Middlesex Community College

Business Administration

Spring 2007 – CRN # 1060 / Course # BBG 231 – Business Law I – 3 Credits

 

 

 

Instructor:                Attorney Dawn M. Bradanini

E-mail:                       via VISTA     

Office Hours:           Not applicable because this is an on-line course

Course Loc/Time:   Distance Learning is 24/7.  Since this is a distance learning course, you are expected to log on weekly at your convenience to complete assignments, quizzes, etc.

 

Course Description:  An introductory study of the legal system of the United States and its relationship to the business manager.  Topics include contracts, sales (general background in torts and product liability under Article 2 of the UCC) business organizations and administrative agencies.

 

Course Objectives:  The course is designed to provide the student with the following skills:  the ability to define law; knowledge of the structure of the federal/state court system; ability to explain how ethics and social forces affect the law; an understanding of the three branches of government and the respective powers of each; a basic understanding of the fundamental legal concepts that apply to business transactions; ability to identify the various classifications of contracts; ability to recognize legal problems in business and determine when to seek counsel; understanding of sales contacts and knowledge of principal and agent law.

 

Course Resources:  West’s Business Law, Text Cases, Legal, Ethical, International and E-Commerce Environment (10th Edition) by Clarkson, Miller, Jentz & Cross.  The course is taught from WebCT/Vista only.

 

Course Requirements/Grading:  Your final grade will be comprised of weekly assignments, quizzes, discussion postings and overall participation.

 

Grading:  Point System

 

Bulletin Board:          30%

Midterm Exam:         20%

Final Exam:              20%

Writing Project:         20%

Overall Participation:   10%

A        94-100          C+      77-79            D-       60-62

A-       90-93            C        73-76            F        59/less

B+      87-89            C-       70-72

B        83-86            D+     67-69

B-       80-82            D        63-66

 

Bulletin Board

            In order to receive full credit for the discussion board, you must log on weekly and respond to the current question as well as interact with your classmates.  You MUST respond to at least two other postings for each question in order to receive full credit.  You will be graded on how completely you answer the assigned question and by the quality of your responses to other postings.  Remember the bulletin board consists of 30% of your final grade.  NO CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN FOR LATE POSTINGS!

 

Midterm and Final Exam:

            Please see the syllabus for the release dates regarding the midterm and final exam.  The midterm and final examination are both multiple choice and each worth 20% of your final grade for a total of 40%.

 

Missed Assignments/Exams Policy:

          You are generally given a period of four to six days to complete the exam during a timed period.  I will not accept any late exams. Therefore, you should pay special attention to release/due dates!

 

Writing Project:  Each student will be given the opportunity to choose a topic and write a paper.  The paper will be 20 points of your final grade.  Details of the assignment will be discussed in detail during the first few weeks of class.  You may also view the assignment on the homepage.  See attached assignment sheet for due dates.  No LATE papers will be accepted – No Exceptions – even for good cause.

 

Overall Participation:

Overall participation will be derived from an assessment as to involvement in the course material.  I have the ability to track each student’s participation.  Students will also have other means of demonstrating involvement in the course objective, including:

  • Involvement in Group Discussions;
  • Satisfactory completion of in-class exercises; and
  • Completion of Homework Assignments

 

Attendance Policy: 

You are required to log on weekly and perform tasks and assignments according to the syllabus.  I will NOT accept late assignments, quizzes, bulletin board postings, etc. Failure to complete work accordingly may result in a lower grade.

 

College Policies:

 

Withdrawal:  If for any reason a student is unable to complete the course, he/she must follow the college policy and officially withdraw from the course.  Appropriate forms are available at the Records Office.  A (W) will be issued for all official withdrawals.  If a student does not withdraw, he/she will be awarded the letter grade earned.  Once a grade is officially recorded with the Registrar, the grade will NOT be changed at a later time.  There will be NO exceptions to this policy.

 

Incomplete:  An incomplete is a temporary grade assigned when course work is missing and the student agrees to complete the course requirements.  An (I) will be given only for work unfinished because of illness, accident or other unavoidable absence and when the instructor determines that the student has a reasonable chance of successfully completing the required work.

 

ADA Accommodation Statement:  “Students with physical or learning disabilities who may require accommodations are encouraged to contact the Counseling Office.  After disclosing the nature of the disability, students are urged to discuss their needs with individual instructors.  This should be done at the beginning of each semester.  Instructors, in conjunction with appropriate college officials, will provide assistance and/or accommodation only to those students who have completed this process.”

 

Academic Ethics/Classroom Behavior Statement:  “At Middlesex Community College, we expect the highest standards of academic honesty.  Academic dishonest is prohibited in accordance with the Board of Trustees’ Proscribed Conduct Policy in Section 5.2.1 of the Board of Trustees’ Policy Manual.  This policy prohibits cheating on an examination, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, unauthorized access to examinations or course materials, plagiarism and other proscribed activities.  Plagiarism is defined as the use of another’s idea(s) or phrase(s) and representing that/those idea(s) as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally.”  (Board of Trustees’ Policy 5.2.1)  Both plagiarism and cheating are grounds for a student’s immediate dismissal from the college.

