| Unit name | Land Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD20002 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Mr. Sheldon |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Land Law is a fundamental part of the common law, and of any law degree. The system of Land Law in England and Wales governs the distribution of rights to use, deal with, and be present upon, land. Rights over land are important socially, politically and economically, and understanding how they are conceptualised, structured, acquired and regulated is one of the key skills of any competent lawyer, as well as being a benefit to citizens in general. This unit gives students the opportunity to become familiar with both the technical, ‘black-letter’, rules of Land Law and also the controversies and debates with regard to the distribution and extent of individuals’ rights over land.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is a compulsory I/5 unit. It builds upon the skills acquired in first year, especially those involved in reading and applying cases and statutes, and adds further sophistication in problem-solving (through the examination of multi-party and mixed-issue problem questions) as well as further critical analysis (through consideration of discursive essay questions on controversial areas of the law). Land Law is a good preparation for, or companion, to Trusts, and gives students useful insights into the trust device, in its application to land. Parts of Land Law are also useful for those wishing to study or practice in a range of other areas, from Housing Law, through Environmental Law, to more commercial subjects.
An overview of content
This unit considers the law relating to land in England and Wales. Over the course of the unit, students will examine the range of rights that may exist in land, and their durability, along with the rules governing potential conflicts between such rights. Topics covered include: formalities, land registration, leases and licences, concurrent interests and co-ownership, informally acquired interests; and other interests in land.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Students who complete the work for this unit will obtain a basic understanding of property law, especially with regard to land, so that they are equipped to understand and apply the distinct conceptual tools deployed in Land Law and the particular applications of legal reasoning associated with it, notably in terms of statutory interpretation and close reading of cases.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, a successful student will be able to:
You will be able to cover the syllabus for Land Law, and achieve the Learning Objectives through appropriate engagement with:
These methods of learning combine to produce the best preparation for the summative timed assessment tasks.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Seminars will include questions in both essay and problem format, which are of a similar nature to those contained in the summative tasks. These will build in level of complexity over the course of the unit. The written formative task will continue building students towards the final summative tasks, by giving them the opportunity to submit a piece of written work, either a problem question or an essay, of 1,000 words. This is designed to hone students’ ability to express themselves precisely and efficiently, within a word limit. It will be set and marked half way through the unit, to give students ample time to improve on any weaknesses in their understanding or technique, and students will receive individual written feedback on it, as well as general feedback from the unit co-ordinator.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
The unit mark will be the mark achieved in the timed assessment. The timed assessment will require students to answer two questions, including at least one problem question. Each answer will have a maximum length of 1,500 words (3,000 words overall). This assessment examines all Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit.
When assessment does not go to plan
A student who fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWD20002).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
