Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract

Online Course

edX
Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract

What is the course about?

Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract
The course Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract is an online class provided by Harvard University through edX. The skill level of the course is Intermediate. It may be possible to receive a verified certification or use the course to prepare for a degree.

Contracts are a part of our everyday life, arising in collaboration, trust, promise and credit. How are contracts formed? What makes a contract enforceable? What happens when one party breaks a promise?

Course description

Learn about contracts from Harvard Law Professor Charles Fried, one of the world’s leading authorities on contract law. Contracts are promises that the law will enforce. But when will the law refuse to honor a promise? What happens when one party does not hold to their part of the deal? This version of the course adds new units on Interpretation, Agency, Partnerships, Corporations, and Government Regulation. We are exposed to contracts in all areas of our life — agreeing to terms when downloading a new computer program, hiring a contractor to repair a leaking roof, and even ordering a meal at a restaurant. Knowing the principles of contracts is not just a skill needed by lawyers, it illuminates for everyone a crucial institution that we use all the time and generally take for granted. This contract law course, with new materials and updated case examples, is designed to introduce the range of issues that arise when entering and enforcing contracts. It will provide an introduction to what a contract is and also analyze the purpose and significance of contracts. Then, it will discuss the intent to create legal relations, legality and morality, and the distinction between gifts and bargains. The course also investigates common pitfalls: one-sided promises, mistake, fraud, and frustration. With the knowledge of what makes contracts and how they can go wrong, Professor Fried will discuss remedies and specific performance. Finally, Professor Fried will introduce how contracts can create rights for third parties. The course’s instructor, Charles Fried, has been teaching at Harvard Law School for more than 50 years and has written extensively on contracts. Not only is Professor Fried a leading authority on contract law, but he also utilizes a story-telling approach to explaining the topic, which creates a unique and interesting class experience.

Prerequisites & Facts

Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract

Course Topic

Business and Management, Law, Philosophy and Ethics

University, College, Institution

Harvard University

Course Skill Level

Intermediate

Course Language

English

Place of class

Online, self-paced (see curriculum for more information)

Degree

Certificate

Degree & Cost

Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract

To obtain a verified certificate from edX / Harvard University you have to finish this course or the latest version of it, if there is a new edition. The class may be free of charge, but there could be some cost to receive a verified certificate (125.00 USD) or to access the learning materials. The specifics of the course may have been changed, please consult the provider to get the latest quotes and news.
Harvard University
Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract
provided by edX

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School: Harvard University
Topic: Business and Management, Law, Philosophy and Ethics