E M 508 Legal Concepts for Engineering & Technical Managers

Course Description

This course is designed to provide the career technical or engineering manager with a general understanding and knowledge of business law and the legal environment. The course covers generally the laws of the U. S. Constitution and legal system, government regulations, dispute resolution options, professional liability, contracts, government contracting, construction law, torts, and areas of business law. The course will explore the manager’s own role in the legal environment as well as the relationships between managers and their employer, other managers, other employees, construction project owners, prime contractors, subcontractors, and the general public. The class lectures generally follow the structure of the text, but also include additional information.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to educate technical and engineering managers with respect to the basic principles of law to which they are exposed in their daily work environment. The technical or engineering manager’s role in that environment will be described for the purpose of preparing those individuals to fulfill their legal obligations and duties, to identify and minimize risks and liability, and to recognize when to seek legal counsel and additional assistance.

Course Topics

• U.S. Constitution and Legal System
• Dispute Resolution
• Professional Liability
• Contracts
• Construction Law
• Government Contracting
• Administrative Law
• Agency
• Intellectual Property
• Torts
• Ethics

Faculty Contact: Robert Crick (rob.crick@wsu.edu)
Semester Credits: 3
Prerequisites: NoneThis course can be used to fulfill the following requirements:

• Master’s degree in Engineering and Technology Management:
  • Elective
• Project Management Graduate Certificate
  • Selective for the fourth course