The aim of this course is to bring students from a background of diverse A-level (and similar) syllabuses to a uniform level of confidence and competence in...

Mathematical Methods for Arts and Sciences (MATH0012)

The aim of this course is to bring students from a background of diverse A-level (and similar) syllabuses to a uniform level of confidence and competence in basic calculus, a subject which is of basic importance not only in most areas of mathematics, but also in science in general. It is designed for BASc students, and covers topics with an eye kept on both the other first year modules and the options available further down students' chosen pathways. The course covers complex numbers, standard functions of a real variable, methods of integration and an introduction to ordinary differential equations, as well as introductions to partial differentiation and Fourier series. Each topic is given a formal treatment and illustrated by examples of varying degrees of difficulty. It is intended that the approach to the subject matter should also stimulate those with an extensive A-level background. It is a demanding course, intending to bring students to a level where they are able to join courses offered by departments in the MAPS faculty with the rest of that department's cohort.

This innovative module explores the crucial role judges and courts play in the modern state, and it provides students with a unique opportunity to...

Judges, Courts and Judicial Decision-Making (LAWS0312)

This innovative module explores the crucial role judges and courts play in the modern state, and it provides students with a unique opportunity to understand what it is like to be a judge, how judges make decisions, what skills they require and what pressures and controversies they face.

The foundation of the course is Judicial Studies: the empirical study of judicial decision-making, which incorporates law-related scholarship from other disciplines such as political science, psychology, economics and neuroscience.  The module looks at the foundations of the empirical understanding of how and why judges make decisions.  It covers the judicial role; how judges are selected; what skills are required to be a good judge; how representative the judiciary is; how judges are trained and develop their careers; and the future of judging in a digital world. It is an active participatory module, where students gain first-hand experience of judicial decision-making through a series of Hands-On Judicial Decision-Making Seminars including the opportunity to act as judges in different types of cases.  Leading judges and experts share their knowledge with students through the course's Special Judicial Guest Seminars.  And when it is possible to arrange, students have the opportunity to attend court proceedings