Unit name | Advanced Obligations |
---|---|
Unit code | LAWD20048 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. McCunn |
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?
This unit builds on your previous studies of tort and contract law. It introduces you to a range of advanced issues in the law of tort, contract and unjust enrichment in order to develop your understanding of the law of obligations more broadly. The unit explores topics that are crucial for legal practice, and is specifically designed to draw out the ways in which they relate to each other in the real world. You will also use a variety of analytical methods in order to gain a broader perspective on the law of obligations. You will assess the theoretical foundations of the law; compare English law to the law of other jurisdictions; and evaluate and critique the current state of the law.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is an optional unit which follows and expands on the core Law of Tort: Liability for Negligence and Law of Contract units in Year 1. You can choose to study it if you are particularly interested in tort and contract law or related fields, and would like to know more about them and how they operate in practice. It also acts as a bridge to units in your final year, and, in particular, offers a foundation for students wishing to write an Independent Research Project on the law of obligations.
An overview of content
This unit will introduce you to advanced issues in obligations law, as well as new ways to think about the law. This will include the analysis of comparative and historical materials; empirical and socio-legal research; and theoretical and critical literature. You will also consider how the relationship between legal doctrines plays out across a range of problem scenarios in legal practice.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will deepen your knowledge of obligations law, gaining a more rounded understanding of tort, contract and unjust enrichment and the relationships between them. You will develop new skills for legal practice by examining how different legal doctrines can apply and interact together in key problem scenarios. You will also learn to use a wide range of methodologies and analytical lenses to evaluate and critique the law.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
Teaching on the unit will consist of lectures, large-group sessions and seminars. Lectures and large-group sessions will be guided by the lecturer, who will introduce relevant concepts and materials. These may involve traditional lectures, small-group discussions, Q&A sessions, problem-based learning sessions, feedback sessions and skills sessions.
Seminars will enable you to deepen your learning alongside your peers. They may involve small-group discussions, problem-based learning, class debates, skills sessions, essay planning, analysis of academic literature, and other formative exercises. You will be expected to prepare for your seminars by completing a variety of asynchronous tasks, including watching videos, engaging in directed reading, preparing answers to questions, and participating in discussion boards.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
A formative assessment task will be set midway through the semester. This will consist of two questions (one essay and one problem question), of which you will be expected to answer one. The total word count will be 1,000 words. The questions will be of a similar format to the summative assessment (see below), and you will be provided with both group and individual feedback by your tutor.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit will be assessed by Timed Assessment in the summer assessment period. The assessment will include five questions, of which you will be expected to answer two. The total word count for the assessment will be 3,000 words (1500 words per question). Questions will include both problem questions and essay questions, and individual questions may cover multiple topics from across the unit (for example, you may be expected to discuss issues in both contract and tort law in the same question). This assessment will cover all Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit.
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.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessment required for credit in the usual way.
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. LAWD20048).
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 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.