Contract Law

Module title	Contract Law
Module code	LAW2004C
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Janet Keliher (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	12	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	170

Module description

So much of everyday life is regulated by a contract: for example, buying food, or a train ticket, renting a house, or getting a job. Contract also regulates multi-million pound transactions: for example, the corporate take-over of another company, building a new factory, or commissioning a container ship. Knowledge of contract law is empowering in helping us to understand these transactions and resolve disputes. It is a central part of the law of the England and Wales and is currently prescribed by the governing bodies of the professions (solicitors and barristers) as a foundation subject for a qualifying law degree. In this module, you will explore the process of making a contract, examine the terms of the contract and learn about what happens when a contract is broken or comes to an end.. The emphasis of this module will be on applying the rules and principles of contract law in context to real-life cases, considering the impact of contractual arrangements in the context of the sustainability and on developing the skills to make, use and enforce contracts.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module primarily examines the law of contract in a commercial and organisational setting.

The module aims:

(a) To allow you to develop a detailed understanding of the different aspects of law of contract;

(b) To encourage you to think practically in this field, and apply the legal rules and principles you have learned to specific situations, and;

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. demonstrate a detailed understanding of the main areas of the English law of contract
2. demonstrate skills necessary to the conduct of contractual negotiations
3. demonstrate an awareness of the impact of contractual arrangements in the context of sustainability

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. collect, synthesise and apply legal knowledge to a problem / case study to inform a choice of solutions

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

6. demonstrate commercial awareness and understanding of your personal responsibilities and of professional codes of conduct in relation to client management

Syllabus plan

Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:

Formation of Contract (Formal Requirements; Offer and Acceptance)
Consideration
Intention to create legal relations
Certainty
Privity of contract
Terms of the contract and the interpretation of terms
Exclusion clauses
Green contracts
Performance and breach
Misrepresentation
Mistake
Unequal bargaining (duress; undue influence; unconscionable bargain)
Frustration
Illegality
Remedies
Negotiation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
53	247	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	18	12 x 1.5 hour lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	16	8 x 2 hour seminars
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	9	Workshop activities
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	4	4 x 1 hour skills preparation meetings
Guided Independent Study	60	Lecture preparation
Guided Independent Study	120	Seminar and workshop preparation
Guided Independent Study	7	Formative essay preparation
Guided Independent Study	60	Summative assessment preparation
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	6	Challenge Event

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Oral contributions during seminars and workshops	11 x 2 hours and workshop time	1-6	Immediate feedback from self, peers and tutor
Multiple choice questions	500 to 1000 words	1	Individual indicative mark and individual written feedback, with supplementary oral feedback available. General comments given in a lecture or on ELE.

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
20	80	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Skills reflection	20	Reflective commentary of 1000 words on development of skills during the module	2,3,5	Individual written feedback, with supplementary oral feedback available. General comments given in a lecture or on ELE.
Exam	80	3 hour in-person exam	1,4	Individual written feedback, with supplementary oral feedback available. General comments given in a lecture or on ELE.

	0
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Exam	Exam (3 hours, in-person)	1,4	August/September reassessment period
Skills Reflection	Skills Reflection (1000 word commentary)	2,3,5	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

1. Richard Stone and James Devenney, The Modern Law of Contract 14^th ed (Routledge, 2022 )

2. Ewan McKendrick, Contract Law: Texts Cases amd Materials 10^th ed (OUP 2022)

3. Mindy Chen-Wishart, Contract Law 7^th ed (OUP, 2022)

4. Elizabeth Macdonald and Ruth Atkins, Koffman and Macdonald ‘s Law of Contract 10^th ed (OUP, 2022 )

Key words search

Law, contract, negotiation, sustainability

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	03/04/2018
Last revision date	27/05/2022