering project called KEEN in the Sports Centre where local children with severe and profound learning difficulties and/or visual impairments come onto campus and we play sports games with them. There is never a dull moment and its always good to have a break from the law work.
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FEEDBACK AT YORK LAW SCHOOL

When people think of feedback in the context of a programme of study, they may first think about a written response to a student based on a piece of their assessed work. This is, of course, very important, but it is only one aspect of feedback. In YLS, we believe that good feedback travels in all directions, from staff to students; from students to staff; among staff; and among students. We also believe that feedback is most effective when it is ongoing. So, try to imagine feedback as a conversation between you and staff and other students in YLS. You will get feedback on your performance in all kinds of contexts, whether it be written feedback on a piece of assessed work, or a conversation in a scheduled meeting with your Personal Advisor.

In relation to assessed work, YLS works within the University Guidelines on feedback, in that you will receive feedback on assessed work no more than six weeks after the submission deadline. We are continually looking into the best ways to provide feedback on assessed work to students and we would like to discuss this with you on an ongoing basis.

Please do be sure to give feedback to staff colleagues on which aspects of the programme you think are working well, and which less well. We have already got a good tradition in YLS of useful dialogue between students and staff, which has led to significant improvements to the programme over the years. Regular sessions are held throughout the year where students have the opportunity to voice their opinions and/or concerns about their learning experience. There are also Board of Studies representatives amongst the student body who act as a voice that represents the opinions of students on a formal basis.

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ENGAGEMENT
At York Law School, it is expected that you will take an active part in your learning. This is what we call ENGAGEMENT. Engagement is about more than attendance; it is about participating as fully as possible in your formal learning activities and engaging in effective study outside those activities. As is suggested at the very beginning of this handbook, the more you put in to your programme of study, the more you will get out of it. Based on experience over the past few years, YLS is adopting, for the first time in 2011-12, a policy in engagement. It focuses on the attendance dimension of engagement, and you should familiarise yourself with it. The policy is set out here:

York Law School Engagement / Attendance Policy 2011-12

York Law School (YLS) has a policy on engagement and attendance which is intended to support your learning. We expect you to attend all timetabled learning activities, and your failure to do so may trigger a formal response from us. This policy is intended to give some clarity on attendance requirements and on the consequences of nonattendance. We recognise that all members of YLS are adult learners who are capable of making their own decisions about their learning. Nonetheless, we have a policy of compulsory attendance at certain learning activities because of the nature of the curriculum. In YLS, a significant proportion of your formal learning activities take place in groups (usually, but not exclusively, your Student Law Firm). Group work can be a very effective way to learn, but it creates obligations on members of the group: to attend, to engage and to participate fully and fairly in the work of the group; and to deal professionally and courteously with the group in situations where attendance, engagement or participation are not possible. We have also designed the curriculum carefully such that there ought to be a real benefit to you from attending learning activities (if there is not, we hope you will let us know).

If you know you are going to be unable to attend learning activities or you miss an activity for good reason, please inform the Law School Undergraduate Administrator, Emma Watson, by e-mail (emma.watson@york.ac.uk) as soon as possible.

