MBA 630 Legal Environment of Business 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This course provides a sound legal foundation that students can use to understand the laws and regulations affecting today’s businesses.  The legal system impacts upon every aspect of American business.  The Legal Environment of Business explores such current critical legal topics as government regulation, employment practices, and consumer and environmental protection.  This course emphasizes contracts and the American legal system, including the areas of the law of sales, commercial paper, agency and property.  By taking this course, the student will gain a comprehensive overview of law and the world of business.

REQUIRED TEXTS:           Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, Phillips, and Langvardt.  Business Law: The Ethical, Global, and E-Commerce Environment.  17th Edition.  Irwin/McGraw-Hill.  2018.  ISBN-13: 978-1259917110

PREREQUISITES: Graduate Business Administration Student

COURSE OBJECTIVES: In order to expose business students to the critical relationship between business and law, this course acquaints students with fundamental concepts and principles of law that may concern them in their day-to-day business activities. Specifically, the objectives are:

  • To familiarize the student with legal language and concepts.
  • To increase the student understanding of the legal system and how it functions.
  • To develop the student’s appreciation of the legal environment in which businesses and individuals must operate.
  • To expose the student to legal reasoning and develop his/her ability to apply legal concepts to various factual situations.
  • To encourage the student to do critical thinking of the legal and ethical implications present in business and personal activities.
  • To further develop the student’s research techniques, writing ability, and presentation skills.

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES: The principal vehicles for exploring the content of this course will be independent readings, discussion, critical thinking (Using the Socratic Method), case analysis, a research project, and class presentation.  Because of this choice of approach, a high degree of commitment is necessary to assure effective learning outcomes.

STUDENT COMPETENCIES: This course satisfies Hampton University competencies: 1. Critical Thinking, 2. Ethics, 4. Information and Technology Literacy, 5. Oral Communication, 8. Written Communication; School of Business – Graduate level competencies: 1. Business Problems, 2. Strategic Analysis, 5. Written Communication, 6. Oral Communication, and 7. Law and Ethics; and Masters in Business Administration program competencies: 1. Problem Solving and 4. Legal Skills.

In addition, at the end of this course, students be able to meet the following course competencies:

  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the legal system and the legal environment of business.
  • Produce a research paper using legal resources, citations, structure, and methodology.
  • Engage in basic legal analysis, reasoning, argument and critical thinking in both oral and written communication.
  • Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
  • Engage in reflective thought on the ethical and legal implications of business decisions.