REQUEST TO COLLEGE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE FOR CURRICULAR IMPROVEMENTS
DEPARTMENT: FCL
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE SEMESTER: Fall 2009
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
Academic Program
Substantive Course Changes
New degree*
New course
New major*
Pre or Co-requisites
New curriculum*
Deletion (required by others)
New concentration*
Course #, different level
New certificate
Credit hours
New minor
Enrollment restriction
Revised major
Course-level restriction
Revised minor
Prefix
Title and description
Admission requirements
(attach current & proposed)
Graduation requirements
General education (select one)
Deletion
Transfer
Not Applicable
Other (explain**)
Other (explain**)
COLLEGE:Haworth College of Bus
Misc. Course Changes
Title
Description (attach current & proposed)
Deletion (not required by others)
Course #, same level
Variable credit
Credit/no credit
Cross-listing
COGE reapproval
Other (explain**)
** Other:
Title of degree, curriculum, major, minor, concentration, or certificate:
Existing course prefix and #:
Proposed course prefix and #: BUS 3003 Credit hours: 3
Existing course title:
Proposed course title: Commercial Law
Existing course prerequisite & co-requisite(s):
Proposed course prerequisite(s)
If there are multiple prerequisites, connect with “and” or “or”. To remove prerequisites, enter “none.”
Proposed course co-requisite(s)
If there are multiple corequisites, they are always joined by “and.”
Proposed course prerequisite(s) that can also be taken concurrently:
Is there a minimum grade for the prerequisites or corequisites?
The default grades are D for undergraduates and C for graduates.
Major/minor or classification restrictions:
List the Banner 4 character codes and whether they should be included or excluded.
For 5000 level prerequisites & corequisites: Do these apply to: (circle one) undergraduates
graduates
both
Specifications for University Schedule of Classes:
a. Course title (maximum of 30 spaces): Business Law for Non-Bus Stdts
b. Multi-topic course:
No
Yes
c. Repeatable for credit:
No
Yes
d. Mandatory credit/no credit:
No
Yes
e. Type of class and contact hours per week (check type and indicate hours as appropriate)
1.
Lecture 3
3.
Lecture/lab/discussion
5.
Independent study
2.
Lab or discussion
4.
Seminar or
studio
6.
Supervision or practicum
CIP Code (Registrar’s use only):
Chair/Director
Date
Chair, College Curriculum Committee
Date
Dean
Date:
Curriculum Manager: Return to dean
Date
Graduate Dean:
Date
Forward to:
Date
Chair, COGE/ PEB / FS President
FOR PROPOSALS REQUIRING GSC/USC REVIEW:
Date
*
Approve
Disapprove
Chair, GSC/USC
Date
*
Approve
Disapprove
Provost
Date
Revised May 2007. All previous forms are obsolete and should not be used.
1.
Explain briefly and clearly the proposed improvement.
This course provides an introduction to the American legal system as it relates to the conduct of business and
business relationships, and introduces the legal environment in which businesses must operate. BUS 3003 provides
students with a business law background but does not assume the students have the knowledge and skills taught in
the pre-BBA business courses.
2.
Rationale. Give your reason(s) for the proposed improvement. (If your proposal includes prerequisites, justify those,
too.)
This course fulfills the business law elective portion of the proposed Business Administration Minor. It provides the
material in a depth and range appropriate to junior students but does not cover the material needed for upper level
courses in the B.B.A. program. This course is not equivalent to LAW 3800, Legal Environment of Business and does
not count toward satisfaction of LAW 3800 as a BBA core class.
3.
Effect on other colleges, departments or programs. If consultation with others is required, attach evidence of
consultation and support. If objections have been raised, document the resolution. Demonstrate that the program you
propose is not a duplication of an existing one.
None.
4.
Effect on your department’s programs. Show how the proposed change fits with other departmental offerings.
The Department of Finance and Commercial Law in the Haworth College of Business offers and staffs this course.
See #7.
5.
Effects on enrolled students: Are program conflicts avoided? Will your proposal make it easier or harder for students
to meet graduation requirements? Can students complete the program in a reasonable time? Show that you have
considered scheduling needs and demands on students’ time. If a required course will be offered during summer only,
provide a rationale.
No program conflicts are anticipated. However, if students change programs, certain rules would apply. Students who
begin the BBA program, then decide not to pursue the major, could apply LAW 3800, Legal Environment of Business,
to the proposed Business Administration Minor course requirements. However, BUS 3003 does not satisfy BBA
requirement for LAW 3800.
