The Student Room Group

This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Jurisprudence at Oxford

When looking through the course details, I've noticed that Jurisprudence is only one module out of many. So why exactly is the course called that?

Scroll to see replies

To be pretentious and different, basically.
Reply 2
Avatar for trina
trina
1
Yup, I'm an oxford student and I can't really argue with Lewis.
The course is considered to be more about accademic theory and less practical than courses at similar institutions (including cambridge). If you look at the course structure you'll see there's relatively little flexibility as well.
But, it's a great course and I think I would have chosen the modules which are compulsory at Oxford but aren't compulsory for a qualifying law degree as optional extras anyway (except Roman law which has been changed anyway now) as they give you a broad insight into the subject.
I think it probably does contain more theoretical aspects than other coruses, I dont understand why you would ever need to study Roman Law and that is what puts me off courses where it is compulsory, it just seems useless to me. Other than that you can probably choose electives which aren't that theoretical if you dont want to do that, once you clear the compulsory modules (dunno the oxford system too well but im guessing thats the case). Anyway, wherever you go there will be the chance to undertake modules which i hate such as "Modern Legal Theory" or theoretical foundations of stuff.... I do a max of one of these just to add soemthing different to my moduels, either that or a public law module ... both of these are too wishy washy for the way i think and too full of rubbish for me!!
Jurisprudence has two meanings. Broadly, it means wisdom about law. That is what the degree programme as a whole teaches you. Narrowly, it means the philosophy of law. That is what you learn on the module.
Yeah ... but every course does that! Doesn't explain why oxford pompously call their LAW degree jurispurdence.
Lewis-HuStuJCR
I dont understand why you would ever need to study Roman Law and that is what puts me off courses where it is compulsory, it just seems useless to me.


My friends who are doing law tell me that having studied Roman Law is useful when they later study Contracts, Land Law and EU Law. Remember that the European Court of Justice is based on a Roman/Civilian law model. This is because the 6 founding nations of the EEC/EC had legal systems derived from Roman Law.

In addition, Scotland, Japan , China, Germany, France, Russia South Africa and most of the rest of the world have Roman Law derived legal systems. Even in the USA, Lousiana has a Roman Law derived system.

Common Law based systems are actually in the minority, both in terms of the number of countries and the number of citizens living under them.

Lewis-HuStuJCR
Yeah ... but every course does that! Doesn't explain why oxford pompously call their LAW degree jurispurdence.


I understand that the Oxford law course has a lot more theory and philosophy integrated into every subject than law programs at most other universities (including Cambridge )

However, the main reason the law degree is called jurisprudence is historical. Once, studying "law" was seen as akin to studying bricklaying or woodworking, ie: not worthy of a university. Once the primary law training shifted from the Inns of Court to the universities, the program became more theoretical and less narrowly vocational.
Thats an even worse and more pretentious reason ... so what Oxford are saying is that since it used to be seen as vocational its not good enough for them but its good enough for every other uni in the country, including cambridge who consistently are regarded as better than them for law? Thats ridiculous.

I accept that Roman Law may have some purpose, but I reckon its benefits are extremely thin when studying those other subjects you mentioed ... after all you can pick all the stuff up pretty quickly anyway.
Ur hilarious ... but yeah I did misread your post a little bit. I take it you attend oxford, you have a high enough level of self loving and disrespect for the opinions of others who do well at other institutions.

since you so obviously not suitable for any challenging courses.


I think you need to revise your grammar ... jackass.
You really don't like the Oxford Law course do you Lewisy-boy!
I quite like the fact that the BA is called Jurisprudence, I like the Latin name for it actually- Jverisprudentiae (something like that anyway).
Its written on one of the entrances in the Bodleian Library.

