Required Text
Igwebuike, J.G., Business Law Success Guide, (1st ed. 2008).
* Please note: I have written my own textbook due to be published late 2009 by Prentice-Hall Publishing. I have printed selected chapters to be used throughout the course. You must purchase it at the bookstore. We are continuing to tweak it and test it out this semester.
Course Identification Numbers: Contained within your book is your course identification #. I will need you to e-mail to me your
A standard dictionary is strongly recommended as it will be necessary to mastering the legal connotations of new words you encounter throughout the readings, cases, lectures, and assignments.
COURSE OBJECTIVE: To introduce students to the legal system and its application to the business environment.
At the conclusion of this course, given a semester-long series of Socratic discussions, lectures, quizzes, readings, in-class and out-of-class assignments, peer teaching, and examinations, students will have met the following learning objectives:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1.
Be able to identify and analyze the common law, the U.S. Constitution, statutory law, administrative agency law, and international laws as sources of law.
2.
Be able to differentiate between ethical conduct and illegal conduct and the relationships between the two.
3.
Be able to understand the structure of the American legal system and the role of the courts.
4.
Be able to define and distinguish between different types of intentional and unintentional (negligence) torts.
5.
Be able to define and distinguish between different types of civil suits based on negligence.
6.
Analyze requisite elements of a valid contract while understanding the relationships between contract law and the law of sales.
7.
Be able to understand negotiable instruments and apply the concepts of the negotiability, negotiation, and the holder in due course rule.
8.
Be able to understand the role of secured transactions in business transactions while analyzing applicable steps of securing a collateral as against third parties.
9.
Be able to explain the role and importance of agency law as they relate to the conduct of business in national and international marketplaces.
Course Web Page
Course web page (http://bschool.alcorn.edu
)
This course will have a home page on our School web page. The Course Web Page includes: (1) syllabus, (2) schedule of assignments, (3) chapter outlines, (4) learning objectives, (5) sample business plans, and (6) general announcements. You will be able to post questions on the web page that I will answer on the web page which answers I will make available to the entire class. This web page is under continuous construction as I strive for total quality management and continuous quality improvement.
Communication
Students will also be required to submit their e-mail addresses so in order to facilitate collaboration and efficiency of communication between and among the instructor and students vis-à-vis their peers.
Attendance Policy
Students will be required to attend more than seventy-five percent (75%) of scheduled classes. Furthermore, Alcorn State University has an attendance policy that will be strictly enforced in this course.
“The current university class attendance regulations include: 1) students must attend as a minimum three-fourths of the meetings for a given course in order to be eligible to receive credit in that course, and 2) students are allowed one hour of unexcused absence for each semester hour of a course.
“Students missing more than the before mentioned absences must secure an excuse from the Counseling and Testing Center. Students seeking excuses must provide written documentation of the reason for missing a class. Excuses are issued for students’ participation in official university business, illness, death in the family, and other legitimate reasons. The excuse is written by a counselor and taken to faculty for acceptance. Students are not exempted from assignments missed.” (Dr. Malvin A. Williams, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, November 30, 1998).
Students who miss more than twenty (25) percent of the class hours will receive the grade of F. It must be emphasized that class presence, preparation, and participation is paramount for the following objective-driven reasons: (1) to meet the learning objectives of this course; and, (2) the Socratic method will be the primary teaching device employed throughout the semester. Finally, the nuances, particularities, and gray areas of the law tend such to be that they do not lend themselves to independent study.
Students will be required to sign the sign-in sheet each day when they report to class. Students who come to class habitually late (without a valid, university-sanctioned excuse) will be marked late. To the extent that a student is perpetually late, absent, unprepared, or otherwise non-participative in class, I reserve the right and prerogative to reduce the student’s (or students’) final grade by one increment (e.g., A to B) as attendance is tied to meeting the objectives set for the class. However, pertaining to student demonstration of excellence through exceptional attendance (for example, regular and consistent attendance, preparation, and participation), I reserve the right and prerogative to promote such students. That is, I reserve the discretion to increase such student’s (or students’) final grade by one increment (e.g., B to A) on the basis of exceptional timely attendance.
Office Hours
My Lorman Campus office hours are: M W F (all day except during classes). We will also have weekend review sessions (to be announced).
