LW1CON-Contract

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Restricted to LLB students
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Rachel Horton
Email: r.e.horton@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
To introduce students to the underlying principles of the law of contract.

Aims:
The module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the techniques of legal reasoning characteristic of a system based largely upon decided cases.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that the student will be able to:
􀀕 identify the basic structure of the common law of contract and its fundamental principles;
􀀕 recognise the legal issues arising from a given set of facts;
􀀕 analyse reported cases and evaluate arguments based upon them;
􀀕 be able to formulate arguments for and against particular conclusions.

Additional outcomes:
The module also aims to develop the capacity to present an argument orally and in writing and to defend it against opposing points of view.

Outline content:
􀀕 Introduction (the significance of contract law and its underlying principles);
􀀕 Criteria for creating and enforcing contractual obligations (agreement, consideration, vitiating factors and the doctrine of privity);
􀀕 Determining the contents (term of contracts 􀀖 express and implied, statutory and judicial controls on fairness);
􀀕 Discharging contracts (bringing contracts to an end through performance, agreement, frustration and breach);
􀀕 Enforcing contractual obligations (common law and equitable remedies).

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

There will be up to two hours of lectures per week and eight fortnightly tutorials for which students will be expected to prepare topics for group discussion. A written exercise will Ìýbe set during the autumn term which will be marked and returned by the tutors concerned. This exercise will not, however, form part of the summative assessment of a student’s overall performance on the module. In addition, a written test will be taken by all students in January to provide practice in working under exam conditions. The scripts will be returned, the marks will not form part of the module’s summative assessment.Ìý