BUSINESS LAW - 2025/6

Module Overview

It is essential that students reading for a Management/Business degree acquire an understanding of the essential legal principles regulating commerce and industry, with particular emphasis on the general awareness of the law necessary for those holding management positions.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

DALE Stephen (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

The following areas of Law will be covered:

• Introduction to the English Legal System and sources of law


• The  Law of Tort as relevant to business (liability, negligence and product liability)


• Principles of contract (formation, terms, exclusion clauses, factors affecting validity discharge and remedies)


• Types of business contract


• Contracts for the sale of goods and supply of good and services


• Employing labour


• Forms of business organisation

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to enable the student to demonstrate the extent of his/ her knowledge and understanding of the main principles and provisions of the law relating to business and its impact on business operations and to show the ability to apply the principles and provisions so as to reach reasoned conclusions.

The summative assessment for this module consists of two assessments.

• The first assessment is a 'Class Test' which is 1 hour in duration, which addresses key legal principles and application of business law.


• The second assessment is a 1 hour 30 minute ‘closed book’ examination, which is designed to enable students to demonstrate the ability to apply relevant legal principles and to consider appropriate strategies and legal remedies.

Feedback:

All students will receive feedback on their performance during the module through formative feedback sessions. In addition, ongoing support and feedback will be administered through VLE/SurreyLearn.

Module aims

• The aim of this module is to provide a knowledge and understanding of the key areas of law that impact on business operations and to enable students to apply the various provisions and principles in practice.
• Emphasis will be placed on the essential legal principles and general awareness of the legal environment necessary for business managers

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to develop an understanding and critical awareness of the essential principles of the law relating to business and to develop an ability to apply the principles in an appropriate way.

The teaching and learning methods include a series of lectures and seminars designed to open out the subject and to develop the skills required to research and apply relevant legal issues. Students will be encouraged to undertake relevant background reading generally, key legislation and case law will be indicated. Students will be given the opportunity to apply the legal principles to case studies based on actual decided cases and will be encouraged to visit the civil courts to experience business law in action. Opportunities will be given for students to research into key areas of business law and to evaluate the impact of the law on business operations.

In order to achieve the threshold standard for the award of credits for this module, the student must meet the following criteria related to the learning outcomes described above:

• be able to demonstrate an awareness of the essential principles regulating the field of Business Law


• develop a critical understanding of the law regulating business and its impact on business operations


• apply the relevant provisions and case law in various situations


• demonstrate that essential and background reading has been undertaken

To pass this module the student will demonstrate a knowledge of the key aspects of business law its impact on business operations and will show the ability to appropriately apply the legal provisions and principles in given case study situations. The student will also be able to cite and explain supporting case law and statutory provisions.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2108

Other information

The module supports the engagement and development of the following five pillars for learning:

Global and Cultural Capabilities

Students will develop their ability of problem-solving skills whilst working in groups throughout the Semester, and to act effectively with other students from diverse backgrounds to develop their cultural intelligence, whilst broadening their geographical landscape, perspectives and interpretations, when engaging within this legal discipline. In addition, areas of jurisdictional law will engage with a wider understanding of application surrounding diversity, equality and the norms of both inclusion and social justice, whilst applying the relevant legal principles which surround and underpin the practicalities and requirements of business law.  This pillar is also qualified by the students engagement, understanding and application of fundamental legislation, examples of which include the Equality Act 2010.

Resourcefulness and Resilience

This module empowers students critical thinking and the ability to develop a practical understanding of law with their peers, which both individually and within assigned group work enable the student to develop confidence, overcome challenges by supportive group and individual exercises, to reflection and change from their learning environment, which is directly shaped by the ongoing formative assessments and the summative coursework assessments.

Employability – The module is designed to equip students with all the core competencies required of understanding and applying business law across differing legal jurisdictions. The module addresses and assesses the following legal areas of knowledge which include the principles of law (jurisdiction of England and Wales, European Law and International Law), tort law, contract law and employment law.

Students will learn key competencies and transferable skills which are applied within differing business industries across UK, Europe and wider geographical countries.  The legal skills learned and applied, will enable students to analyse employment law both in theory and in practice whilst engaging within complex legal problems, which will be demonstrable through group work, assessments and the use of online legal databases, legislation and supportive case law.  The prescriptive approach within this subject and the legal knowledge gained through MAN2108 Business Law, will support and sustain a high level of transferable skills, advocacy and knowledge for any future employment.

Digital Capabilities

Students will be engaged both individually and within groups to research, engage and work collaboratively using an array of different legal databases to solve simple and complex legal issues.  This includes the use of Lexis Legal Database, Westlaw UK, Lawtel, Harvey on Industrial Relations, Halsburys Laws of England.

In addition, students will be expected to navigate and use the Virtual Learning Environment of SurreyLearn and other digital tools to support and underpin both the ongoing learning, preparation and weekly research and seminar presentations.

Sustainability

Students will develop an understanding, awareness and application of the jurisdictional law which embeds the best practices of business law surrounding environmental sustainability which is underpinned by law. Wider applications of this will be addressed and evidenced through the business legal framework surrounding production, employment, distribution and retail channels as defined by the Environment Act 2021.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.