6

NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF

CENTER FOR ADVANCED VIETNAM
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS Independence – Freedom – Happiness

SYLLABUS
1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Title : Introduction to Law and Business Transactions

Course code : BLAW220
Type of course : FUNDAMENTAL
Credits :3
(i) Theoretical hours : 30
(ii) Practising hours : 15
Prerequisite : NONE

2. LECTURER’S INFORMATION
Full name : Vu Van Ngoc (PhD)
Phone number : 0913016485 Email: ngocvv@neu.edu.vn
Address : Room 309 Building A1, NEU

3. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The module of Introduction to Law and Business Transactions is a fundamental module,
compulsory for all business students. The course highlights the legal and regulatory
environment in which people and companies conduct business activities. It demonstrates the
complexities, ambiguities and many areas of the law in undertaking business. Students will be
equipped with fundamental knowledge regarding (i) forms of business organisations, legal
issues in corporate management and capitalisation; (ii) nature, formation and performance of
contracts, remedies for breach of contract; and (iii) exploration of relationship of government
to business.

4. LEARNING RESOURCES
TEXTBOOKS
- Miller & Cross (2021), The Legal Environment Today, (10th edn.) Cengage
- Jennings M. M. (2013), Foundations of the Legal Environment of Business, South-
Western CENGAGE Learning.

REFERENCE BOOKS
- Thomson J., Warnick L., Martin K. (2015), Commercial Contract Clauses 2e, Thomson
Reuters;
- Vienna Convention on International Sale of Goods (1980) at www.cisg;
- Principles of International Commercial Contract (PICC) at www.unilex.info;
- Other sub-laws and cases.
Please check Turnitin regularly for additional course materials posted.

5. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Program
Course Goal Description Learning Level of
Goals Students will be able to Outcomes competence
(PLO)
[1] [2] [3] [4]
G1 Define basic legal business terminology 1.3.1; 1.3.3 I
Identify the legal and ethical environment of
G2 1.3.1; 1.3.2 I
business
Explain constitutional public law of the United
G3 1.3.4 II
States
G4 Describe contracts in the business environment 1.3.2; 1.3.4 III
Define business organisations and governance 1.3.2; 1.3.3;
G5 III
1.3.4
Identify international law in the sector of
G6 1.3.4 I
business

6. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (CLO)

Course Level of
CLO Descriptions
goals competence
[1] [2] [3] [4]
Consider the role of law in supporting ethical
CLO 1.1 I
norms in our society
Understanding the differing roles of state law
CLO 1.2 II
and federal law in the US legal system
G1
Differentiate contract law from tort law in a
CLO 1.3 II
general way
Know the difference between criminal cases
CLO 1.4 I
and civil cases
G2 Describe the different sources of law in the US
CLO 2.1 legal system and the principal institutions that I
create those laws
CLO 2.2 Define ethics and explain the importance of I
 good ethics for businesspeople and business
organisations
Explain why it is difficult to establish and
CLO 2.3 maintain an ethical corporate culture in a II
business organisation.
Explain the historical importance and basic
CLO 3.1 II
structure of the US Constitution
Explain what power the states retain over
CLO 3.2 commerce, and how the Supreme Court may II
G3 sometimes limit that power
Describe how the Supreme Court, under the
supremacy clause of the Constitution, balances
CLO 3.3 I
state and federal laws that may be wholly or
partly in conflict
Explain contract law’s cultural roots: how it
CLO 4.1 II
has evolved as capitalism has evolved
Understand that contracts serve essential
G4 CLO 4.2 II
economic purposes
CLO 4.3 Define contract I
CLO 4.4 Understand the basic issues in contract law III
Understand the hybrid business forms,
CLO 5.1 including the limited partnership, the limited I
liability company, the sub-S corporation
CLO 5.2 Compare partnerships with corporations III
Understand what the corporate is as a legal
G5 CLO 5.3 entity, and how corporate owners can lose III
limited liability by certain actions
Understand the duties, powers, and liability of
CLO 5.4 III
officers and directors
Describe the processes and practices of typical
CLO 5.5 III
corporate meetings, including annual meetings
Understand the sources of international law,
CLO 6.1 examples of treaties, conventions, and II
customary international law
G7 Recognise how civil-law disputes between the
parties from different nation-states can be
CLO 6.2 I
resolved through national court systems or
arbitration

7. COURSE ASSESSMENT
Assessment Assessment Percentage
Description Time CLO
methods indicators (%)

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Questions in
Lecturer checking
Class Not class and
participation Every lecture 10%
Participation applied attendance
before every class
check

