Ethics and Business Law (BLAW)
Opus College of Business
Department of Ethics and Business Law
Pattit (chair), Buckeye, Elm, Garrison, R. Kennedy, Kunkel, Marsnik, Michaelson, Monge, Naughton, Skirry, Swink, Thompson
Ethics and law play an increasingly prominent role in the workplace and in the global marketplace. Legal rules and regulations have proliferated at all levels of the organization, and successful managers must understand how to integrate legal considerations into their business planning and operations. Business leaders also need to be able to recognize the ethical dimensions of decisions and choose well in difficult situations. Our ethics and business law courses acquaint students with the tools of ethical decision-making and with the foundations of the legal environment of business, both domestic and international to enhance ethical thinking and problem solving.
The Department of Ethics and Business Law offers a legal studies in business concentration for undergraduate business majors. Students in this concentration explore the legal system and the ways in which legal rules and processes affect business decisions. Students also engage in legal reasoning, advocacy and the legal analysis of commercial transactions.
The concentration is structured to ensure that students receive both a solid grounding needed for the B.A. in business administration and an additional focus on the legal environment for business.
Concentration in Legal Studies in Business
Business Core Courses
- ACCT 210 Introduction to Financial Accounting (4 credits)
- ACCT 215 Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
- BETH 301 Business Ethics (4 credits)
- BUSN 200 Business Learning Through Service (0 credit)
- OPMT 310 Operations Management (4 credits)
- FINC 321 Financial Management (4 credits)
- MGMT 305 Management & Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
- MKTG 300 Principles of Marketing (4 credits)
Plus four credits from the following:
- BLAW 301 Legal Environment of Business (4 credits)
- BLAW 302 Business Law for Accounting (4 credits)
- BLAW 303 International Business Law (4 credits)
Concentration Course
- BLAW 401 Legal Research, Advocacy, and Dispute Resolution (4 credits)
- MGMT 480 Strategic Management (4 credits)
- BUSN 202 Microsoft Excel Applications for Business (0 credits)
or CISC 200 Introduction to Computer Technology & Business Applications (4 credits)
Plus twelve credits from the following:
- One of BLAW 301, 302, or 303 not taken previously (Note: Students concentrating in Legal Studies in Business may NOT take both BLAW 301 and 302)
- BLAW 304 Real Estate Law (4 credits)
- BLAW 351 Environmental Law (4 credits)
- BLAW 352 Gender Issues and the Law (4 credits)
- BLAW 353 Employment & Labor Law (4 credits)
- BLAW 354 Marketing Law (4 credits)
- BLAW 402 Law of Electronic Commerce (4 credits)
- One course (not previously taken) from Opus College of Business at the 300-level or above
Allied requirements
- ECON 251 Principles of Macroeconomics (4 credits)
- ECON 252 Principles of Microeconomics (4 credits)
- STAT 220 Statistics I (4 credits)
Note: STAT 220 should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Transfer students who have not had an equivalent course must complete this course by the end of their first semester, junior year.