1. There are various different formal learning activities in YLS. This policy applies to small group learning activities such as PBL sessions, Skills sessions, Roundtables, seminars, and other classes in option modules run by YLS. In those learning activities, registers of attendance will be taken. These activities are referred to
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below as compulsory learning activities. Attendance at all other learning activities is expected and strongly advised. 2. If you are unable to attend or you miss a compulsory learning activity, you should report your absence as soon as is reasonably practicable to the YLS Undergraduate Administrator with a short written explanation of the reasons for absence. This explanation will be placed on your student file. 3. If you are unable to attend or you miss two consecutive compulsory learning activities without explanation, you may receive a request for an explanation for your absence sent by the YLS Undergraduate Administrator on behalf of the Senior Advisor. 4. If you receive such a request, you must send a written explanation for your absence to the YLS Undergraduate Administrator within one week. Any written explanation will be copied to your Personal Advisor and placed on your student file. You may also find it helpful to arrange a meeting with your Personal Advisor to discuss your absence. 5. If your Personal Advisor is of the view that the explanation for your absence is satisfactory, the matter will be closed and a note to that effect will be placed on your student file. 6. If you do not respond to the request for an explanation for your absence within one week, or your Personal Advisor takes the view that your explanation is not satisfactory, your Personal Advisor may decide that it is appropriate (a) to inform other YLS staff including the Senior Advisor or Chair of the Board of Studies of your absence; and (b) to refer you to other relevant support services within the University. 7. If your unexplained absences persist, the Senior Advisor may seek an explanation for your persistent absences or require you to attend a further meeting to discuss your absences. If you do not attend this meeting or the explanation for your persistent absences is not satisfactory, the Senior Advisor may refer the matter to the Board of Studies. You should note that as a last resort, significant absence may lead to you being treated as having withdrawn from your programme of study. Any formal decision of the Board of Studies will be communicated to you as soon as is reasonably practicable. 8. This policy and procedure does not affect any of your rights under the University Regulations.

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ASSESSMENT
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED? YLS has a formal policy document, called the Written Statement on Assessment, which sets out how its processes of assessment are operated within the University Ordinances, regulations and guidelines, in accordance with Appendix A of the Guide to Assessment Policies and Procedures. This is available online at: http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/eto/exams/writtenst/writtenassessments.html. For the purposes of this handbook, Let us reassure you that we have taken great care to ensure that the assessment regime in YLS fits properly both with the subject-matter of your programme of study and with the kinds of Learning you are undertaking. We use assessment not just as a way of measuring your progress, but also as a way to help you learn. This means that your assessment will take forms that make sense in the context of your studies. Assessment also provides one of the most useful opportunities for us to give you feedback on your progress (see above). You can see the YLS policy on Feedback in the Written Statement on Assessment.

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METHODS OF ASSESSMENT You will receive information on modes of assessment, and what they actually mean in the context of YLS, in a separate document. You will also be able to access an assessment schedule which sets out deadlines for submission of assessed work. For now, you might be interested in the overall picture of how your performance in modules you will study in Year 1 will be assessed: Stream Criminal Law Introduction to Law and Society Legal Skills Obligations 1 Property Law 1 Public Law 1 Foundation Law and Society Assessment method Learning Portfolio (40%) Examination (60%) 2 Assessed Tasks: o Assessed Task 1 (30%) o Assessed Task 2 (70%) Learning Portfolio (80%) Moot (20%) Learning Portfolio (40%); Examination (60%) Learning Portfolio (40%) Examination (60%) Learning Portfolio (40%) Examination (60%)

Law and Practice Foundation Foundation Foundation

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MARKING CRITERIA Marking criteria for the various forms of assessment can be found in the Written Statement on Assessment available online HOW DO MY MARKS CONTRIBUTE TO MY PROGRESS AND MY DEGREE CLASSIFICATION As approved by University Teaching Committee, York Law School uses the following undergraduate mark scale: First-class Honours (a first) Upper second-class Honours (a two-one) Lower second-class Honours (a two-two) Third-class Honours (a third) Fail 70-100 60-69 50-59 40-49 0-39

PROGRESSION A student must satisfy the requirements of each stage of his/her programme (a stage is equivalent to a years full-time study) before progressing to the next stage. If a student does not meet the stage requirements s/he will be required to leave the University; s/he may be eligible for a Lower volume Award (see below). To progress from one stage to the next a student must achieve 120 credits as specified in the Programme Information. Credit will be awarded upon passing a modules summative assessment/s (but see below regarding compensation and reassessment). See above regarding the marking scheme. Every stage of a programme generates, alongside the profile of module marks, a creditweighted total mark that is carried forward to degree classification, as appropriate (see below), a process that occurs only if a student has met the progression requirements for each stage (see below). Final penalties arising from academic misconduct are subtracted at the point of degree classification; it is recognised that a student may meet the progression requirements for all stages but nonetheless fail the award for this reason. A student will only be considered for transfer to a different programme, if s/he has met the progression requirements plus any additional programme requirements relating to the new programme of study. This may entail having made particular module selections to meet