Please contact me at any time to discuss any questions or concerns. I am most accessible by e-mail:
drjohnigwebuike@yahoo.com
(until I note otherwise). If you cannot reach me, contact the School of Business at 877-6450Grading Policy
The grades will be administered according to the following scale:
Your grade will be based on the average score on the final exam, mid-term exam score, completion of two progress reviews (self-tests from individualized learning packet may be substituted for one or both progress reviews) and optimum class attendance and class participation during 15 weeks of study. Projects will be graded at the “Pass” or “Do Over” or “Do” levels.
Here are the standards for different grades:
o
Scores of 90 or more on mid-term exam
o
Two projects at Pass level
o
Present in all classes or with excused absences
o
Documented group project participation (e.g., Mock Trial)
o
15 weeks of active class participation.
o
Score of 80 or more on mid-term exam
o
One (1) project at Pass level
o
Present in 80 percent of classes or present excused absences
o
Documented group project participation
o
13 weeks of active class participation.
o
Score of 70 or more on mid-term exam
o
One (1) project at Pass level
o
Present in 70 percent of classes or present excused absences
o
Documented group project participation
o
11 weeks of active class participation
o
Score of 60 or more on mid-term exam
o
Zero (0)—or no—projects at Pass level but submitted
o
Present in 60 percent of classes or present excused absences
o
Documented group project participation
o
9 weeks of active class participation
o
Score less than 60 on mid-term exam
o
No projects submitted
o
Present in 60 percent of classes or no excused absences
o
No documented group project participation
o
No active class participation
Evaluation of student performance will be weighted accordingly:
Projects will be graded P (Pass) or DO (Do Over). If you receive a DO on a project, you may work to improve it and submit it again.
Projects include:
* Vocabulary
* Homework Assignments & Reading comprehension
* Unannounced quizzes
* Mock Trial
Midterm
Final
Group Projects (include group problems and Mock Trial)
Final Exam: TBA. Will consist of multiple choice questions, short problems, and/or short essay questions.
Code of Student Conduct
Any violations of the Alcorn State University Student Code of Conduct (including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, disruptive behavior, excessive tardiness, etc.) will be strictly enforced according to School of Business and University guidelines.
Instructional Format:
The pedagogical format employed throughout the class will be varied to ensure maximal student learning and skill development. Teaching methods may include:
q
Lectures
q
Class discussions and questions/answers
q
Problem-solving exercises
q
Team projects (e.g., students divided into teams or “law firms”)
q
Service Learning
q
Socratic dialog
q
Student teaching
q
Audio-visual (video, television, recordings, computer generated overheads, etc.)
q
Internet & Computer assisted learning
q
Student Presentations
q
Peer Tutoring
q
Guest Speakers
q
Individual Research Projects (optional)
Academic Assistance:
Any student needing or wanting assistance during the semester should request help as early in the semester as possible. As soon as you do not understand something, please ask me. You most definitely will NOT be bothering me. It is my job to assure that all students have an equal opportunity to experience academic success in this class. Just contact me in person, by telephone, fax, or e-mail, and we will set up a time to get together. My purpose is to facilitate your reaching your fullest potential and achieving your greatest success.
Students with Disabilities:
Any student who has a disability requiring reasonable accommodation should let me know as early in the semester as possible. Then, it will become our mutual goal for you to have a fair chance to experience academic success in this class.
Important Resources
Course web page http://bschool.alcorn.edu
.
Alcorn State University Library
Online Legal Learning Activities:
o
http://blt.westbuslaw.com
o
West Publishing has excellent tutorials on-line to reinforce learning. I strongly recommend using this as a learning tool.
Supplemental Readings:
o
I will post any supplemental readings in the Library.
Assignments
The schedule of assignments is provided on a separate sheet. Such assignments may also be posted on the Course web page (http://bschool.alcorn.edu
) as well. (More information to follow as we advance in the semester). Also, these assignments are subject to change depending how well students grasp the objectives of the materials.
Note, be sure to place your name, date, course number, course time, instructor name, and name of project/assignment at the top right corner of your assignments.
Memorandum of Agreement
Date______________
Date______________
The instructor has explained this syllabus to me. Further, I’ve read and do understand the syllabus contents including relevant University, School of Business, and classroom/lab rules and regulations.
Student’s Name: ___________________________________________________
Student’s Signature: ________________________________________________
Professor’s Name: Dr. John G. Igwebuike
e
Professor’s Signature: ________________________________________________
1