England

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Accessibility statement
Qualification dates
StartEnd
30 Jan 2027Jul 2027
This module will introduce you to business and employment law within the legal system of England and Wales. You'll explore the nature of business structures, with particular emphasis on corporate organisations and their internal and external regulations. The module will also explore employment relationships through the study of law, policy and practice, and the practical application of legal principles in connection with simulated case scenarios. By the end of the module, you'll have an understanding of how business and employment law affect individuals and their impact on society.
The module aims to provide you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interest in business and employment law within the legal system of England and Wales. It will focus on business structures, including corporate organisations and their internal and external regulation, together with the nature of the employment relationship.
By the end of the module, you should have an understanding of what these aspects of business and employment law mean for individuals and society. You'll be able to explain what the law is in the areas studied and how it affects individuals connected to the organisation. You'll also be able to identify how these aspects of business and employment law affect others and recognise where the law is failing to protect the vulnerable or to enable social justice, fairness or equal opportunities in society.
Studying this module will provide you with the opportunity to:
If you are new to study at university level, or are returning after some time, we recommend that you first study an OU level 1 law module such as Criminal law and the courts (W111) or Civil justice and tort law (W112), unless you are a graduate entry student.
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 presentation of Public law (W211) before enrolling on W240.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
You might find the following resources useful in preparation for this module:
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You will have digital access via Law Trove to Company Law, 3rd edition (Roach, L.), Smith & Wood’s Employment Law, 17th edition (Smith, I. and Warnock, O.), and a module website, which includes:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying W240 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 website.
Business and employment law starts once a year – in February.
This page describes the module that will start in February 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in February 2030.
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