LAW 231A/B : Law of Torts
Law
2025 Semester One (1253) / Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and apply the core concepts, principles, doctrines, rules, major academic debates, approaches, methodologies, and conceptual tools of New Zealand tort law, and of the values to which they give expression. (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 4.2)
- Identify and analyse the nature and function of tort law, and the role(s) it performs in the ordering and functioning of the wider social system; the relationship of tort law to other areas of law (such as contract, restitution, property, and equity). (Capability 1.2 and 3.1)
- Access, identify, articulate, apply and evaluate legal reasoning and principles to specific issues of tort law. (Capability 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
- Reflect critically on issues of principle and policy raised by the current law of tort, and consider whether reform is desirable. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Develop and apply insights into the judicial process to help answering novel problem questions in tort law. (Capability 4.2 and 5.1)
- Create and communicate clear, principled and reasoned arguments pertaining to the law of torts, derived from your learning and rational inquiry. (Capability 6.1 and 8.1)
- Explore ways that Tort law regulates private relationships to promote sustainable communities. (Capability 2.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop Round One Quiz | 5% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Workshop Round Two Quiz | 5% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Moot | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| Test | 25% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Examination |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Workshop Round One Quiz | ||||||||||
| Workshop Round Two Quiz | ||||||||||
| Moot | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This is a 30-point course, run over two semesters.
For Semester 1, 2024, Law 231A amounts to a 15-point course with around 36 hours of lectures.
For Semester 2, 2024, Law 231B amounts to another 15-point course with around 36 hours of lectures.
As a general guide, you should expect a workload of three hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours per semester, 300 for the year.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities, including workshops, tutorials and a moot/presentation, to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including workshops and tutorials will not be available as recordings.
Attendance on campus is required for the test and exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
In response to student feedback, in 2025 we are introducing workshops to facilitate smaller group learning.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
The use of generative artificial intelligence software packages (including but not limited to ChatGPT, Poe, Claude, Llama, Gemini, and CoPilot and StudocuAI) is not permitted in any way whatsoever, without exception, for the preparation, drafting, or completion of any assessments in this course.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.