Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law Course Syllabus

Overview: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to key aspects of corporate and commercial law, focusing on contract formation, enforceability, sales contracts under UCC Article 2, and core employment law principles. Designed for working professionals, the course spans approximately 25 hours of content, broken into five core modules and a final project. With a flexible schedule, learners will engage with real-world applications and practical examples to build a solid legal foundation applicable across industries.

Module 1: Introduction to the Course

Estimated time: 1 hours

• Familiarize with course structure and learning objectives
• Meet the instructor and understand institutional background
• Navigate the Coursera platform effectively
• Develop technical readiness for online learning success

Module 2: Forming Enforceable Agreements

Estimated time: 5 hours

• Understand the element of agreement: offer and acceptance
• Examine consideration and its role in contract validity
• Assess legal capacity and legality of purpose
• Apply the Statute of Frauds to determine written contract requirements

Module 3: Special Rules for Sales Contracts

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Identify contracts governed by UCC Article 2
• Compare UCC rules with common law contract principles
• Explore modifications to offer, acceptance, and consideration under UCC
• Determine when contracts for sale of goods require written confirmation

Module 4: Enforcing Agreements

Estimated time: 5 hours

• Identify parties entitled to enforce contracts
• Analyze remedies for breach of contract: damages and equitable relief
• Compare enforcement rules for goods vs. services
• Evaluate defenses to contract enforcement

Module 5: Employment Law Basics

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Define the employment-at-will doctrine and its exceptions
• Recognize claims related to wrongful termination
• Understand the basics of agency relationships in employment
• Explore employee rights and the role of labor unions

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Analyze a real-world contract scenario for validity and enforceability
• Apply UCC rules to a sales contract dispute
• Assess an employment situation for potential legal issues

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of business operations
• Familiarity with general legal concepts is helpful but not required
• Interest in corporate compliance, HR, or legal risk management

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Identify and form valid, enforceable contracts
• Differentiate between common law and UCC rules for sales contracts
• Evaluate contract breaches and appropriate remedies
• Recognize key employee rights and employer obligations
• Apply legal principles to mitigate organizational risk