COURSE SYLLABUS

Metro Business College

Course Title: Business Law                         Course No. BUS130

Instructor – Joan Kaufman                                       Revised Fall 2000

Times Available – 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. Monday – Thursday

                         9:00 a.m. – 12 noon – Friday

                         After 3:00 p.m. by appointment only

I. Catalog Description and Credit Hours of Course:

This course deals with legal issues in the areas of civil law, criminal law, and contract law. Areas of study include the civil justice system, structure of the U.S. court system and the Uniform Commercial Code. Course meets 4 hours per week. Credit Hours – 4.

II. Prerequisites: None

III. Purposes and Objectives of the Course:

            Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to

                        define civil law and criminal law

                        define basic legal terms

demonstrate a knowledge of the organization of the U.S. court system with emphasis on the U.S. Supreme Court

demonstrate a knowledge of contract law

use the Internet to find information dealing with the U.S. Supreme Court and Contract Law.

use the Internet to find information about business and corporate law.

IV. Course Content:

            Week 1 – Foundations of Law

Week 2 , 3, 4, 5 – The U.S. Court System and its Constitutional Foundation. Unit Plan – The U.S. Supreme Court

            Week 6 – Crimes (Public Wrongs) Criminal Law

            Week 7 - Torts (Private Wrongs) Civil Law

            Week 8, 9, 10, 11 – Contract Law

V. Instructional Materials

            Business Law: Principles & Practices, Goldman/Sigismond, Fifth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company.

            Corporate View, Barksdale. Rutter, South-Western Publishers

            Handouts provided by the instructor

            The Internet

            Word Processing Program

VI. Weekly Schedule and Evaluation

Week 1 – Foundations of Law – Internet Activity – Scavenger Hunt-         20 Pts

Week 2 – The U.S. Court System and its Constitutional Foundation

The United States Supreme Court – An Internet Based Activity – Nine U. S. Supreme Court Justices

             Week 3 - Rules for seating a U.S. Supreme Court Justice

             Week 4 – Court Decisions

             Week 5 - Debates

50 Pts

             Week 6 - Criminal Law – Test

                         35 Pts

             Week 7 – Civil Law – Test

                         35 Pts

             Week 8 – Contract Law – An Internet Based Activity –

                         20 Pts

             Week 9 – Business and Corporate Law - An Internet Based Activity

                                    Activities 1 and 2

             Week 10 – Activities 3 and 4

                         100 Pts

             Week 11 – Portfolios due 50 Pts

                        Total Cumulative Points 310 Pts.

            All work must be compiled in a portfolio to be presented to the instructor during the last week of the quarter. This is so the student will have a neatly compiled record of all work completed in the class.