Business Law and Ethics Certificate

The Scheller College of Business offers a certificate in Business Law and Ethics for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majors at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Law serves an important role in national and international business environments by providing the rules of the road. Informed decision-making requires knowledge of the foundations of the American and international legal systems, including laws governing contracts, commercial relationships, employment, real and personal property, and business formation and governance among others.

However, meeting the requirements of the law is insufficient in the current business environment. The study of business ethics focuses on how businesses and their directors, officers and employees may go beyond regulatory compliance in their decision-making processes. Ethical considerations include identification of stakeholders and their interests, the application of various frameworks to the business decision-making process, and corporate social responsibility.

Legal and ethical considerations create risks for businesses. A practical understanding of law and ethics has thus become a critical element in decision-making and strategy. Businesses cannot rely exclusively on outside counsel or in-house legal staff to manage all risks. Managers need an understanding of the legal and ethical environments in which they operate. The primary purposes of the Business Law and Ethics Certificate are to examine legal and ethical issues confronting business managers and employees and discover solutions to such issues through practical application of concepts that avoid, manage and minimize risks.

All courses require a letter grade of C or better for certificate eligibility. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and not on a pass/fail basis.

Course Substitutions

Students are advised to complete the certificate as indicated above. If a student wishes to propose an alternate course to a course listed above, he or she must send this proposal via e-mail to the Business Law and Ethics Group in care of Professor Lucien J. Dhooge at lucien.dhooge@mgt.gatech.edu. The proposal must contain the student’s full name, Georgia Institute of Technology student identification number, and a brief justification for the substitution. Courses proposed for substitution must have significant business content. The granting of permission for proposed substitutions is in the sole discretion of the Business Law and Ethics Group.

Application Process

Online applications for certificates should be submitted two weeks prior to commencement of the semester in which students plan to graduate. Early applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted by completing the form located at http://mgt.gatech.edu/programs/under/current/certificate.form.html. For further information, please contact the Scheller College of Business Undergraduate Program Office at (404) 894-2605.