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Land Law

Module description

Land Law covers matters of fundamental importance to our society: the ownership of land and property, property rights and related obligations. In this module you will study in depth the fundamental principles of English Land Law, focussing in particular on key rights which exist in relation to land. You will scrutinise the content of these rights, and consider the way in which the content requirements of each right have been developed through judicial decision.  In addition, you will study the formal and informal methods of acquiring rights over land, and the circumstances in which the burden of such rights will impact a third party purchaser.

This module is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by the JASB of the Law Society and Bar Council and it is therefore compulsory for all of you who wish to progress onto the Vocational Stage of Training to become a Solicitor or Barrister.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide you with an in depth understanding of the definition, acquisition and transfer of rights over land. In this module you will be required to study primary legal sources, in particular statutes, and will be encouraged to think critically about the law with reference to the views of academic commentators.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate detailed/comprehensive knowledge of the law relating to land law and a substantial range of major concepts, values and principles relevant to its application;
• 2. demonstrate ability to compare, analyse and synthesise the principal rules and theories relating to the land law;
• 3. demonstrate ability to select and assess appropriate techniques of evaluation and to evaluate selected aspects of the land law critically;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate detailed / comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of complex and technical legal concepts and principles;
• 5. Demonstrate flexible ability to define complex legal problems, identify their relative significance and select appropriate methods for investigating and critically evaluating them ;
• 6. Demonstrate ability to select, integrate and present coherently and reflectively, relevant law and legal/theoretical arguments;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Demonstrate effective and accurate communication skills in a manner appropriate to the discipline / different contexts;
• 8. Identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of resources with some guidance;
• 9. Interact effectively within a team / learning group and to share information and ideas.
• 10. Work independently, within a limited time frame, to complete a specified task.

Syllabus plan

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

**If a student achieves less than 40% in one essay but 40% or more in the other, the higher mark will be taken. If a student achieves less than 40% in both opinions, and is permitted to refer, they may submit a third essay (and will be capped at 40%). If a student defers in respect of one or both essays, they may submit one deferred essay and the mark awarded for it will be taken.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Bevan, Land Law (March 2018)

Thompson & George, Modern Land Law (2017)

Blackstone's Statutes on Property Law 2017-2018 (25th ed. edited by Meryl Thomas)

Key words search

Land law, property law, leases, mortgages, easement, tenure