AQACLastcopy November 20, 2018

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

CAVE HILL CAMPUS
ACADEMIC QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE (AQAC)

AQAC 1: PROPOSAL FOR NEW/REVISED UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

Campus: Cave Hill

(If joint with another campus or institution, specify)

Course Code and Title: LAW1310 Law of Torts 1

Proposed Award: LLB

Academic Unit(s) to offer course: Faculty of Law

Course Credit: Three (3) credits

Projected Start Date: January 2019

Projected Enrolment Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Other Year(s)

Full-Time Students 150 150 150
Part-Time Students

Will course lead to certification or licensure?  Yes  No

If Yes: By what group? By what date?

Will special accreditation be sought?  Yes  No

If Yes: By what group? By what date?

Will the course be offered off-campus?  Yes  No

If Yes: Location:

Percentage: Modality:

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Academic Staff Member / Contact Person Responsible/Coordinator

Name: Mr. Jefferson Cumberbatch Telephone: 417-4241

Email: jefferson.cumberbatch@cavehill.uwi.edu

Faculty/Department: The Faculty of Law

Date of Approval by Faculty Board: August 16, 2018

Signature: Dean and/or Department Head Dr David S Berry

Seen by:  Campus Bursar  CETL Law Library  Bookshop

 Faculties on other Campuses  Other _______________________

Comments received: None

Response from AQAC:  Approved

 Approved subject to condition(s)

 To resubmit with changes

 Not approved

Signature: AQAC Chairman _________________________

Date approved by Academic Board:

Date authorized by the Board for Undergraduate Studies:

Signature: Registrar’s Office ___________________________

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UNDERGRADUATE COURSE OUTLINE

Course Code & Title: LAW1310 - Law of Torts 1

Academic Unit(s) To Offer Course: Law

Course Credit Load: Three (3) credits

Semester: Two (2) Level: I

Course Prerequisite(s): None

Course Co-requisite(s): None

Course Post-requisite(s): None

Course Anti-requisite(s): None

Course Rationale:
The Law of Torts is an essential element in the armoury of the common lawyer. Its dependence,
in the main, on case law affords the student an opportunity to familiarize him or herself with and
to employ the fundamental legal method of case study that is integral to the lawyering process. It
also serves to ensure that the student becomes a more responsible member of the society, fully
aware of his or her civic obligations to his or her fellow man or woman.

Course Description:
The course Law of Torts I serves as an introduction to the study of civil responsibility for harm,
loss, injury or damage caused through the infringement of the legally protected interests of
others. It covers matters such as liability for careless conduct that causes damage; liability for
the intentional and reckless invasion of the physical and psychological integrity of the individual
or his or her freedom of movement; and for unreasonable conduct that causes undue interference
with another’s use and enjoyment of his or her property. It is aimed at the first year Law student
and all those who need to gain an appreciation of the behavioural obligations of citizens towards
each other in modern Commonwealth Caribbean society.

Course Goals:
The goal of this course is to:
 Familiarize students with the relevant principles (and their sources) that govern the ascription
of liability for the various infringements of civic entitlements in society.

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Specific Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
i. Distinguish Torts from other wrongs such as criminal offences and breaches of contract
ii. Identify the existence of a duty of care
iii. Describe whether a defendant has committed a breach of that duty
iv. Discuss the legal rules governing causation of injury, harm, loss or damage
v. Identify the principles concerning the remoteness of damage
vi. Outline the defenses available to Tort in an action for negligence
vii. Distinguish the trespass to the person from negligence
viii. Identify the various types of trespass to the person
ix. Describe the defenses available to the defendant in an action for trespass to the person
x. Define the nature of the duty owed by an occupier to entrants onto the occupier’s premises
xi. Identify the categories of lawful entrants and the nature of the duty owed to each
xii. Define the trespasser
xiii. Outline the duty owed to a trespasser by the occupier
xiv. Distinguish between public and private nuisance
xv. Identify the private nuisance
xvi. Discuss the concept of unreasonable user in private nuisance
xvii. Describe the various defences to a nuisance action.

Course Content:
The following topics/concepts/theories/issues will be addressed:
1. Introduction to the Law of Torts
2. General Principles of Negligence
3. Trespass to the Person
4. Occupier’s Liability
5. Nuisance and the Rule in Rylands v Fletcher

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Teaching and Learning Methods:

The course will be taught by two hours of interactive lectures per week and one hour of tutorials
using the case method of teaching where students will be required to solve hypothetical problems
and to show intimate knowledge of the relevant authorities by discussing legal solutions to
contemporary events.

Course Assessment Methods:

The course will be assessed both by means of coursework and a final examination as follows:
1. An individual take-home assignment AND/OR an individual presentation AND/OR group
presentation AND/OR an in-class examination (Accounting for a total of 40% of the final
mark for the course)
2. An end of Semester Examination – A two-hour examination where students are required to
answer essay or problem questions on topics covered during the course (Accounting for a
total of 60% of the final mark for the course).

Teaching/Learning Resources:
The main resources will be the designated texts for the course; case studies from the law reports;
contemporary issues in the local and regional press as they arise from time to time; and pertinent
materials to be found online from other jurisdictions for comparative purposes.

Required/Recommended Readings:
Required:
 Gilbert Kodilinye, “Commonwealth Caribbean Tort Law” (Cavendish Publishing, 2003).

Recommended:
 WVH Rogers, “Winfield & Jolowicz On Tort” (Sweet & Maxwell, 2014).
 K. Horsey & E. Rackley, “Kidner’s Casebook on Torts” (OUP Oxford, 2017).
 C. Elliott & F. Quinn, “Tort Law” (Pearson Education Ltd. 2017).

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PROJECTED EXPENDITURE FOR PROPOSED UNDERGRADUATE COURSE

1st Year Estimated Costs for

Expenditure Academic Year (specify Annual Operations for
start-up costs) 3-Year Period
Personnel

1. Internal reallocation (State how the campus

or University resources will be moved or
redeployed from a current area of
expenditure to support the new course)
Will additional staff be required?
No new costs No new costs
2. New Funds (State the expenditure
engendered specifically by the proposed
course that the institution would meet from
other resources. Include IT license fees,
maintenance, software, etc.)
Total

Equipment and Technology (Include equipment

and technology which are not capital
expenditure)
No new costs No new costs
1. Internal reallocation
2. New Funds
Total

Library Acquisitions

1. Internal reallocation
No new costs No new costs
2. New Funds
Total

Capital Expenditure (Include a new facility or

renovation or renewal of an existing building)
No new costs No new costs
Total

No new costs No new costs

Any other costs (marketing etc.)

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Total

Grand Total

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