General transferable skills: University of Exeter

(Transcript of a section of the General transferable skills report, 1998)

Strategy and target group (academic)

Throughout skills teaching it is emphasised that the general vocational skills can relate to both non legal and legal careers. The skills are integrated in the substantive law subjects and are also dealt with in workshops where students are given the opportunity to participate in negotiation, report writing exercises and so on. The course is geared to other professions in terms of emphasising the transferability and vocational nature of skills students learn.

Specific skills module or integration of skills?

Skills are integrated into substantive law modules rather than a specific skills module, but are identified and specifically addressed through individual courses. While the workshops deal specifically with skills, but they are developed primarily in context of the substantive law. Assessment of these workshops is used in borderline cases at the end of the year and in termly student assessments.

Learning support

University wide support comes in the form of a study skills and language study centre both of which have close links with the department. Workshops provide students with an opportunity to go through problems generally. There are also problem skills classes, both large and small where students are asked to prepare problems in advance and are discussed generally. More substantive problems are dealt with by their personal tutor/lecturer. Students are given feedback in the first year so problems can be identified.

Specific skills

Compulsory negotiation and client interviewing course. Over a three week period at the end of term all first and second years participate in a client interviewing and negotiations course. This develops students communication, group work, professional responsibility and reasoning skills through role play exercises.

As a pre-runner to the workshops students demonstrate their report writing and teamwork abilities through the group development programme run for all first years as part of their skills development.

Last Modified: 30 June 2010