Postgraduate Module Descriptor

LAWM089: Consumer Law

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module's precise content may vary, it is envisaged that the syllabus will include all/some of the following topics, which will be covered in this order:

1) Introduction, Consumer law as an area of shared competence;

2) Phenomenon of Europeanised consumer protection;

3) Goals and instruments of Consumer law;

4) Consumer definitions in UK and EU law: the ‘pluriform’ consumer;

5) Europeanisation: Exclusion Clauses;

6) Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999;

7) Realignment initiatives: domestic and EU reform

8) Draft Common Frame of Reference, Consumer Rights Directive 2011, Common European Sales Law, UK Consumer Rights Bill 2014;

9) Enforcement Issues: collective redress, public enforcement, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR).

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
30	270	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	30	10 x 3 hour lectures.
Guided independent study	150	Preparation for seminars
Guided independent study	120	Preparation and writing of summative essay assessment

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

See in particular the Web pages of the EU Commission on: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/index_en.htm

Case law of the European Court of Justice available at: http://curia.eu

Other Learning Resources

Westlaw, Lexis, Eurlex

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay: title provided by lecturer.	2,000 words	1-7	Written/oral

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay: select one title from a list supplied by the lecturer and based on themes covered in class.	100	7,500	1-7	Written/oral
	0
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Coursework	As per original assessment	1-7	August/September reassessment period.