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Master of Studies in Business Law - curriculum

The Master of Studies in Business Law is offered by the Graduate School. The MSBL Program is designed to prepare students to identify and address legal and ethical issues in business and professional environments.

The MSBL program is offered in 12, eight-week courses, in which students attend classes one night a week for four hours and earn three hours of credit for each course completed. The program is divided into four enrollment terms, each consisting of three courses.

MSBL 510	Foundations of Legal Study	3 hours
MSBL 520	Legal Research and Writing	3 hours
MSBL 530	Contracts	3 hours
MSBL 540	Torts and Insurance Law	3 hours
MSBL 550	Property	3 hours
MSBL 560	Law and Economics	3 hours
MSBL 610	Corporations	3 hours
MSBL 620	Unincorporated Business Associations	3 hours
MSBL 630	Employment Law	3 hours
MSBL 640	Business/Legal Ethics	3 hours
MSBL 650	Dispute Resolution	3 hours
MSBL 660	Master’s Research Project	3 hours
TOTAL MAJOR REQUIREMENTS		36 HOURS

Admission Requirements

In addition to the requirements stated under the Graduate Admissions Policy of the University Catalog, the requirements for admission to the MSBL program are as follows:

1. A baccalaureate degree with a grade point average of 2.75 or higher from an accredited institution.
2. Two letters of recommendation: at least one from a business or professional supervisor or associate.
3. Completion of program interview process.
4. Written approval of admission by the Program Director after review of the admission requirements.

MSBL Course Listings

MSBL 510 3 hours
Foundations of Legal Study
Provides an overview of our legal system, including the rule of law, the evolution of the common law, state and federal court systems, and state and federal statutory and regulatory law. Introduces the skills of legal analysis and legal reasoning through the study of court decisions and laws and related written assignments. Also provides an introduction to jurisprudence (the philosophy of law) and business ethics.

MSBL 520 3 hours
Legal Research and Writing
Develops skills in legal analysis, legal writing, and legal research through class assignments utilizing various resources in the library and on-line, including cases, statutes, administrative regulations, legislative histories, digests, and legal encyclopedias, including specialized legal data bases.

MSBL 530 3 hours
Contracts
Provides an overview of the law of contracts from the common law through statutory developments including, the Uniform Commercial Code and the Restatement of Contracts. Focuses on the practical application of contract law to issues in the business environment, including contract formation, drafting of terms and conditions, contract interpretation, and contract enforcement.

MSBL 540 3 hours
Torts and Insurance Law
Provides an overview of the broad area of civil wrongs which flow from legally imposed duties. Focuses on the practical application of tort and insurance law to issues in the business environment, including negligence, intentional torts, strict liability, and products liability.

MSBL 550 3 hours
Property
Provides an overview of the law of real and personal property. Focuses on the practical application of property law to issues in the business environment, such as real estate acquisitions, mortgages, leases, patents, trademarks and copyrights.

MSBL 560 3 hours
Law and Economics
Provides an introduction to the relationship of economics and law. Focuses on the economic consequences of federal constitutional, statutory and regulatory business requirements, including the Commerce Clause and the antitrust laws.

MSBL 610 3 hours
Corporations
Provides an overview of the statutory and common law governing the incorporated entity. Focuses on the formation and operation of a corporation under Kansas law, including purposes and powers, duties and liabilities of shareholders, directors and officers, issuance and transfer of stock, mergers, acquisitions and dissolution. Also provides an overview of Kansas and federal securities laws.

MSBL 620 3 hours
Unincorporated Business Associations
Provides an overview of the Kansas laws governing unincorporated business associations, including sole proprietorships, general partnerships, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. Focuses on the formation and operation of the general partnership and the limited liability company. Also provides an overview of the principal-agent relationship.

MSBL 630 3 hours
Employment Law
Provides an overview of the federal and state legal relationship of employers and employees, addressing topics such as employment-at-will, employment contracts, wrongful discharge, employment discrimination, wage and hour laws, health and safety laws, collective bargaining, employee privacy rights, and employee benefits.

MSBL 640 3 hours
Business/Legal Ethics
Provides an overview of the history and nature of values and ethics. Focuses on approaches to ethical reasoning, policies, stakeholder analysis, and decision-making in the business/legal environment. Also discusses the nature and extent of ethical guidelines and rules, corporate compliance plans and corporate codes of conduct.

MSBL 650 3 hours
Dispute Resolution
Provides an overview of methods to address conflicts and disputes in the business environment, including the recognition of a legal problem or controversy, investigation of the nature of the problem, and exploration of alternatives, including negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and court actions. Also discusses concepts such as the attorney-client privilege, Fifth Amendment rights, and obstruction of justice.

MSBL 660 3 hours
Master’s Research Project
Students will be required to research and prepare a written paper on the federal and state statutory and regulatory legal framework governing a business sector. Research topics must be approved by the Program Director and supervised by a professor in the MSBL program.

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