Canadian Constitutional Law in Comparative Perspective (M3078)

15 credits, Level 5

Spring teaching

The distinctive nature and history of the Canadian state, along with its unique constitutional arrangements, make it an interesting case study and a useful comparator in the field of constitutionalism.

On this module, you'll be introduced to the history, structures, sources, and nature of the Canadian Constitution. You'll explore:

• the distinctive history of Canadian constitutional arrangements
• the development of Canadian constitutional literature and its contribution to discussions on constitutionalism and difference
• the context of multi-national Canadian democracy as a case study in constitutional contestation
• how this context has influenced the structure of the Canadian state, including Canadian federalism
• constitutional change in Canada
• the adjudication of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) through the courts.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 30 hours of contact time and about 120 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.