University of Essex

LW201-5-AP-:
Tort Law

The details

Year: 2025/26

Department: Essex Law School

Campus:

Term: Autumn & Spring

Level: Undergraduate: Level 5

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 02 October 2025

End date: Friday 20 March 2026

Credits: 30

Last updated: 27 November 2025

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

LLB M10ECM Law,
LLB M10ECO Law,
LLB M10ELK Law,
LLB M10ELM Law

Module description

This 30 credit module covers the key topics required for an understanding of English tort law, and complements students’ previous study of other areas of the law of obligations.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

To introduce students to the duty of care concept, including Psychiatric Harms, Economic Loss, Vicarious Liability and the duty of care imposed upon public authorities.

To introduce students to the so-called ‘land torts’, including: the laws on Private Nuisance, the Rule in Rylands v Fletcher, the Occupiers’ Liability regimes and Trespass to land.

To familiarise students with further relevant concepts in tort law, such as breach of duty, causation (and remoteness) and consider any defences that can be raised, as well as the types of damages to be applied.

To allow students to apply and analyse the relevant laws in both hypothetical and real scenarios.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

Understand the duty of care and how a claim in negligence may arise.

Apply the relevant case law and principles of negligence liability in specific duty-based scenarios.

Demonstrate an understanding of the policy issues that underpin the imposition of liability.

Show an understanding of the divisions and borders between the various liability regimes governing the use of land.

Read, understand and analyse judicial decisions.

Module information

The module will include coverage of the following topics:

Specific Duty Scenarios

Occupiers' Liability

Nuisance and Rylands

Vicarious Liability

Economic Loss

Psychiatric Harm

Non-standard Duty Scenarios and Further Elements of a Tort

Non-standard Duty scenarios (Donoghue to Caparo and beyond)

Breach of Duty

Causation in Fact

Causation in Law

Defences, Damages and Remedies

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

A weekly 2-hour lecture
A weekly 1-hour tutorial

Bibliography

Law Trove - Expand your learning, broaden your mind (no date). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://www-oxfordlawtrove-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/.
Horsey, K. and Rackley, E. (2023c) Tort Law. 8th Revised edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780192874481.001.0001.
Cooke, J. (2024) Law of tort. Fifteenth edition. Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/3083786.
Nolan, D. and Oliphant, K. (2023d) Lunney & Oliphant's Tort Law. 7th Revised edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198865117.001.0001.
Horsey, K. and Rackley, E. (2023a) 'Special Duty Problems: Psychiatric Harm', in Tort Law. 8th edn. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://www-oxfordlawtrove-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/display/10.1093/he/9780192874481.001.0001/he-9780192874481-chapter-5.
Horsey, K. and Rackley, E. (2023b) 'Special duty problems: psychiatric harm', in Tort Law. 8th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780192874481.003.0005.
Horsey, K. and Rackley, E. (2023d) 'Vicarious Liability', in Tort Law. 8th edn. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://www-oxfordlawtrove-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/display/10.1093/he/9780192874481.001.0001/he-9780192874481-chapter-20.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Exam	Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 195 minutes during Partnership
Exam	Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 195 minutes during Partnership

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
40%	60%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
0%	100%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Darren Calley, email: dscall@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff:

Contact details: The Law Education Admin Team - lawschoolug@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: No

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Mrs Rebecca Louise Gladwin-Geoghegan

Institution: Coventry University

Academic role: Associate Head of School (Student Experience)

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: No lecture recording information available for this module.

Further information

Department website: Essex Law School

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The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

LW201-5-AP-:Tort Law