BUS 231 – BUSINESS LAW I – ON-LINE

COURSE OUTLINE

 

 

SESSION ONE:  January 22 – January 29

 

I.                  The Legal Environment of Business

 

Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning

                   ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 1 p. 2-29

 

Courts and Alternative Dispute Resolution

                   ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 2 p. 30-51

 

SESSION TWO: January 30 – February 5

 

Court Procedures

                   ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 3 p. 52-76

 

Constitutional Authority to Regulate Business

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 4 p. 77-96

 

Ethics and Business Decision Making

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 5 p. 97-114

 

SESSION THREE:  February 6 – February 12

 

II.               Torts and Crimes

 

Intentional Torts

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 6 p. 120-139

 

Negligence and Strict Liability

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 7 p. 140-152

 

SESSION FOUR:  February 13 – February 19

 

Criminal Law and Cyber Crimes

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 9 p. 178-208

 

SESSION FIVE:  February 20 – February 26

 

III.           Contracts and E-Contracts

 

Nature and Terminology

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 10 p. 210-224

 

Agreement

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 11 p. 225-242

 

SESSION SIX:  February 27 – March 5

 

Consideration

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 12 p. 243-257

 

Capacity and Legality

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 13 p. 258-276

 

Genuineness of Assent

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 14 p. 277-292

 

SESSION SEVEN:  March 6 – March 12

 

The Statute of Frauds

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 15 p. 293-308

 

Third Party Rights

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 16 p. 309-323

 

SESSION EIGHT:  March 13 – March 18

 

MIDTERM EXAMINATION

 

SPRING BREAK MARCH 18 - 24

 

SESSION NINE:  March 26 – April 2

 

Performance and Discharge

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 17 p. 324-340

 

Breach of Contract and Remedies

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 18 p. 341-357

 

E-Contracts

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 19 p. 358-378

 

SESSION TEN:  April 3 – April 9

 

IV.             Domestic and International Sales and Lease Contracts

 

Formation of Sales and Lease Contracts

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 20 p. 380-409

 

Title, Risk, and Insurable Interest

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 21 p. 410-424

 

Performance of Sales and Lease Contracts

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 22 p. 425-448

 

SESSION ELEVEN:  April 10 – April 16

 

Warranties and Product Liability

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 23 p. 449-476

 

VII      Agency and Employment

 

Agency Formation and Duties

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 31 p. 636-650

 

Liability to Third Parties and Termination

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 32 p. 651-669

 

SESSION TWELVE:  April 17 – April 23

 

Employment and Labor Law

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 33 p. 670-692

 

Employment Discrimination

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 34 p. 693-716

 

SESSION THIRTEEN:  April 24 –April 30

 

VIII    Business Organizations

 

Sole Proprietorships and Franchises

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 35 p. 718-730

 

Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 36 p. 731-752

 

  • WRITING PROJECT DUE ON APRIL 30

 

SESSION FOURTEEN:  May 1 – May 7

 

Limited Liability Companies and Limited Partnerships

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 37 p. 753-764

 

Corporations – Formation and Financing

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 38 p. 765-785

 

Corporations – Directors, Officers and Shareholders

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 39 p.786-805

 

SESSION FIFTEEN:  May 8 – May 14

 

Corporations – Merger, Consolidation and Termination

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 40 p. 806-821

 

Corporations – Securities and Corporate Government

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 41 p. 822-846

 

SESSION SIXTEEN:  May 14

 

V.                 Government Regulation

 

Administrative Law

ASSIGNMENT:  Ch 43 p. 870-887

 

 

FINAL EXAMINATION:  May 15 to May 18

 

 

 

Specific Course Objectives for Individual Units

 

The specific objectives listed below reflect the behavioral outcomes, which include what the student will be able to do at the completion of the unit.  Evaluation is then to be based on the student’s accomplishment of these objectives.  Assume that each statement is prefixed with “The student will recognize and be able to describe”

Unit 1

 

The Nature of Law;

The Classification of Law;

The Judicial System;

The Federal and State Court System;

Alternative Dispute Resolution;

Court Procedures; and

Constitutional Law.

 
Unit 7

 

Agency Formation and Duties;

Duties of Agent to Principal and vice versa;

Liability to Third Parties and Termination;

Labor and Employment Law;
Employment at Will;

Worker’s Compensation;

Fair Labor Standards Act;

Employment Discrimination; and

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

 

Unit 2

 

Tort Law;

Strict Liability;

Product Liability;

Civil Law; and

Criminal Law.

 
 
Unit 8

 

Sole Proprietorships;

Formation and Dissolution of Partnerships;

Operation of Partnerships;

Nature and Formation of Corporations;

Classifications of Corporations;

Management of Corporations;

Changes in Corporations; and

Financial Structure of Corporations.
 
Unit 3

 

Introduction to Contracts;

Agreement;

Consideration;

Legality;

Contractual Capacity;

Genuineness of Assent;

Statute of Frauds;

Third Party Contracts;

Performance, Breach and Discharge; and

E – Contracts.

 
 
Unit 9

 

Administrative Law;

Agency Creation and Powers;

Administrative Process;

Limitations on Agency Power; and

Public Accountability.
Unit 4

 

Formation of Sales and Lease Contracts;

Title, Risk and Insurable Interest;

Performance of Sales and Lease Contracts;

Remedies Breach of Sales/Lease Contracts; and

Sales and Lease Warranties.