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 focused 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.
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.
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.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Preparatory work
You might find the following resources useful in preparation for this module:
12 introductory steps to law
Law Toolkit
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 forums.
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Assessment
Course work includes:
2 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
End-of-module assessment
What's included
You will have digital access Via Law Trove to Land Law, 5th edition (Chris Bevan), and a module website, which includes:
an electronic copy of the module textbook
a week-by-week study planner
module-specific study materials
audio and video content
assignment details and submission section
online tutorials and forums, and tutor support.
Computing requirements
Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer with at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor (2.4 GHz minimum speed). 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.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or the latest supported macOS.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended; Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Software – Any additional software will be provided or is generally available for free.
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 website.
Future availability
Land 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 2031.