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PSRB (professional, Statutory or regulatory Body) or later pre-requisite requirements, where these are essential to meet the overall programme learning outcomes. Requests to transfer must be approved by the receiving department. AWARD REQUIREMENTS A University of York degree will only be awarded on the basis of credits accumulated as part of an approved programme of study. However, a student may be eligible for a Lower volume award than the award for which they are registered (for example, where they have Left the programme early or have not achieved the required credits), provided that they have met the requirements and are in good academic standing. These awards are generic University awards (for example, Certificate of Higher Education) and will only be recorded as having been passed. The University award requirements, applicable to this programme, are: Award Honours Degree (Hons) Credit Volume 360 Credit Levels At Least 100 credits at level H/6 (over stages 2 and 3) At Least 60 credits at level H/6 (over stages 2 and 3) At Least 90 credits at level I/5 (or Higher) At Least 90 credits at level C/4 (or Higher)

Ordinary Degree

300

Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)

240

120

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DEGREE CLASSIFICATION The bachelors honours is a classified degree. The mechanism for calculating degree classifications is as follows: Stage 1 marks are excluded from the classification calculation The mark, rounded to the nearest integer, is computed with the credit - weighted total marks for stages 2 and 3 weighted in the ratio of 2:3 The classification will be determined by the position of this mark on the University scale (see above) unless it Lies in the borderline region, defined as the two points below a classification boundary In borderline cases, the next higher classification will be awarded if, and only if, the mark, rounded to the nearest integer, with the credit - weighted total marks for stages 2 and 3 weighted in the ratio 1:1 OR 1:2 lies in a higher classification band. No further second order conditions will be applied. Final penalties arising from academic misconduct are subtracted at the point of degree classification; it is recognised that a student may meet the progression requirements for all stages but nonetheless fail the award for this reason. Ordinary degrees, Certificates and diplomas of Higher Education are not classified.

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MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES YLS attempts to ensure that students should not be unduly disadvantaged if their ability to undertake the academic work expected of them is affected by adverse circumstances which go beyond the normal difficulties of life. The University has a policy on Mitigating Circumstances and you will be able to access a separate document which sets out the policy and which gives further information about how it is applied in YLS. You should familiarise yourself with the policy.

Please note that you should inform your Personal Advisor or a member of the YLS Administrative Team as soon as is reasonably practicable if any circumstances are affecting your academic work or ability to prepare for, undertake or submit a required piece of assessment.

FAILURE AND APPEALS If you fail to meet the academic requirements of the programme you may be excluded from the programme. You will be given the opportunity to appeal against any exclusion. Details of the appeals procedures are available at: http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/sso/academic/scc/acappeals.html and http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/sso/academic/scc/acugappeals.html This right of appeal does not extend to challenging the examiners' judgement but may take mitigating circumstances into account. Further details on the academic requirements for progressing from stage to stage of the programme, and on degree classification, are set out in this handbook.

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COMPENSATION

Please be aware that irrespective of the University rules relating to compensation which are set out here, being compensated in certain law modules may affect your ability to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree (see Compensation and the Qualifying Law Degree below) If you pass a module with a mark of at Least 40% either at first sit or resit, you will not need to be compensated in it

In the following circumstances credit may be awarded for failed module(s) WHERE THE FAILURE IS COMPENSATED BY ACHIEVEMENT IN OTHER MODULE(S) In stage 1, if a student fails one or more modules (i.e., achieves a module mark below 40) in the stage s/he may still receive the credit for the failed module(s) and progress provided that: 1. s/he has failed no more than 40 credits, and 2. no module marks are Lower than 30, and 3. the rounded credit-weighted mean over all modules taken in the stage (including the failed module(s)) is at Least 40. In stage 2, if a student fails one or more modules (i.e., achieves a module mark below 40) in the stage s/he may still receive the credit for the failed module(s) and progress provided that: 1. s/he has failed no more than 40 credits, and 2. no module marks are Lower than 30, and 3. the rounded credit-weighted mean over all modules taken in the stage (including the failed module(s)) is at Least 40. In stage 3, if a student fails one or more modules s/he may still receive the credit and progress to classification provided that:

