Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description

English Language in Law

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
VC_002
Branch of Science
Languages and Literature
ECTS
6.00
Target Audience
Juridical Science
LQF
Level 6
Study Type And Form
Full-Time; Part-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Structure Unit Manager
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To develop students’ communication skills for use in academic and professional settings and to facilitate the acquisition of professional terminology for productive use.

Preliminary Knowledge

Knowledge of the English language at secondary school level.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.As a result of successful acquisition of the study course, the students will: • recognize legal terminology in oral speech and in printed texts; • be able to interpret the content of common legal documents and to translate few of them from/into the Latvian language; • describe various phenomena related to the field of law using professional terminology.

Skills

1.As a result of a successful acquisition of the study course, the students will be able to: • organize and participate in formal online events; • use legal terminology for preparation of presentations and other speeches associated with professional activities as well as in writing; • constructively express their thoughts and opinions on a specific topic related to law; • create and deliver academic presentations; • engage in business correspondence; • draft documents necessary for job interviews; • translate common legal documents to/from the Latvian language into English.

Competences

1.As a result of successful acquisition of the study course, the students will practically use the acquired terminology in studies and in various situations associated with their area of expertise.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Individual work

-
-
Individual work, work in pairs, explanation of terms, preparation of summaries, translations.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Examination

-
-
• active participation in practical training, timely submitted self-assessment tests, and home assignments on e-studies; • presentations in pairs or individually, one in each semester; the student shows his/her ability to use legal terminology, avoid making stylistic, grammar and pronunciation errors, create an academic presentation and deliver the presentation both in person or online. • test at the end of the semester I – evaluating the acquired terminology knowledge and the ability to use it in a context; • exam at the end of the semester II – evaluating the terminology knowledge and its practical use, the general understanding of the text and specific information, the use of written language and the ability to translate. The final grade for the course is made up of: attendance of classes – 5%, home assignments – 20%, presentations – 20%, exam/final test – 50%, optional criteria (attitude, activity, achievement dynamics) – 5%.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Netiquette
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Systems
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Systems
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Sources
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Court System (Latvia, Great Britain, USA)
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Court System (Latvia, Great Britain, USA)
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

The Court System of the European Union
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Grammar 1: Revision of Tenses and Punctuation
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Grammar 1: Revision of Tenses and Punctuation
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Career
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Career
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

CV and Motivation Letter
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

CV and Motivation Letter
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Business Correspondence
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Business Correspondence
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Business Correspondence
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Presentation Skills
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Presentation Skills
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Presentation Skills
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
36 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Test (Semester)
Part 2
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Translating Legal Documents
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Translating Legal Documents
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Translating Legal Documents
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Grammar 2: Use of Passive and Active Voice, Direct Speech, Conditional Sentences in Legal Texts
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Administrative Procedure Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Administrative Procedure Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Criminal Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Criminal Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Criminal Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Grammar 3: Use of Articles, Prepositions, Modal Verbs and Phrasal verbs in Legal Texts
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Grammar 3: Use of Articles, Prepositions, Modal Verbs and Phrasal verbs in Legal Texts
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Public Speaking and Debating
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Public Speaking and Debating
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
36 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam
PART-TIME
Part 1
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Systems
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal Sources
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Court System (Latvia, Great Britain, USA)
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Business Correspondence
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Translating Legal Documents
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Civil Law: Family Law, Inheritance Law, Property Law, Employment Law
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Criminal Law
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
6.00
Contact hours:
18 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Borchardt Klaus-Dieter. The ABC of EU Law. Publications office of the EU, 2017

2.

Brieger Nick. Test Your Professional English: Law. Penguin English Guides, 2002

3.

G. D. Brown, S. Rice. Professional English in Use Law. Cambridge University Press, 2007

Additional Reading

1.

Bastiat Frederic. The Law. 2008

2.

Pound Roscoe. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Law. 2010

3.

Walsh, K., W. The Legal English Manual (2.ed.). Lawbility, Ltd. 2017

Other Information Sources