Undergraduate Module Descriptor

LAW2091: (European) Consumer Law

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims at providing you with a thorough understanding of the consumer protection issues that led to the adoption of specific rules in the area of contract law. The focus of the course will be on the development of EU consumer law and policy that guided UK law-making in the area of consumer protection, which is unlikely to be influenced by Brexit. Since consumer behaviour should influence consumer policymaking, you will be introduced to the interplay between findings of consumer behaviour and adopted consumer protection measures. The module aims to give you the necessary legal, theoretical and contextual background in order to analyse effectively the rationales, application and limits of consumer protection measures. This is relevant for both academic purposes and the ability to engage critically with law in context, which is significant not only for future legal practice (consumer law allows you to better understand commercial parties’ obligations towards their customers), but also for ensuring that you know your rights as a consumer and are able to enforce them and advise others in your environment on these issues.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of the main areas of European consumer law;
2. identify and explain the main legal instruments of European consumer protection and their interpretation given in the case law of the European Court of Justice;
3. demonstrate awareness of some social, moral, pragmatic and economic implications of regulating European consumer law;
4. identify and discuss the principal rules and theories relating to consumer protection.
Discipline-Specific Skills5. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of legal concepts, values, principles, institutions and procedures, and explain the relationships among them;
6. demonstrate knowledge of legal concepts and their contextual, social and commercial implications;
7. apply legal knowledge to a problem/ case study and discuss it;
8. select and explain relevant information from primary and secondary legal sources using appropriate interpretative techniques.
Personal and Key Skills9. manage relevant learning resources/information and develop your own arguments and opinions with some guidance;
10. communicate effectively and accurately in a manner appropriate to the discipline.