Anyway, I don't think that this is Oxford being 'pretentious'. I think of it as a tradition and see nothing wrong with it and neither should you Lewisy-boy.
If you were to refer to the 'Oxford law course' people would still not what you are referring to!
Reply 10
Avatar for Dreama
Dreama
13
*Attempts to stop the argument*

http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/jurisprudence/ba.shtml

"However the reference to jurisprudence in the name of the degree is more than just an historical quirk. First, it remains the ethos of the Oxford law degree that, when breadth of study would come at the expense of depth, depth is to be preserved. Thus all legal studies in Oxford are apt to have a relatively jurisprudential - that is to say reflective, questioning, philosophical - flavour. Secondly, and more relevantly to this web site, all students on the BA programme are required to take the FHS Jurisprudence course, a course specifically in the philosophy of law..."

It seems it's the approach to the degree that's relevant here... And if we're all honest, they can call it whatever they like.

And they do an optional module in Ethics which I want to do more than anything... *sighs* :frown:
It was never in dispute that they place more of an emphasis on stuff like that but I dont see why they need to call their degree soemthing different. I am sure that all courses place emphasis on differnt things but you dont see them being called "Black Letter Law" do you now? I also dont like this BA thing, they even give BAs for science undergrad from what I am lead to believe...

but hey, if you enjoy the philosophy of law etc then so be it, personally I think thats the worst bit! My entire ramblings are dictated by my avid dislike for this field, and the focus of the oxford course to it, which is why I would never want to go there as an undergrad :P. just not my thing.
Reply 12
Avatar for Dreama
Dreama
13
Lewis-HuStuJCR
It was never in dispute that they place more of an emphasis on stuff like that but I dont see why they need to call their degree soemthing different. I am sure that all courses place emphasis on differnt things but you dont see them being called "Black Letter Law" do you now? I also dont like this BA thing, they even give BAs for science undergrad from what I am lead to believe...

but hey, if you enjoy the philosophy of law etc then so be it, personally I think thats the worst bit!


Well you obviously aren't a fan... :smile:

But you must remember that they can call it what they like, it is a BA, and some people do favour a more Philosophical approach...
Reply 13
Avatar for nadezhda
nadezhda
fundamentally
Wrong.
Try reading my post again.

Your comprehension skills are rather limited.
I do not think that you need to worry your little head about the differences between Oxbridge Law and other universities, since you so obviously not suitable for any challenging courses.


Firstly, If you are able to read "Jurisprudence" at Oxbridge then this is worthy of congratulations.

However if you read Law at another institution, I do not believe it is fair to consider this as "less challenging" ...it's just different.

That's my opinion, for what it's worth :rolleyes: :biggrin:
Regards
A common view here on the TSR: Universities should all adopt broadly similar approaches, conventions, procedures, objectives, etc., and offer broadly similar student experiences, accommodation, modules, etc.

But why? We are not the NHS. We are all independent organisations operating in a diverse and somewhat segmented country. You should no more expect us to work and think the same way than you would expect Tesco to be like a traditional French market, or either of them to be like Harrods.
Jeez, it's just a name for the course...

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" :stupido:

(heh, ill show myself out:getmecoat)
Reply 16
Avatar for Marcods
Marcods
It's the snob factor. Its why people go to Oxford in the first place. Its why they wear those stupid gowns every moment they can. Its why they have formal dinners and suchlike.

You don't go to Oxford to be the same as everywhere else.
Lewis-HuStuJCR
but hey, if you enjoy the philosophy of law etc then so be it, personally I think thats the worst bit!


Well, law at Oxford is then unlikely to make you happy.
Of course, you then miss out on the best Philosophy and Jurisprudence departments in the english speaking world.

Shrugs..

BTW, do you realise that the John Gardner posting in this thread is an eminent professor of legal philosophy at Oxford and Yale ?
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~lawf0081/index.htm
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~lawf0081/cv.pdf
what the hell is philosophy of law anyway?
like the theory of why we have laws, what their function in society is, how they achieve this (or not) ... jurisprudence is like the theory behind law, but having not studied anything like that (or absolutely definately not wanting to) I cant be more accurate than that.

infact, I could be totally wrong in what I just wrote!

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you