| Unit name | Law of Contract |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0061 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Mike Blitz |
| 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?
Contracts are all around us, and it would be impossible to survive in society without them. They allocate rights and set out consequences. This is notionally on the basis that we agree to them, although in reality this is often far from the case. In many ways, contracts are the bedrock of a functioning (and perhaps even a “fair”) society and economy.
It’s not therefore surprising that the law of contract must grapple with many of the same philosophical, ethical and economic issues that arise in society as a whole - for example the relative values of autonomy, protection, efficiency and accountability.
In this context, the law of contract must seek to provide clear and predictable answers to complex, nuanced, and often unpredictable problems. This is a highly marketable commodity, and is (at least in theory) the reason that many international organisations choose to govern their relationship using English contract law.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The law of contract is one of the key aspects of “private law” - i.e. how the law regulates relationships between individuals. You will study the other key aspects of private law later in the MA programme, alongside aspects of “public” law whereby the relationship between the individual and state is regulated.
Many of the specifically regulated relationships between individuals, which you may study in your optional units, build on the core principles we will study.
Contract law is a core subject for a foundational degree in law, one of the ways you can progress towards qualification as a legal professional in England and Wales. This is a core unit on the Law (MA) programme and can also be chosen by students on LLM programmes who have not previously studied English law.
An overview of content
We will study the lifecycle of a contract - how it comes into existence, what issues might arise in its performance, and the circumstances in which parties may be released from their obligations. Throughout we will look at the fundamental principles the law is seeking to uphold, and whether the law is successful in doing so.
This unit will introduce you to the key legal skills of case reading and analysis, doctrinal analysis, and answering problem questions.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will gain a thorough and nuanced understanding of English contract law at a granular and systemic level. You also will become confident in understanding and reflecting on the reasoning in decided cases, and examining their potential shortcomings. Finally, you will be able to develop your knowledge and analysis into persuasive, well-reasoned arguments in response to novel propositions and factual scenarios.
You will become comfortable with uncertainty and nuance, and be able to identify the certainty with which you are able to reach any particular conclusion.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Unit, you will be able to:
The unit will include lectures, large group sessions and seminars. These activities will typically take place on campus.
You will be directed to the materials you will need to review and the questions you need to prepare in advance of these sessions, which may comprise narrated videos, extracts from academic textbooks, cases and academic articles. This preparation is self-directed.
Seminar teaching is based around discussion, application and critical analysis of the materials, with students expected to contribute to discussion and engage in peer-to-peer learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Your seminars will engage with both the substantive content and the skills required to answer problem questions and essay questions. You will be asked to prepare and discuss answers to questions similar in style and content to those in the summative assessment. You will have immediate feedback through peer discussion and oral feedback from academic staff.
A formative assessment will take place midway through the unit in which will be a short-form version of aspects of the summative assessment. You will receive individual written feedback alongside cohort feedback (the latter typically during a lecture). There will be the opportunity in seminars to practise those aspects of the summative assessment not covered in the formative assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The summative assessment assesses all Intended Learning Outcomes.
This will be a Timed Assessment in which you will be required to answer (i) a short set of MCQs, (ii) a previously seen essay question (1,500 words) and (iii) one question from a small selection of unseen problem questions (1,500 words).
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis with new assessment questions.
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. LAWDM0061).
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.
