Land Law (AJ)

Module overview

This version of Land Law is provided for you if you are studying the LLB JD Pathway or the LLB Accelerated programme. Land Law investigates the private law rules affecting the ownership and use of land. It explains the principles governing the nature of property ownership and property rights, their formal and informal acquisition and priority incorporating the registration of land title and property rights, the co-ownership and management of land through trusts, the use of land as security and the relationship between neighbouring land owners.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

communicate and present written arguments supported by comprehensive evidence demonstrating an appreciation of academic integrity.
analyse, interpret and evaluate complex material
effectively apply knowledge to solve practical problems
formulate an effectively reasoned and structured argument

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

commercial interests including mortgages, easements and covenants.
legal and equitable formalities for the creation and disposition of estates and interests in land;
priority of interests in registered land;
the distinction between proprietary and personal interests and its relevance to land;
Trusts of Land with particular reference to co-ownership of the family home including the holding and management of co-owned land;
freehold and leasehold estates and legal and equitable interests in land;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Expertly communicate in writing an understanding of land law, its application to the solution of legal problems and the formulation of effective argument with clear and accurate use of language and legal terminology.
identify, from a given factual scenario, the relevant legal issues raised and provide appropriately detailed legal advice by critically applying the relevant law comprehensively supported by relevant authority;
analyse and assess legal materials in depth by way of statutory interpretation, case analysis and review of secondary materials to identify, comprehend and evaluate fundamental legal principles and their impact upon contemporary issues;
produce well reasoned and structured responses to a given statement or proposition, which are comprehensively supported by reference to legal authority;
adeptly identify and locate primary and secondary (including electronic) legal sources relevant to land law;

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include •Lectures to provide you with knowledge, information and critique of land law within a structured context. •Tutorials focused on developing your problem solving skills. Learning activities include •Directed reading assisted by reading lists. •Accessing electronic resources in the form of legislation, journals and case materials; •Reviewing and critically evaluating complex material; •Tackling and solving factual legal problems; •Constructive participation in group discussions and exercises; •Managing tasks within a given timeframe.

Study time
Type	Hours
Lecture	40
Preparation for scheduled sessions	100
Tutorial	20
Follow-up work	40
Wider reading or practice	100
Total study time	300

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Blackboard. These are supplemented by detailed reading lists for lectures and seminars, all available on Blackboard. Primary sources including cases and statutes, and some secondary sources, primarily journal articles, are available in paper and electronic form, the latter through electronic books and legal databases, provided by the Library or otherwise publicly accessible via the worldwide web.

Textbooks

McFarlane, Hopkins and Nield. Land Law – Text, Cases and Materials. OUP.

Blackstone’s Property Statutes. OUP.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Essay or problem question

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback: Feedback is provided by the mark awarded supported by written tutor feedback following the school’s formative assessment feedback form. Individual oral tutor feedback is provided upon request.
Final Assessment: No
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Coursework	25%
Examination	75%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Coursework	25%
Examination	75%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External