Since it it part of the proposed Business Administration Minor, BUS 3003 will make it easier for students to graduate in a
timely way, due to the easing of enrollment requirements: fewer credit hours (26 instead of 56 credit hours) and lower
GPA (2.0 instead of 2.5 GPA). Students could complete the 18 hours required for this minor by the end of their junior
year
6.
Student or external market demand. What is your anticipated student audience? What evidence of student or market
demand or need exists? What is the estimated enrollment? What other factors make your proposal beneficial to
students?
BUS 3003 is part of the proposed Business Administration Minor, and non-business students are expected to find the
proposed Business Administration Minor an attractive option in conjunction with a major in Arts & Sciences, Aviation,
Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, or Health & Human Services. The proposed business minor could provide a
competitive edge for WMU students when applying for employment in a business setting, e.g., a theatre major
seeking employment with an event organizing firm, or a chemistry major seeking a job in a chemical manufacturing
firm, or a physical education major with an interest in exercise management.
Demand within WMU is expected to be substantial. Anecdotal evidence suggests that students in other colleges are
very interested in taking business courses earlier than the currently required 56 credit hours, and without necessarily
meeting the same academic requirement as the BBA students of a 2.5 cumulative GPA
7.
Effects on resources. Explain how your proposal would affect department and University resources, including faculty,
equipment, space, technology, and library holdings. Tell how you will staff additions to the program. If more advising
will be needed, how will you provide for it? How often will course(s) be offered? What will be the initial one-time costs
and the ongoing base-funding costs for the proposed program? (Attach additional pages, as necessary.)
Faculty to teach the BUS 3003 could be drawn from among the pool of persons in the legal community with J.D.
degrees from ABA accredited law schools if Law faculty members are otherwise assigned. A Law faculty would
oversee delivery of consistent quality in each course.
Effect on equipment, space, technology: Courses will be taught in Schneider Hall using existing technology.
Library holdings: No additional library resources are anticipated, as the students are current WMU students and the
materials are similar to the same current materials needed by existing courses.
Advising: In general, little advising would be needed for the non-business minors. Most students’ information needs
will be met with booklets that describe the proposed business minor requirements and show the seven course syllabi.
The advising office would receive students’ declared minor slips and include newly declared business minors in the
relevant database.
8.
General education criteria. For a general education course, indicate how this course will meet the criteria for the area
or proficiency. (See the General Education Policy for descriptions of each area and proficiency and the criteria. Attach
additional pages as necessary. Attach a syllabus if (a) proposing a new course, (b) requesting certification for
baccalaureate-level writing, or (c) requesting reapproval of an existing course.) NA
9. List the learning outcomes for the proposed course or the revised or proposed major, minor, or concentration. These
are the outcomes that the department will use for future assessments of the course or program.
Definition of key legal terms used in business law
Identification of the major sources of business law
Distinguish between enforceable contracts and other forms of business agreements
10. Describe how this curriculum change is a response to assessment outcomes that are part of a departmental or college
assessment plan or informal assessment activities.
The accreditation association for business colleges, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB), continually revises its standards, most recently in January 2008. The proposed business administration
minor is expected to reduce the number of non-business majors in sophomore level BBA-required classes. This
reduction will assist HCoB’s efforts to meet an emerging informal standard among AACSB schools regarding faculty
to student ratios. The current HCoB ratio is substantially higher than those of our peer, competitor and aspirant
AACSB schools.
11. (Undergraduate proposals only) Describe, in detail, how this curriculum change affects transfer articulation for
Michigan community colleges. For course changes, include detail on necessary changes to transfer articulation from
Michigan community college courses. For new majors or minors, describe transfer guidelines to be developed with
Michigan community colleges. For revisions to majors or minors, describe necessary revisions to Michigan community
college guidelines. Department chairs should seek assistance from college advising directors or from the admissions
office in completing this section.
NA This is a 3000 level course.
Course Catalog Description:
BUS 3003: Commercial Law
An introduction to the American legal system as it relates to the conduct of business and business relationships,
as well as the legal environment in which businesses must operate. The Department of Finance and Commercial
Law in the Haworth College of Business offers and staffs this course. This course is not equivalent to LAW
3800, Legal Environment of Business and does not count toward satisfaction of LAW 3800 as a BBA core
class.