Module Breakdown – Contract Law

Welcome to another module breakdown blog post! So far, I have done 1 post in this little series on my blog. Essentially, I break down each module and look at it in detail so if you are doing this module, or something very similar, then you know what to expect!

You can find my previous module breakdown posts here:

• Power, Freedom and the State

Today’s post is on Contract Law, which is a module I am doing across both semesters. Let’s get to it.

Content

Contract Law is a module that is required for a qualifying law degree, as well as for the LLB programme, meaning it is compulsory for anyone doing law. In this module we look at the nature of a contract, the contents of a contract, any problems arising and, if a term is breached, what remedies are available. It is extremely focused on Case Law, with lots of cases to remember and think about.

The content has certainly been interesting. There are some topics of contract law which I find quite easy and simple to understand, and then there are others which take me ages to digest and think through. I haven’t finished this module yet, as I mentioned previously, so I’m unsure as to whether this will be something I overwhelmingly get or something that confuses me and requires a bit more work to gain a full understanding.

Lectures

I have one lecture for Contract Law once a week in a two hour slot. Each lecture, similar to my lectures for Power, Freedom, and the State, were split into two. This means that we look at two topics per lecture, for example Mistakes and Misrepresentation.

Interaction is quite predominant in my Contract Law lectures. My lecturer will quite often ask questions and expect an answer, but not in a “pick on you” sort of way. This is certainly different to my Politics module.

For first semester, my lectures were online using Blackboard. I didn’t mind this too much but now that we are back on campus with in-person lectures for second semester, I don’t miss it. I find it slightly difficult to concentrate taking part in lectures online at home, as I find myself more susceptible to distractions.

Tutorials

Tutorials are the exact same as seminars. We have a smaller class size and interaction and discussion are more common in these sessions. For Contract Law, there are eight tutorials across both semesters, and they are an hour long. I have had four so far (so four in each semester). The purpose of these tutorials is to look at a topic more in depth, and then discuss a problem question similar in structure to one we would be getting in an exam or set as an assignment.

There is a lot of preparation work involved in these tutorials, which is to be expected, but I do enjoy them. I really like my lecturer for this module and the way he explains concepts in a way that is easy to understand. I put a lot of time and effort into the preparation for these tutorials, as it is certainly valuable to go to these with the set work done. This is the same for every tutorial or seminar I have though to be fair.

In first semester, hybrid learning was the way these tutorials were delivered. This means that you had the option of attending on campus or online and both would be done simultaneously. In semester 2, hybrid learning is still available but we have to be on campus for them and can only use Blackboard Collaborate (the system used for online learning) if we have requested to study off campus.

Assessments

In Contract Law, I am assessed in two ways. The first way is by a Case Notes Assignment, which entails writing up case notes on a specific case. This was worth 40% of the overall module and at the time of writing, I have completed this assignment but I am not aware of my grade.

The other way I am assessed is by an exam at the end of semester two. This is worth 60% of the overall module and I’m not going to lie, I am slightly terrified.

My overall thoughts

If I’m honest, I have a love-hate relationship with Contract Law. As I mentioned previously, there are some topics that I instantly get and have no issue with. Then there are others which I have to really think about and put extra work into in order to aid with my understanding. Despite this, I completely understand why this is a compulsory module as there is so much to it that I know will help me along with my career.

Thank you so much for reading. I shall see you soon for another post in my module breakdown series.

Beth