Land law

This module will introduce you to many aspects of land law using multi-media sources and a range of activities. It will consider what land is and how it is owned and regulated. The module is focussed on land law in the UK, mainly England and Wales, however within the module, you'll be introduced to some of the different ways that different cultures and legal systems consider land. There will also be an opportunity to begin to explore property litigation and the skills involved.

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

Browse qualifications in related subjects

Law qualifications
Open qualifications

Module

Module code

W312

Credits

Study level

Level of Study
OU	SCQF	FHEQ
3	10	6

What you will study

The module aims to provide you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interest in land law. It will focus on various aspects of land law, including co-ownership, contested spaces, comparative land law and cohabitation.

This module is comprised of three blocks of study.

Block 1: Fundamental aspects of land law
In this block, you'll:

explore what property is, and how land is defined and divided
consider the human rights aspects of land law
discover the foundational concepts of land law
consider the legal relationship between landlord and tenant.

Block 2: Conflicts and rights in land law
In this block, you'll:

consider how it is possible to have rights over someone else’s property
discover specialist land law doctrine
learn about how property issues are litigated and the skills needed for litigation.

Block 3: Relationships and rights in land ownership
In this block, you'll:

reflect on ownership of property where there is more than one person who is a part owner, and what is the legal position of someone who is not an owner, living in someone else’s property
explore the legal situation around the occupation of land belonging to someone else without permission
discover how concepts of land and its legal regulation differ widely around the world.

By the end of this module, you should be able to explain and analyse the law in relation to a wide variety of areas of land law whilst also demonstrating numerous skills which will be of benefit to your future employability, including problem-solving, communication and initiative.

You'll be able to discuss and debate what the law is in the areas studied, consider how it affects you on an individual basis as well as wider society, potential flaws in the law and possible areas of reform. You'll also be able to identify how the law affects others, recognising where the law is failing to protect the vulnerable or to enable social justice, fairness or equal opportunities in society.

Professional recognition

The Foundations of Legal Knowledge (FLK) route of the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB) will be accredited by the Council of Legal Education (Northern Ireland) as a recognised law degree, subject to time limits, exempting you from the academic stage of legal training to become a barrister or solicitors in Northern Ireland.

Completing the FLK route within the specified time limits will enable you to self-certify that you have fulfilled the requirements set by the Bar Standards Board to be exempt from the academic stage of training if you wish to become a barrister in England and Wales.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.

They’ll help by:

marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content
guiding you to additional learning resources
facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Future availability

Land law starts once a year – in February. This page describes the module that will start in February 2026. We expect it to start for the last time in February 2031.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Course work includes:; 2 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
: End-of-module assessment

Entry requirements

You must have successfully completed 60 credits of study from OU level 2 modules prior to studying this OU level 3 module. We recommend Public law (W211) and Contract law (W212).

If you are studying this module as part of the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB) (R81) or Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (graduate entry) (LLB) (R82), then you will need to have studied or be studying on a concurrent presentation of Trusts law (W311) before enrolling on W312.

Preparatory work

You might find the following resources useful in preparation for this module:

Register

Start	End	England fee	Register
31 Jan 2026	Jul 2026	£1946.00	Registration closes 08/01/26 (places subject to availability) Register
This module is expected to start for the last time in February 2031.

Additional Costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

Ways to pay for this module

Open University Student Budget Account

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying. APR 5.1% representative.

Joint loan applications

If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.

As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.

Employer sponsorship

Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.

Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your module.

Credit/debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

Mixed payments

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).

Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.

This information was provided on 15/05/2025.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

be resident in England
have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

monthly payments through OUSBA
part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

You will be provided with access to Land Law, Fourth Edition (Chris Bevan, 2024), and a module website, which includes:

a week-by-week study planner
course-specific module materials
audio and video content
assignment details and submission section
online tutorial access and tutor support.

Computing requirements

Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying W312 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.