Plus four credits from the following:
- MATH 101 Finite Mathematics (4 credits)
- MATH 109 Calculus with Review II (4 credits)
- MATH 111 Calculus for Business and Social Science (4 credits)
- MATH 113 Calculus I (4 credits)
Note: The math requirement must be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
Plus four credits from the following:
- COJO 100 Public Speaking (4 credits)
- COJO 105 Communication in the Workplace (4 credits)
- COJO 370 Intercultural Communication (4 credits)
- ENGL 211 or above (4 credits)
| Course Number | Title | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BETH 243 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BETH 269 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
| BETH 295 | Topics | 2 | |
| Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
| BETH 296 | Topics | 2 | |
| Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
| BETH 301 | Business Ethics | 4 | |
| Description of course Business Ethics : | This course plays a critical role in the principle-based education of St. Thomas business students, especially in introducing the responsibilities of a business professional. Through analysis of case studies, readings and other experiential exercises, students will develop an understanding of professional business conduct and judgment grounded in moral principles. This course is a prerequisite for all 400-level Business courses. Prerequisites: Junior standing, and one of BLAW 301, 302, 303 or 304 which must be taken prior-to, or concurrently with, BETH 301, plus four additional credits from ACCT, OPMT, FINC, MGMT, or MKTG | ||
| BETH 389 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
| BETH 393 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| Course Number | Title | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLAW 243 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 269 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 295 | Topics | 2 | |
| Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
| BLAW 296 | Topics | 2 | |
| Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
| BLAW 301 | Legal Environment/Business | 4 | |
| Description of course Legal Environment/Business : | An examination of the business law rules and principles of particular relevance to entrepreneurship, finance, management, and marketing. Subjects include contracts, negligence, products liability and warranty, sales of goods, intellectual property, employment law, as well as general notions of legal reasoning and legal process and alternative dispute resolution. Prerequisite: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 302 | Business Law for Accounting | 4 | |
| Description of course Business Law for Accounting : | An examination of the business rules and principles of particular relevance to the accounting profession. Subjects include the law of contracts, the Uniform Commercial Code, the law of debtor-creditor relations, the legal structure governing the formation and operation of business organizations (agency, partnership, and corporations), securities regulations, as well as general notions of legal reasoning and legal process. Prerequisites: Junior standing and ACCT 210 | ||
| BLAW 303 | International Business Law | 4 | |
| Description of course International Business Law : | An exploration of the international legal environments and some of the legal issues and problems confronting businesses as they cross international boundaries. Topics include international trade, foreign investment, transfer of technology, international dispute resolution, international contracting, employment law, and the role of multinational enterprises. Prerequisite: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 304 | Real Estate Law | 4 | |
| Description of course Real Estate Law : | Principles of law regarding real property with emphasis on contractual relationships, purchase and sales transactions; title and transfer of ownership, mortgages, zoning and land use, development, commercial and residential leasing, and professional liability. Offered in spring semester. Prerequisites: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 351 | Environmental Law | 4 | |
| Description of course Environmental Law : | Environmental law will survey relevant federal and state statutes and case law to examine how well they serve to maintain and improve the quality of the air, water, soil and life, and strike an appropriate balance between the present consumption of resources and their maintenance for future generations. The course also will explore emerging environmental trends and the formulation of environmental policy. Prerequisite: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 352 | Gender Issues and the Law | 4 | |
| Description of course Gender Issues and the Law : | This course explores the principle that men and women stand as equals before the law. It examines the ways in which courts and legislatures have interpreted the principle of equal opportunity to resolve gender issues in the workplace, as well as in other aspects of society that affect access to the workplace, including education, marriage, and the family. It also provides an historical overview of the law of equal opportunity and will touch upon modern notions of feminist legal theory. This course fulfills the Human Diversity requirement in the core curriculum. Prerequisite: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 353 | Employment & Labor Law | 4 | |
| Description of course Employment & Labor Law : | This course addresses in-depth legal issues that every employer and employee needs to understand regarding the legal environment of employment, including federal and state employment discrimination laws, sexual harassment, workers' compensation, first amendment rights, privacy, wrongful termination, covenants not to compete, federal laws governing the right to organize and bargain collectively, and emerging employment law issues. Prerequisite: Junior standing | ||
| BLAW 354 | Marketing Law | 4 | |
| Description of course Marketing Law : | This course explores the legal principles and government regulation relating to marketing, advertising, and intellectual property. Topics include intellectual property protection such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights; the law of advertising and promotion; and possibly other timely topics relevant to marketing law. Prerequisite: BLAW 301, 302, or 303 | ||
| BLAW 389 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 393 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 401 | Legal Rsch/Advoc/Disp Resol | 4 | |
| Description of course Legal Rsch/Advoc/Disp Resol : | An examination of the nature of legal process and of the means the legal system adopts to resolve business disputes. The course will follow a problem-solving approach emphasizing critical thinking and oral and written legal advocacy skills. Topics include an overview of jurisprudence, the sources of law, business and the Constitution, the regulatory process, judicial and alternative dispute resolution, and the basics of legal research and written and oral advocacy. Prerequisite: BLAW 301, 302, or 303 or consent of instructor; BETH 301 | ||
| BLAW 490 | Topics | 4 | |
| Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
| BLAW 491 | Research | 2 TO 4 | |
| Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 495 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 496 | Individual Study | 2 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 497 | Individual Study | 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
| BLAW 498 | Individual Study | 4 | |
| Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||