Students writing
an essay 1.3, 1.4,
Individual
answering Week 7 4.3, 4.4 Turnitin essay 20%
Assignment
questions for a
particular case
Students
presenting their Week 2.1, 2.2, Average of
Group
understanding 5, 8, 10 3.1, 3.3, total 3 group 20%
Presentation
about cases 5.1, 5.2, presentations
discussed in class
1.2, 4.2,
Following the Theoretical
Written exam of 4.4, 5.1,
Final Exam Programme’s and case study 50%
four questions 5.3, 6.2,
schedule questions
7.1, 7.2
8. TEACHING PLAN
(Any changes on the schedule WILL BE announced in class and on TURNITIN in
advance)
8.1. Theoretical hours
Learning
Assessment
Class Topics CLO teaching
methods
activities
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Business and Its Legal
Environment:
+ The Nature of Law
Lecturing, Individual
+ Business Activities and Legal 1.1,
Week 1 Reading, Assignment
Environment 1.2, 1.4
Discussion Final exam
+ Source of American Law
+ The Common Law Tradition
+ Classifications of Law
Ethics and Business Decision
Making:
+ Business Ethics
2.2,
Lecturing,
+ Approach to Ethical Reasoning 2.3, Group
Week 2 Reading,
+ How the Law Influences Business 3.1, presentation
Discussion
Ethics 3.2, 3.3

+ Making Ethical Business Decision

+ Business Ethics on a Global level
Court and Alternative Dispute
Resolutions (1)
+ The Judiciary’s Role in American
Government
Lecturing,
Group
Week 3 + Basic Judicial Requirements 3.2, 3.3 Reading,
presentation
Discussion
+ The State and Federal Court
Systems

Court and Alternative Dispute

Resolutions (2) Lecturing,
Group
Week 4 + Following a State Court Case 3.2, 3.3 Reading,
presentation
Discussion
+ The Court Adapt to Online World
 + Alternative Dispute Resolutions
Basic Principles of Contract Law (1)
+ An Overview of Contract Law Lecturing,
4.1,4.2
Week 5 + Elements of a Contract Reading, Final exam
4.3,4.4
+ Types of Contract Discussion
+ Agreement
Basic Principles of Contract Law (2)
Lecturing,
+ Consideration 4.1,4.2
Week 6 Reading, Final exam
+ Capacity 4.3,4.4
Discussion
+ Legality
Contract Performance, Breach and
Remedies (1)
+ Voluntary Consent
Lecturing,
+ Statute of Frauds – Writing 4.1,4.2
Week 7 Reading, Final exam
Requirements 4.3,4.4
Discussion
+ Third Party Rights
+ Performance and Discharge

Contract Performance, Breach and

Remedies (2)
+ Damages for Breach of Contract Lecturing,
4.1,4.2
Week 8 + Equitable Remedies Reading, Final exam
4.3,4.4
+ Election of Remedies Discussion
+ Contract Provision Limiting
Remedies
Week 9 Discussion and Mid-term Exam
Sales, Leases and E-Contracts
+ The Scope of Article 2 – The Sale
of Goods
Lecturing,
Week + The Formation of Sale Contracts 4.1,4.2
Reading, Final exam
10 + Performance of Sale Contracts 4.3,4.4
Discussion
+ Remedies for Breach
+ Sale Warranties
+ E-Contract
Small Business Organizations
+ Sole Proprietorships
Lecturing, Group
Week + Partnerships 5.1,5.2,
Reading, presentation
11 + Limited Liability Partnerships
Discussion Final exam
+ Limited Partnerships
+ Limited Liability Companies
 Corporations (1)
+ The Nature and Classifications of 5.3,5.4, Lecturing, Group
Week
Corporations 5.5 Reading, presentation
12
+ Corporate Formation Discussion Final exam
+ Piercing the Corporate Veil
Corporations (2)
5.3,5.4, Lecturing, Group
Week + Directors and Officers
5.5 Reading, presentation
13 + Shareholders
Discussion Final exam
+ Major Business Forms Compared
International Law in a Global
Economy
+ International Law: Scope and
Principles Lecturing,
+ Doing Business Internationally Reading,
Week
+ Regulations of Specific Business 6.1, 6.2 Discussion Final exam
14
Activities
+ Commercial Contract in an
International Setting
+ Payment Methods for
International Transactions
Week
Revision
15

8.2. Practical hours

Projects Assessment
Class Topics CLO
methods
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Week 1

Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15

9. COURSE REQUIREMENT & EXPECTATION

Group Project - The Group presentation is a presentation which analyses a topic assigned
by teacher for each group. Groups will be decided in the 1st lecture. Presentations will be
conducted in the whole class across all lectures.
Individual Assignment: Essay
1. Choose a specific case among all the cases discussed in the class and make an
analysis on how business law applies in that case.
2. The essay shall have three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. The word
count allows for 1,000 words.
3. The introduction should introduce the case and the aspects of law applied in the
case.
4. The conclusion should highlight the findings of your analysis. You can look for
online journal articles which support for your argument.
5. Submit via Turnitin.
Exams – The exam date will be following the programme’s schedule. Topics for exam
questions will be covered in all lectures and readings presented by the lecturer. There will be
no make-up exams.
Date of approval:

SCHOOL OF ADVANCED LECTURER

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Vu Van Ngoc