Business Law Minor
A minor in business law provides students with practical knowledge of the complex legal issues that govern the business environment. The minor teaches students the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and manage legal and ethical issues in a wide array of settings including contracts, management, employment and human resources, construction, banking, international business, and intellectual property. It is also excellent preparation for students who plan to attend law school.
Current Catalog Year
2024-2025
The Business Law minor provides students a solid foundation of business law and the skills to be successful professionals who make ethical, strategic and legally-savvy decisions. The 18 credit minor includes four required courses that cover a wide array of core legal concepts including the legal system, litigation, contracts, sales, and employment law. Students complete their minor with two additional courses that are tailored to their specific interests and fields such as negotiations and conflict management, construction and design law, technology and intellectual property law, and international law. The program also regularly offers study abroad courses in international law and politics. The Business Law minor is a perfect fit for students who plan to go to law or graduate school. It is also designed to give an edge to students who plan to work in compliance-related fields (i.e. human resources management), contract-related fields (i.e. accounting, construction, management, and agribusiness), financial fields (banking and finance), and entrepreneurial fields.
Program
Requirements
Core
Application of law to business settings; the American court system; alternative dispute resolution; ethics and the social responsibility of business; fundamentals of legal reasoning; sources of law; constitutional, criminal, tort, and contract law; business associations.
Prerequisites:
none
Fundamentals of contracts, the law of sales under the UCC; the legal liability of accountants to clients and third parties. Formation of contracts; statute of frauds and parol evidence rule; contract performance; remedies for breach of contract; scope of UCC Article Two; sales warranties; remedies for breach of contracts.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
Federal employment discrimination laws; sexual harassment; first amendment rights; employee safety; workers' compensation; privacy; wrongful termination; federal laws governing the right to organize and bargain collectively; emerging issues.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
Introduction to the personal computer as a productivity tool for business majors. Using Microsoft Office suite, students learn to be productive with document processing, spreadsheets, electronic presentations, and databases. Cannot be used toward any major or minor in Computer Information Science.
Prerequisites:
none
Electives
Legal aspects of United States global trade policies, regulation of imports, contracting in the global marketplace, international marketing concerns, structure of various international organizations and treaties. Legal aspects of international licensing and technology, transfers risks of nationalization and expropriation, international dispute resolution, comity, the Act of State, and sovereign immunity doctrines.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
Legal aspects of checks and promissory notes, forgery and the use of counterfeit currency. Discusses the Federal Reserve check collection process, electronic banking, the purchase and sale of commercial paper, debtor and creditor rights, securities regulation, fundamentals of collateral foreclosure, the federal bankruptcy code and insurance law.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
This class examines major intellectual property legal issues particularly as they apply to business, technology, innovation and digital media. Topics covered include patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, intellectual property crime, free speech, the internet and social media, innovation and other emerging issues.
Prerequisites:
none
The course introduces students to the legal framework for environmental protection in the United States. Students will study the principle treaties, common law, constitutional principles, statutes, and regulations that govern environmental regulation. They will also explore issues of land use and planning, clean air and water laws, sustainability, and emerging environmental legal issues.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
Legal responsibilities of architects, engineers and contractors in dealing with each other, the project's owner, sureties and subcontractors. Special emphasis on performance problems, forms of business association, legal relationships with independent contractors, the AIA contract documents, mechanics liens, AAA Construction Arbitration Rules, dispute avoidance, claims management and collection strategies.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
This course examines the theory and practice of negotiation and trains students to be effective, strategic and ethical negotiators. Topics covered include theories, style and techniques of negotiations and dispute resolution; contract negotiation and dispute resolution; alternative dispute resolution; and ethical aspects of negotiation and dispute resolution. Students will develop negotiation skills through cases and activities.
Prerequisites:
BLAW 200
Seminar topics may include women and the law, legal aspects of entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, legal rights in computer software, investigating sexual harassment claims, copyright on the internet, immigration law, steps to become an IPO, privacy rights on computer networks, case studies in deregulation, legal aspects of leveraged buyouts, corporate takeover and ESOP's, complying with NAFTA.
Prerequisites:
none
Study tours are lead by Minnesota State University, Mankato faculty members and provide students the opportunities to visit epicenters of international law to experience the development and implementation of international law and its effect on businesses.
Prerequisites:
none
