department of law: studies: business law

The purpose of business law as a major subject is to train bachelors and masters in economic sciences with a special emphasis on legal aspects, “legal economists”. There are various legal norms and principles governing entrepreneurial activity and the relations between enterprises which may well be forgotten by those operating in business, with the potential for dire consequences to the company. Students of business law are equipped to accomplish those tasks requiring both business training and knowledge of the legal norms and principles governing entrepreneurial activity. Such expertise is extremely important for those in managerial, expert and accountancy functions.

Business law is concerned only with those branches of legal science which are closely concerned with business activity, namely company law, labour law, contract law, credit law and market law. Students also learn about procedural law, indemnity law and the law governing international trade and enterprise. Teaching in business law has a practical orientation and in addition to lectures includes exercises addressing cases.

Those with business law as their major subject also take extensive studies in business and economic sciences, including among others the basics of public sector economics, accounting, marketing and company administration. Students may if they so wish take these studies further. The unrestricted availability of minor subjects enables students to take other subjects offered at the University.

For the bachelor’s degree students take Basic Studies and Intermediate Studies in business law. For the master’s degree students are required to complete Advanced Studies in business law. In Advanced Studies students delve deeper into the theoretical bases of thinking in private law and make a particular study of two special fields, for example company law and contract law. Both bachelor’s and the master’s degrees entail a piece of independent research work: a bachelor’s thesis and a more ambitious master’s thesis. Business law combined with other business economics subjects and studies freely chosen by students gives them a good chance to exert considerable influence over their own career choices and acquire a competitive degree for practical business life.

“Law economists” graduating from the University of Tampere have been successful in finding placements in corporate administration and in various managerial and expert functions. Employers have included banks, insurance institutions, companies engaging in international trade and accountancy firms. Competitors for such position include lawyers, who may well be overshadowed by “law economists” due to their lack of business expertis.

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