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1. s/he has failed no more than 40 credits, and 2. no module mark falls below the threshold for compensation appropriate for its level1, and 3. the rounded credit-weighted mean over all modules taken in the stage (including the failed module(s)) is at Least 40. COMPENSATION AND THE QUALIFYING LAW DEGREE Students should be aware that the compensation provisions described here relate to the award of a University Degree and that failure in modules that contribute to the qualifying Law Degree has serious implications regarding eligibility to undertake the legal Practice Course and Bar professional Training Course. The professional regulation requirements provide for Limited discretion to be exercised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or Bar Standards Board with regard to the marginal failure of one of the subjects which they refer to as the Foundation of legal knowledge. In YLS, the Foundations of legal knowledge are covered: 1. In the Foundation Stream 2. In other designated modules from the Law and Practice and Law and Society Streams For the purposes of this section of this Handbook, these modules are referred to as QLD-relevant modules. The QLD-relevant modules are: Foundation Stream: Year 1 Criminal law Year 1 Obligations 1 Year 1 Property Law 1 Year 1 Public Law 1 Year 2 Obligations 2 Year 2 Property Law 2 Year 3 Law of the European Union Year 3 Public Law 2

Law and Practice Stream

1

Year 1 Legal Skills Year 2 Advanced Legal Skills

For level C/4, I/5 and H/6 modules, the threshold for compensation is 30. For level M/7 modules, the threshold is 40.

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Law and Society Stream Year 1 Introduction to Law and Society Year 2 Professionalism and Ethics

As set out above, the University applies its own regulations governing compensation for failures and reassessment. The provisions for compensation for the purposes of the University award are more generous than the limited discretion afforded to the professional bodies. Accordingly, there are implications for students from the marginal failure of QLD-relevant modules which do not apply in relation to other modules

If a student fails one QLD-relevant module following reassessment and is permitted compensation for the purposes of the University Award, s/he will have to seek the exercise of discretion from the relevant professional body if they are to be exempted from the need to undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law prior to the Legal Practice, or Bar Vocational Course This discretion can only be exercised where There is failure in one (and one only) QLD-relevant module, and the mark obtained in that module is 35% or above Where more than one QLD-relevant module has been failed, the professional bodies will not have discretion to grant an exemption.

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SCENARIOS You should note at this stage that it would be possible to be eligible for compensation by the University, but not eligible for the exercise of discretion by the professional bodies. Consider the following scenarios:

Student A achieves a mark of 32% in Obligations 1 (a QLDrelevant module) after reassessment. Depending on his or her other marks, that students failure in Obligations 1 might be compensated by the University for the purposes of the Award of an LLB. However, the Professional bodies could not exercise their discretion in favour of that student because the mark is below 35%. Therefore Student A would NOT obtain a Qualifying law Degree

Student B achieves a mark of 38% in Public Law 1 and 37% in Criminal Law (both QLD-relevant modules) after reassessment. Depending on his or her other marks, those failures might be compensated by the University for the purposes of the Award of an LLB. However, the professional bodies could not exercise their discretion in favour of that student because there is more than one failure in a QLD-relevant subject. Therefore Student B would not obtain a Qualifying Law Degree

