Module LAW3231: PROPERTY, THEORY, LAW

Department: Law

LAW3231: PROPERTY, THEORY, LAW

Prerequisites

• Legal Skills (LAW 1041) and Tort Law (LAW 1051) and Contract Law (LAW 1071).

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To provide the student with a sound understanding of both legal theory and existing legal provisions dealing with a range of contemporary property law issues. The module will complement core teaching in Land Law and Trusts, and allow students scope to develop specialist knowledge in property law and theory.

Content

• The content of the course will be structures as follows:
• The legal concept of Property: private, common, collective, public
• Justifications for private property: Occupation theory; labour theory; utilitarian theory; economic theory.
• Ownership, Possession and Title
• Property in the Human Body
• Property and Personality
• Information as Property
• Cultural Property
• Property as a Human Right

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module the students will: understand and be able to critique the range of theoretical justifications underpinning property regimes
• Understand doctrinal law as contained in both statute and case law.

• Be able to apply doctrinal law as contained in both statue and case law;
• Be able to engage in informed theoretical and doctrinal analysis of issues in contemporary property law.

• Be able to demonstrate: an ability to communicate complex issues orally;
• Research skills;
• Written communication skills;
• An ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• The capacity to learn independently.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The course will be taught by lecture and seminar (18 lectures and 9 seminars). The provision of lectures will function to introduce students to the subject matter and provide a framework for further and deeper exploration of relevant issues in seminars. Participations in seminars will encourage students to develop their own understanding and critical skills.
• The summative assessment procedure includes an oral presentation, which students will prepare in small groups and deliver in seminars, accompanied by a piece of written work. This will help to develop the student's oral and written communication skills, research skills, and team skills. Students will also peer-assess the presentations, and this will form part of their summative mark for that element of the course.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One co-authored formative essay to be completed at the end of Michaelmas term (2,000 words); students will also be required to devise a set of critical questions on the subject matter of the course, to be submitted after Christmas vacation.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University