Our taught postgraduate programme, designed to serve outstanding law students from common-law backgrounds

The course explores the foundations of the institutions of property and trusts. It combines conceptual and functional analysis of doctrine with more abstract theoretical enquiry. Ideas and perspectives are drawn from moral and political philosophy, history, and economics, as well as more formally legal, comparative and jurisprudential analyses. Some knowledge of the legal details of property in one or other legal system will be essential for students taking the course. A common-law background is not a prerequisite; much use will be made of English law and other common law systems, but we will also draw upon civilian legal systems in our explorations. The course gives students an opportunity to study fundamental institutions of private law with wide ramifications in the social sciences and humanities. Students will be exposed to the widest possible range of research and teaching in property law and trusts drawing on visiting scholars as well as Oxford faculty. The topics discussed are all ripe for exploration as areas of future research.

The course will divide into three areas: A. Boundaries of Property (conceptual and functional analysis of property) B. Justifying Property (mainstream and novel defences and critiques of property) C. The Trust (the distinctive contribution of trust and fiduciary institutions in blurring the lines between proprietary and personal claims; trust systems in common law and civilian jurisdictions)

The course will be taught by means of seminars supplemented by lectures and tutorials, led by Joshua Getzler, Simon Douglas, The Hon J Dyson Heydon, and Alexandra Braun. The core seminars are spread over Michaelmas and Hilary terms. Students will be provided with course materials accessible through the internet and the intranet, together with material in university and college libraries. Students will explore the reading materials and address a set of thematic questions, on which they will be asked to prepare brief notes. In approximately the fourth and eighth weeks of Michaelmas and Hilary terms seminars will not be given; instead tutorials will be provided in those four weeks, for which students will be asked to prepare essays on given topics. Each student will thus have the opportunity to take a set of up to four tutorials in the midst of their seminar learning across the first two terms. In Trinity Term students will be given the opportunity to consolidate their learning in occasional seminars where they will take the lead in discussion and in presenting topics, with extra readings supplied to help with deeper exploration of issues. The tutorials and third-term seminars will assist students in preparing for assessment.

Assessment will take the form of a three hour written examination at the end of the course. Candidates will be required to answer three essay questions from a wide choice of topics, which may cut across themes covered in the course. Candidates will be expected to show a detailed knowledge of relevant theoretical debates and also applicable legal materials, including judgments in cases, and statutory and constitutional provisions. They will also need to display an ability to synthesise complex materials and to present their own analysis of the arguments.

The course is taught mainly by: Joshua Getzler, Professor of Law and Legal History, Fellow of St Hugh’s College; The Hon J Dyson Heydon, Visiting Professor; Simon Douglas, CUF Lecturer in Law, Fellow of Jesus College; Alexandra Braun, CUF Lecturer in Law, Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall.

Our taught postgraduate programme, designed to serve outstanding law students from civil law backgrounds.

The course explores the foundations of the institutions of property and trusts. It combines conceptual and functional analysis of doctrine with more abstract theoretical enquiry. Ideas and perspectives are drawn from moral and political philosophy, history, and economics, as well as more formally legal, comparative and jurisprudential analyses. Some knowledge of the legal details of property in one or other legal system will be essential for students taking the course. A common-law background is not a prerequisite; much use will be made of English law and other common law systems, but we will also draw upon civilian legal systems in our explorations. The course gives students an opportunity to study fundamental institutions of private law with wide ramifications in the social sciences and humanities. Students will be exposed to the widest possible range of research and teaching in property law and trusts drawing on visiting scholars as well as Oxford faculty. The topics discussed are all ripe for exploration as areas of future research.

The course will divide into three areas: A. Boundaries of Property (conceptual and functional analysis of property) B. Justifying Property (mainstream and novel defences and critiques of property) C. The Trust (the distinctive contribution of trust and fiduciary institutions in blurring the lines between proprietary and personal claims; trust systems in common law and civilian jurisdictions)

The course will be taught by means of seminars supplemented by lectures and tutorials, led by Joshua Getzler, Simon Douglas, The Hon J Dyson Heydon, and Alexandra Braun. The core seminars are spread over Michaelmas and Hilary terms. Students will be provided with course materials accessible through the internet and the intranet, together with material in university and college libraries. Students will explore the reading materials and address a set of thematic questions, on which they will be asked to prepare brief notes. In approximately the fourth and eighth weeks of Michaelmas and Hilary terms seminars will not be given; instead tutorials will be provided in those four weeks, for which students will be asked to prepare essays on given topics. Each student will thus have the opportunity to take a set of up to four tutorials in the midst of their seminar learning across the first two terms. In Trinity Term students will be given the opportunity to consolidate their learning in occasional seminars where they will take the lead in discussion and in presenting topics, with extra readings supplied to help with deeper exploration of issues. The tutorials and third-term seminars will assist students in preparing for assessment.

Assessment will take the form of a three hour written examination at the end of the course. Candidates will be required to answer three essay questions from a wide choice of topics, which may cut across themes covered in the course. Candidates will be expected to show a detailed knowledge of relevant theoretical debates and also applicable legal materials, including judgments in cases, and statutory and constitutional provisions. They will also need to display an ability to synthesise complex materials and to present their own analysis of the arguments.

The course is taught mainly by: Joshua Getzler, Professor of Law and Legal History, Fellow of St Hugh’s College; The Hon J Dyson Heydon, Visiting Professor; Simon Douglas, CUF Lecturer in Law, Fellow of Jesus College; Alexandra Braun, CUF Lecturer in Law, Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall.