| Unit name | Foundations of Business Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD10007 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Matoo |
| 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?
The law affects businesses in every aspect of their operation. It regulates how businesses are set up and terminated. During the course of business, parties will enter into contracts. The law of contract plays a decisive role in determining the respective obligations undertaken by each party to the contract, whether the agreement will be enforceable and what remedies are available if obligations are not satisfied. Businesses must also manage their affairs. A specialised body of company law exists to regulate their core functions. Beyond these commercial aspects, the law regulates other forms of behaviour. Individuals as well as businesses themselves may act negligently causing harm to others. The law recognizes that these civil wrongs or ‘torts’ must be compensated. In addition, businesses must protect the interests of their employees during the course of employment and its termination, an area regulated by employment law.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit deals with some basic aspects of English law as it relates to business.
This Unit is offered by the Law School primarily for the benefit of Business students on the Accounting programmes to obtain a professional exemption. The only law students able to take the Unit are incoming study abroad students for whom it provides a good overview of English common law.
It is important to bear in mind that this course is designed to provide a core instruction in the foundational areas which comprise the basis of “business law” and an understanding of common law. A lawyer’s professional training requires a competent grasp of contract law and tort. However, company law and employment law are generally considered to be specialist areas, for which lawyers need not have a specific knowledge. To this extent, it is important to emphasise that, while these more specialized areas form the basic components of business law and will be examined accordingly, we will only be introducing and examining general principles in a way that meets the unit objectives and learning outcomes.
An overview of content
The elements studied are: sources of English law, including a brief introduction to law of the EU; the tort of negligence; brief introduction to employment law; and an overview of both contract law and company law.
Further, during the course of reading, you may encounter other areas of law which are relevant to the business context. For those working within the accounting sector, there has been a steady growth in the use of partnerships. In addition, businesses may also commit specific business-related torts, or commit other acts in contravention of their environmental responsibilities for example. Whilst these areas are of increasing interest this unit is confined to the following areas ONLY:
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Whilst this course will ask questions and examine discrete topics that demand a theoretical understanding of issues and an ability to critically evaluate them, we also recognize that many of you will go on to work in contexts that demand a practical understanding of how the law applies in reality. We therefore incorporate problem-based learning into the unit in order to develop your analytical, reasoning and problem-solving skills. We therefore introduce problem questions over the course of study. These will require you to provide practical advice to imaginary clients in relation to issues that arise out of any one or more given factual scenarios.
You will become equipped to understand and apply fundamental and conceptual tools within so-called business law to specific contexts.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
Teaching and learning will take place in a ‘blended learning’ environment. Teaching in this unit will be delivered through a combination of asynchronous sessions/activities (learning that is not timetabled, although you may need to complete some work within certain timescales) and synchronous sessions (timetabled classes). Asynchronous sessions and activities will vary and may include narrated PowerPoint presentations, podcasts, videos, directed reading and other self-study and interactive tasks such as self-test questions and discussion board engagement. You are expected to complete all asynchronous work as directed.
Synchronous sessions will consist of lectures and seminars which will take place on campus. Lectures will cover the key points and principles of the relevant law. Seminars will provide you with an opportunity to discuss the prepared reading and answers to problem questions, enabling you to check your understanding and application of the law. In combination, these synchronous and asynchronous activities provide you will a strong foundation to undertake summative assessment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (Formative)
Formative assessment comes in many forms, such as informal questioning, seminar discussions, group exercises in lectures and seminars and asynchronous activities on the virtual learning platform. These provide an opportunity for you to assess your learning and do not contribute to the final mark for the unit. The written formative assessment is a 1,000-word answer to a problem question. This formative assessment will prepare students to write precisely and efficiently. It will be set midway through the Unit to allow students to further develop their comprehension and understanding of the content. The students will receive individual written feedback and general feedback, usually via a lecture.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (Summative)
The summative assessment is a 3-hour, closed-book, unseen, in-person examination.
The summative will require students to answer 20 MCQs and 2 problem questions.
This assessment covers 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 assessment, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. The Board of Examiners will consider in the usual way all cases where a student has failed the summative assessment or has otherwise not completed it.
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. LAWD10007).
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.
