About this course: This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches.
Created by: University of Pennsylvania
Taught by: Anita Allen, Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy
Penn Law
Taught by: Shyam Balganesh, Professor of Law
Penn Law
Taught by: Stephen Morse, Ferdinand Wakeman Hubbell Professor of Law; Professor of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry; Associate Director, Center for Neuroscience & Society
Penn Law
Taught by: Theodore Ruger, Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law
Penn Law
Taught by: Tess Wilkinson-Ryan, Assistant Professor of Law and Psychology
Penn Law
Taught by: Tobias Barrington Wolff, Professor of Law
Penn Law
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 1 hour/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome
3 readings
Tort Law
Tort law governs how people may sue each other civilly (as opposed to criminally) in order to receive compensation for harms or injuries other people caused them. In this module, Professor Allen will explore the goals of tort law through a historic case. She w...
6 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Tort Law Quiz
WEEK 2
Contract Law
Contract law governs how promises between two individuals are enforced. Few areas of law impact our daily lives as much as contract law, and in this module you will gain a deeper understanding of what a contract is and what makes it enforceable. Professor Wilk...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Contract Quiz
WEEK 3
Property Law
Property law governs the relationship between individuals and things, known as property. In this module, Professor Balganesh will explore the differences between property and tort and contract law and about several specific examples of property law in action: ...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Property Law Quiz
WEEK 4
Constitutional Law
The study of constitutional law is among the most exciting parts of the law because it provides for the structure and functioning of the U.S. government. In this module, Dean Ruger will address the document itself, how it has been applied over time, the histor...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Constitutional Law Quiz
WEEK 5
Criminal Law
In this module, Professor Morse will focus on the basics of criminal law, an area of law so exciting that countless TV shows and movies have been based on it. The major aspects of criminal law will be discussed - why we impose punishment, when we impose the mo...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Criminal Law Quiz
WEEK 6
Civil Procedure
In this module, Professor Wolff will introduce us to some of the major issues in civil procedure law. Civil procedure is the study of the rules of court that must be followed by the judge and parties in civil cases (as opposed to criminal cases – criminal proc...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Civil Procedure Quiz
WEEK 7
Final Exam
Graded: Final Exam
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University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.
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