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ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT Producing work at University level requires you to comply with various rules and conventions to do with, for example, acknowledging the authors of sources which you have used, or producing a piece of assessed work individually rather than in collusion with others. YLS will work with you to help you to avoid breaking these rules. For example, you will learn in classes about what the rules mean; you will receive feedback on how well you are progressing with learning how to acknowledge authors; and you will undertake the Universitys online Academic Integrity tutorial. Further details will be issued, but you should note that you must complete this in order to progress from Stage 1 to Stage 2. You are responsible for ensuring that your work does not contravene the University's rules on academic misconduct which are set out the University's Assessment regulations at www.york.ac.uk/admin/aso/ordreg/r5.htm . The University takes a very serious view of such misconduct and penalties will be applied to students who attempt to mislead examiners. University Regulation 5.4 defines academic misconduct: The University regards any form of academic misconduct as an extremely serious matter. Candidates must not, in relation to assessed work at any stage in their course: Cheat i.e. Fail to comply with the rules governing examinations e.g. By making arrangements to have unauthorised access to information; Collude i.e. Assist another student to gain an advantage by unfair means, or receive such assistance; Fabricate i.e. Mislead the examiners by presenting work for assessment in a way which intentionally or recklessly suggests that factual information has been collected which has not in fact been collected, or falsifies factual information; Personate i.e. Act, appear, or produce work on behalf of another candidate in order to deceive the examiners, or solicit another individual to act, appear, or produce work on their own behalf; Plagiarise i.e. Incorporate within their work without appropriate acknowledgment material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of another.

In relation to plagiarism, appropriate acknowledgment requires both that direct quotations are placed in quotation marks (or other convention, as defined in Departmental regulations) and that sources are fully attributed. The penalties for academic misconduct will depend on the seriousness of the offence. Students found guilty of academic misconduct may, for example, have their degree class

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reduced, fail their degree or be asked to leave the University. If you have any queries about what constitutes academic misconduct, and in particular about the proper attribution of material derived from another's work, you should seek advice from your personal Advisor or another member of staff. Let us stress again that York Law School will work with you to help you to learn to act with what is sometimes known as academic integrity, thereby avoiding academic misconduct. Further details on academic misconduct can be found in the Written Statement on Assessment. Unacknowledged use of material from the Internet also constitutes plagiarism.

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REASSESSMENT In stages 1 and 2, where a student fails modules and the progression requirement for the stage cannot be met by application of the compensation rules, the student is entitled to reassessment in a maximum of 90 credits-worth of failed modules (per stage) provided that they have failed no more than 90 credits in that stage with no more than 50 credits-worth of outright fail marks in that stage (i.e., module marks less than 30). In stage 3, where a student fails modules and the award requirements for the stage cannot be met by application of the compensation rules, the student is entitled to reassessment in a maximum of 40 credits-worth of failed modules provided that they have failed no more than 40 credits. If, following the application of the compensation rules, a student has not met the overall progression or award requirements then they may be reassessed in modules for which potentially compensatable marks have already been achieved. This will simply be an opportunity (not a requirement). Reassessment in modules for which compensatable marks have already been achieved is simply an opportunity (not a requirement) for those who have not met the progression or award requirements. A student may only be reassessed in a particular module on one occasion. The following conditions apply to the treatment of marks after reassessment: A) progression decisions following reassessment are made using the better of the original and reassessment marks for each failed module; B) following progression, however, where the original credit-weighted mean did not meet the progression requirement, the credit -weighted total mark (see above) for the stage is capped to the Lowest value consistent with the mean mark criterion for that stage; C) following progression, where the original credit-weighted mean has already met the progression requirement, the original credit-weighted total mark for the stage can stand. Where a student is not permitted a reassessment opportunity (i.e., cannot meet the specified progression requirements through reassessment as defined above) and there are no mitigating circumstances s/he will usually be discontinued.

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SUPPORT
From time to time at University, things may not always go according to plan. For when this happens, the YLS and the University of York have a wide and varied support network. The starting point in YLS for queries relating to support should be your Personal Advisor. The University provides an extensive student support network. Each college has a welfare team which includes the Provost and a college Dean who has special responsibility for student welfare. In addition, the Student Support Office provides students with quick and easy access to various sources of help and advice on all aspects of Life as a student. Services available include counselling and advice on Personal problems Academic study Disabilities General health issues including stress Childcare Equal opportunities Accommodation Council tax Finance Grants and benefits Student Loans Immigration Legal problems Disciplinary matters Careers

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LIBRARY SUPPORT

Academic Departments each have and Academic Liaison Librarian (ALL). The ALL for Law are Alison Kaye and Clare Ackerley. Library and research skills training, including specialist training in using on-Line legal research databases, e.g. Westlaw, Hein online and LEXIS/NEXIS form an integral part of your programme of study. Research skills are developed throughout the programme. THE OPEN DOOR TEAM (see http://www.york.ac.uk/opendoor/) The Open Door Team provides a single point of access for any student experiencing emotional, psychological or mental health difficulties The team provides: initial consultation Short term help for specific issues Signposting or referral to other services Case co-ordination

Students continue to have the option of discussing concerns with their college welfare team or supervisor / personal Advisor. The Open Door team is part of the Student Support Office. You can contact the Open Door team by email: opendoor@york.ac.uk or by telephone on (01904) 433698.

IT SUPPORT You will be given a computer username and password on registration. These provide access to some University of York electronic resources, and, on campus, PC workstations (including e-mail and internet access). IT support is provided by IT Services and underpinned by a University-wide programme known as ILIAD (Information Literacy in ALL Departments). ILIAD is an extra- curricular Learning programme designed to help you maintain or acquire computer skills in the retrieval, management and presentation of information. You can study a taught 10-hour course or use materials supplied for independent study. The University examines the courses and is able to provide certification of students' results.

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The use of IT is integrated into the LL.B Programme in various ways with students being introduced to basic word-processing, presentation and project management software as part of Year 1 and 2 modules.

DISABLED STUDENT SUPPORT The Law school is committed to equal opportunities and believes that, if you have a disability, you should have access to the full range of academic, cultural and social activities which are on offer. We will do everything possible to meet both your general needs for access and your specific needs if you wish to benefit from these activities and it will take positive action to allow you to play the fullest part in the Universitys life. It will ensure that you are adequately and appropriately consulted about your needs and that your views are taken into account. The Law School Departmental Disability officer is Louise Prendergast, who is based in room LMB/281 and can be contacted on (01904) 325810 or by email on louise.prendergast@york.ac.uk. The University's Manager of Disability Services is Penn Snowden. Tel: (01904) 432637 E-mail: disabilityservices@york.ac.Uk Website:http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/disability/. The dyslexia Support Tutor can be reached on (01904) 434785

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS The international Student Support web pages can be found at http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/sso/international/index.html this will provide you with advice, information, news and publications. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ASSOCIATION: The International Students Association (ISA) is a student body that represents the specific interests of international students at York. ALL international students, undergraduate and postgraduate (including students from the EU), are automatically members of the ISA, which is jointly financed by YUSU and the GSA. The ISA office is Located in the first floor of Wentworth college. See the ISA website at http://isayork.wo rdpress.com/.

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MEDICAL ADVICE Most students register with the University health Centre but you are free to register with other medical practitioners if you prefer. If you have a medical problem that affects your attendance or performance then it is your responsibility to inform the departmental Office and provide a medical certificate. The University health Centre is familiar with the procedure. If you change your medical practitioner, then please inform the office so that we can keep your records up to date.

DATA PROTECTION AND USE OF COMPUTERS The University collects information about students for administrative, academic, statutory and health and safety reasons. It conforms with the Data Protection Act 1998 in its collection, processing and disclosure of personal data. It cannot operate effectively without processing information about you and requires your consent to do so. Your signature on your student registration form gives your agreement to the processing of your personal data for any purposes connected with your registration with the University, your health and safety or for any other legitimate reason. Further information on Data Protection issues can be found at www.york.ac.uk/ admin/dpc. REGULATIONS FOR USE OF COMPUTING FACILITIES These regulations apply to all computer users (staff, students, associates, and those persons explicitly authorised) of the University of York, using equipment provided either by the University (centrally or departmentally) or personally (when used for University purposes or on University-managed premises). Guidelines to the Regulations are available. See www.york.ac.uk/admin/aso/ordreg/r11.html.

HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE In respect of Health, Safety and Welfare, Students: Shall at all times, whilst they are on University premises or taking part in University activities, follow the Health, Safety and Welfare Policy and comply with any health and safety instructions given to them by the University, its Departments, the Students' Union, Athletic Union, Graduate Students Association or Overseas Students' Association.

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Shall not, without the consent of the member of staff in charge of the area or activity, introduce any equipment for use on University premises, alter any fixed installations, alter or remove health and safety notices or equipment, or otherwise take any action which may create hazards for persons using the premises or employees of the University. Shall not, intentionally or recklessly, interfere with or misuse anything provided by the University in the interests of health, safety or welfare.

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CAREERS
The University of York and YLS are able to provide support in relation to your career choices. There is support both in relation to non-legal careers as there is for legal careers. CAREERS SERVICE The University of Yorks Careers Service is the universitys dedicated careers centre, and is the first port of call for most students seeking careers advice. The Service offers 15-minute sessions, as well as longer slots should that be necessary. Benefits of the Careers Service include the annual careers fairs as well as being able to find you work experience in the local community and even practice job interviews. For more info on the Careers Service, visit: http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/careers/ THE LAW SOCIETY The University of York is renowned nationally for its huge selection of student-run societies (for more information, check out http://www.yusu.org/societies). One of these is the evergrowing Law Society, consisting of both law and non-law students. For more on the Law Society, the current President, Kris McGee (a third year law student) had this to say: Hello! My name is Kris McGee and Im the new President of the University of York Law Society. The Law Society is now in its fifth year founded in 2007 by two history undergraduates. Five years on, with the first intake of law students at York in 2008, the Law Society is now one of the largest societies on campus and definitely one of the more active societies. We have something for everyone in this society; from workshops headed by professionals from some of the top law firms in the world to fantastic nights out with plenty of free food and drink! We hope to provide you with an unprecedented number of opportunities with bigger and better social events for the budding socialite and more interactive and beneficial workshops and presentations for the career-focused student. Throughout the year, we will be visited by a multitude of firms, who will be coming into the University and putting on workshops for you to learn and develop essential skills such as negotiation and interview skills, as well as presentations on their firms and the legal job market. So if you want to boost your CV or win a summer vacation scheme, make sure LawSoc is YourSoc for careers!

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Frequently Asked Questions:

WHAT TIME IS THE LAW SCHOOL OPEN AND WHERE CAN I WORK IF ITS SHUT? Under current regulations, the Law School is open from 9am until 5pm, Monday to Friday. The Law and Management Building (including the PBL area) is open from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, there are plenty of other spaces to work, both on Heslington East and on the Main Campus. The Ron Cooke Hub is a space where you can work at the weekend, and there is a list of Study Spaces online: http://www.york.ac.uk/library/servicesandfacilities/studying/universitystudyspaces/

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT IF I HAVE A PROBLEM? Your first port of call should be your Personal Advisor, for general queries. If you have a problem that is specific to a module, then email the module leader (see contact details at the front of this handbook). If you are not sure who to contact, either email your Personal Advisor or one of the Law School Administrators.

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MAPS AND GETTING AROUND

The University of York is split up into two separate sites; Heslington West and Heslington East. York Law School is located on the smaller Heslington East site. Heslington East is approximately a ten to fifteen minute walk from main campus, which is where the majority of first year accommodation is. Goodricke college is currently the only college to have accommodation on Heslington East, with Langwith college due to move to Heslington East by October 2012. BUSES Around campus, there are two main services that you will use; the FirstYork Number 4 and the Unibus 44. Each of these buses runs a free campus hopper service, which takes you from Heslington East to Wentworth college (and vice versa) free of charge. Both buses continue into the town centre and to the railway station, with return tickets costing 2. Both services also offer discounted prices if you wish to purchase a ticket for a week, term or year.

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