MWD 250 - Information Tech and the Law

3 credit(s)
Like IT itself, laws affecting IT professionals are constantly changing. This course introduces students to current legal and ethical issues facing (1) programmers and their managers, (2) IT organizations, (3) IT consultants, and (4) Internet entrepreneurs and retailers (e-tailers). In addition, the course addresses the legal issues resulting from groundbreaking technological development, e.g., Napster, profiling, and data mining. The course provides a practical, hands-on overview of U.S. laws and regulations specifically affecting how IT professionals can and should conduct their professional activities, the major legal and ethical issues IT professionals face daily, and the steps IT professionals must take to safeguard their legal rights in the IT marketplace. The course emphasizes practical applications of textbook knowledge to real-world legal and ethical situations likely to confront both the new IT professional and Internet users, including the licensing and use of software and other intellectual property, key business considerations for IT consultants, starting and obtaining venture financing for IT start-up companies, consumer rights on the Internet, privacy and data collection, and the emerging impact of cybercrime on the IT profession.
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing, MWD 110, and CS 275; or permission of department.
Laboratory fee.

Click here for Fall 2024 course scheduling information.

Click here for Spring 2025 course scheduling information.