Discipline Based Instruction in Business Law

Undergraduate business law courses typically utilize traditional textbooks organized by topic. Individual chapters, address the usual topics including contracts, torts, the court system and ethics. An innovative approach to facilitating a business law course involves segregating sections of the course into common business disciplines. Rather than the abstract teaching of legal concepts, substantive material is presented in well defined sections including management, finance, accounting, real estate, marketing, and human resource management. Each section is defined by excerpts of published cases in private law, public law, preventative law and ethics. Individual disciplines are highlighted by instructive and provocative discussion questions following actual court opinions. Team teaching is an essential ingredient in discipline based instruction. Faculty members from specific disciplines are invited to participate and contribute to the course. The curriculum is presented in an applied format and relevant to the study and practice of business administration. Students are asked to apply legal concepts and issues to the individual disciplines they are studying in a business school format.