Essential Information
Contract law courses are typically part of a Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.), or Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree program. Classes in these programs are designed for lawyers and business professionals. Contract training programs for non-lawyers are also provided by many organizations, including community colleges and professional associations.
Professional development courses for small business owners and other professionals do not require enrollment in a specific course of study, but classes offered as part of a Master's degree or J.D. will require acceptance into an academic program. Students of contract law explore standard contract organization, regulations, and legal terminology. Advanced students are usually offered opportunities to focus in specialized areas of contract law, like entertainment or international contract law.
Some concepts covered in contract law courses include:
- Legally enforceable promises
- Proper offers and acceptances
- The doctrine of consideration
- Issues that void a contract
- Remedies
List of Contract Law Courses
Contracts and Law
This is a general contract law course designed to give first-year law students an overview of the purpose and standard components of a contract. Contract enforcement, legal obligations under common contract law and sales contracts are discussed. To gain perspective on the use and misuse of contracts in the U.S., students study case law involving contract breach and disputes. This course is the basis for many advanced law courses, such as entertainment, labor, and sports law.
Drafting Legal Contracts
Students in this course develop the legal writing skills to draw up contracts for specific purposes. These courses emphasize in-class and group projects that provide drafting practice. In addition to learning standard legal terminology, students study contract organization and structure as well as standard clauses used in different types of contracts. The class may culminate in the drafting of a major contract. An introductory course on contracts and law is typically a prerequisite to this course.
Negotiating Contracts
The focus of this course is the negotiation of contracts on behalf of clients to ensure that client interests are protected throughout the contract process. Emphasis is placed on strategies and techniques for resolution of contract disputes. This course can be taken during an M.B.A. program, as part of a J.D. program, or through a continuing education course.
International Contracts
Corporations often contract with companies outside the U.S. for goods and services. This course instructs law students on the international laws that govern these contracts, as well as methods for disputing international contracts and finding solutions to conflicts. Students learn contract laws of major U.S. trade partners and relevant case law. This is an advanced elective course that students would take in their final years of study.
Training Programs
Contract law training courses for non-legal professionals can be found through professional institutes and organizations, in-house corporate training, and community colleges. Many of these courses are directed at specific industries, for example, contract law for construction professionals. These types of classes tend to address basic contract composition, contract enforcement, and contract negotiations as they apply to the specific industry.
