Units

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Sample subject outline - 6 Week Teaching Period - 6 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

It is essential for managers to have a fundamental understanding of the context in which they operate. They must possess the ability to identify basic commercial legal issues and to understand the legal structure of different business entities. This core unit will assist students to understand the laws affecting contemporary commerce. It is an overview of business law, intended to point students towards areas of more in-depth study.

Aims

The mission of the MBA and associated programs is to provide world class, graduate business education and stimulating real world learning opportunities to develop current and future business leaders and managers to confidently lead in complex environments.

This unit is designed to emphasise the reasoning process that lawyers follow. The intent in doing so is not to shape students into lawyers but rather to prepare professionals capable of promoting their business interests within the legal framework that surrounds contemporary commercial dealings.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)

The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the essential topics of business law. KS1.1 (MBA 1)

2. Be competent at discovering the sources of law. KS1.1 (MBA 1), PC3.1 (MBA3)

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the legal nature of entities including partnerships and companies, contract law, agency. KS1.1 (MBA 1), CTA2.1 (MBA 4)

4. Understand the provisions regulating consumer contracts under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. KS1.1 (MBA 1), CTA2.1 (MBA 4)

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

In the global arena, laws relating to commercial dealings are diverse. To provide students with basic understanding of legal principles, this unit works from the Australian perspective but aims to create awareness of the more global trends in commerical dealings that are rapidly emerging. Australia's commerical law has primarily evolved from the English common law tradition and therefore shares similar legal foundations with a number of other global commercial centres. The initial overview provided by this subject will assist students to grasp business law principles, and recognise similar concepts inherent in the legal foundations of other common trading partners.

This unit contains essential topics for a basic understanding of business law with an emphasis on discovering the sources of law, understanding the legal nature of entities including partnerships and companies, contract law, and understanding provisions regulating contracting, including consumer rights provisions set out under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (encompassing the Trade Practices Act (Cth) 1974).

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit adopts a blended learning approach and as such, includes a variety of teaching and learning approaches

Three hour face-to-face class sessions are supplemented by a textbook and a range of online materials that are designed to support and extend learning prior to, during and after class sessions. Online materials are available in the unit Blackboard site. Given the importance of the unit Blackboard site to the teaching and learning strategy used in this unit, a computer or tablet device with internet access is strongly recommended for all students.

The principal purpose of the lectures and readings is to build upon key concepts that were introduced through the Preparation for Class activities and readings. Class sessions will be divided between lectures and problem solving individually and in small groups. The purpose of the case study work, experiential learning tasks and all assessment tasks is to help the student develop their understanding of the concepts and enable them to be applied within a range of business contexts.

There is an expectation that the student will participate in class sessions, to take advantage of the opportunity to discuss important issues with their instructor and their peers in an informal environment. These sessions also provide students with an opportunity to hone important generic skills that are in high demand in the business.

It is expected that students have completed all Preparation for Class activities and readings identified in the unit Blackboard site prior to coming to class to be able to maximise the learning opportunities of the class sessions.

A variety of learning activities designed to engage students in their learning will be incorporated into the lectures/workshops. Such learning activities may include short lectures, class discussions, debates, role plays, group work, guest speakers, student presentations, simulations, case study analysis, videos, readings, wikis, media/current events reports, web searches, etc.


There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered. Students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them and will be encouraged to share their experiences relating to the topics explored in this unit with the class to enrich the overall learning experience of all students.

Expanding the awareness of Australian management policies and practices into intercultural and international perspectives is fostered within this unit. Typically, students enrolling in this unit have extremely varied backgrounds. There is diversity of professional background and socio-cultural background. Students are reminded that this is to their advantage and they have much to learn from one another. To this end, students are strongly encouraged to be sensitive to cultural, gender-related and international issues.

Assessment

A further Guide to the Assessment Items is available from the unit Blackboard Site: http://blackboard.qut.edu.au

At the end of the teaching period the Business Academic Board determines student grades. The Unit Coordinators provide the detailed assessment results to the Board, working through the relevant School. These results are advisory in nature and do not necessarily constitute the final grades awarded by the Board. In its decisions the Board compares results both within units and programs, using as a guide a set of standard distribution criteria. These criteria help the Board to ensure consistency in the marking and grading of students as applied across the QUT Business School. These guidelines are not applied in a prescriptive fashion.

Option A
Assessment items 1 and 2
60% of total mark allocated to final exam

Option B
Assessment item 2
100% of total mark allocated to final exam

Note: If a student elects to undertake continuous assessment, he or she will not be disadvantaged if their final examination performance is superior to their term-time performance. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO NOMINATE IN ADVANCE WHICH ASSESSMENT OPTION YOU WISH TO TAKE.Students will receive a variety of feedback throughout this unit.
Informally, feedback will be given verbally in class through class discussions and during the debriefing of learning activities.
Direct feedback will be available to those students who request a private or group consultation session with the lecturer.
Formal feedback will be received on both formative and summative assessment tasks through a Criterion Reference Assessment sheet which will also include written feedback on the assessment task. The Criterion Reference Assessment Sheet will be available in the unit Blackboard site at the commencement of the unit. Students will receive feedback on their formative assessment task prior to their summative assessment task being submitted.

Assessment name: Essay
Description: There are two optional essay assignments from which to choose. Students can only submit one of these essays. In session 1, students will be advised of the essay topics in class and on the Blackboard site.
Length/Duration: 1,500 words
Formative/Summative: Formative and Summative
Weight:0 - 40%
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2 and 3 and AOL goals: KS 1.1, CTA 2.1
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: After Module 3

Assessment name: Final Examination
Description: In class, closed book examination. A choice of 4 from 5 questions requiring application of legal analysis of material dealing with all aspects of the unit (Modules 1-6).
Length/Duration:2 hours plus 15 minutes perusal
Formative/Summative: Summative
Weight:60 - 100%
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 4 and AOL goals: KS 1.1, CTA 2.1
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: After Module 6

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts:

Gibson, A. & Fraser, D. 5th edition (2011) Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd.

The publisher also has an eBook version of this textbook available through their Vital Source platform. This platform is currently available for IOS and Android devices, Mac and PCs. Before purchasing this book as an eBook, please be aware that this publisher only allows a 12 month license for this textbook in eBook format.

Other Resources

GSZ412 Blackboard Site

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the >Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 22-Jan-2013