LC1S160 - The Law of Contract 01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: LC1S160
Module Title: The Law of Contract
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Law
Faculty Sub Group: Law
Module Leader: Hannah Coburn, Rachel Thomas
Module Team: Holly Evans, Ayesha Fulat, Clare Lewis, Hannah Menard, Hinah Aftab
First Intended Intake: SEP 2022 Final Year of Intake: 2027
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Sep 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

The module will introduce students to the rules of the substantive area of contract law, the cornerstone of civil liability. It is the foundation for many of the other subjects studied throughout the course.

The module will provide a basis for study for students to;

1. Develop knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts such as freedom to contract, agreement and consent;

2. Develop the ability to recognise the criteria for an agreement to be legally enforceable;

3. Develop knowledge and understanding of the issues that arise in determining the terms of the agreement and the intention of the parties;

4. Identify the factors that affect the enforceability of the contract and recognise the circumstances that can lead to a contract being set aside by the courts;

5. Identify, locate and apply relevant legislation and case law to advise parties to a contract about their rights and their obligations under the contract;

6. Develop knowledge and understanding of the common law and equitable doctrines which underpin the law of contract;

7. Develop analytical and problem solving skills.

Content Summary

The module will introduce students to the common law and statutory rules of contract by typically covering the following indicative content:
• Core principles of contract law
• Formation:
• offer and acceptance
• consideration
• intention to create legal relations
• certainty
• capacity.
• Parties:
• privity of contract
• rights of third parties.
• Contract terms:
• express terms
• incorporation of terms
• terms implied by common law and statute
• exemption clauses
• the interpretation of contract terms (conditions, warranties and innominate terms)
• variation.
• Vitiating factors:
• misrepresentation
• mistake
• unfair contract terms
• duress and undue influence
• illegality.
• Termination:
• expiry or other specified event
• breach
• frustration
• basic principles of restitution and unjust enrichment in the context of termination of contract.
• Remedies:
• damages
• liquidated sums and penalties
• specific performance
• injunctions
• duty to mitigate
• indemnities
• guarantees.
• Causation and remoteness

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 20
Seminar 20
Independent Study 80
Directed Study 80
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Evidence knowledge and understanding of the rules that govern contractual relationships.
LO2 Apply the law of contract through a series of problem-based scenarios.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) 1 Presentation of an academic poster representing understanding and application of the substantive rules of contract law. 10 N/A 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Case study 1 A concentrated inquiry into a single decided case or legal issue in contract law. 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) 1 ✔ ✔
Case study 1 ✔ ✔

Reading List

Robert Merkin and Severine Santier, Poole’s Textbook on Contract Law (15th Edition Oxford University Press 2021)

Richard Stone and James Devenney, The Modern Law of Contract (13th Edition Routledge 2020)

Paul S Davies, J C Smith’s Law of Contract (3rd Edition Oxford University Press 2021)