What is contract law?

Contract law is the area of the law in all civil jurisdictions that oversees all parts of creating, ending or breaking contracts between two or more parties. The term ""party"" can refer to a person, a company, an organization, or association. When two or more parties make a legal agreement, it states a particular set of obligations for one or both parties to do or not do. These contracts, usually for a legally binding offer, are overseen by contract law. Judges are well-versed in contract law for legal guidance in cases involving all legal personal, business, and organizational contract agreements. How contract law is interpreted in a jurisdiction depends on the present laws in any city or state where a particular contract was offered, accepted, or breached.

What is it important to learn about contract law?

When you take up the study of contract law, it's important to learn about the legal guidelines that dictate common contracts. Among the typical themes found in such learning environments would include what a contract represents, any issues involving contracts, what is the legal significance of contracts, and some of the common pitfalls found in dubious contracts. Additional learning about contract law can expose you to ways that legal relations are put into play, how legality and morality coexist, and legal distinctions between items such as gifts and bargains.

How does contract law affect my career?

If you are in business, knowing the facts about contract law can be beneficial to you in your career. As you rise up in the corporate organizational chart, your responsibilities will grow, and you may be tasked with overseeing negotiations in particular areas with other parties. Knowing how to handle negotiations with a background in contract law will be a valuable skill for anyone working in a nonprofit, corporation, or small-to-medium-sized business.

How can taking online courses help me learn contract law?

There’s much to learn about contract law, and when you take online courses, you will start to get a deeper appreciation of legal concepts around contracts. You will learn how contracts are formed, how they can be broken, and what legal pitfalls to watch for in contract law. Apart from the legal knowledge you'll gain, you will also learn how building better relationships with business partners may lead to better contracts. These are the types of examples of contract law that you will find in a supportive online learning environment with top-quality legal experts to help you in your learning.

Are there free contract law courses or certifications available on Coursera?

Yes, Coursera offers a variety of free courses across many topics, including contract law. While you can access most course materials for free by auditing the courses, this does not include graded assignments or a completion certificate. For those looking to obtain a certificate to showcase their learning or enhance their professional profile, Coursera provides the option to purchase the course. Additionally, Coursera offers free trials or financial aid to learners who qualify, making certifications more accessible to everyone.

Top Contract Law Courses - Learn Contract Law Online

Explore the Contract Law Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
Fundação Instituto de Administração
Macroeconomics for Business Management
Skills you'll gain: International Finance, Business Economics, Economics, Market Dynamics, Business Planning, Business Strategy, Supply And Demand, Investments
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
431 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Deep Dive
Skills you'll gain: Loans, Lending and Underwriting, Blockchain, Commercial Lending, General Lending, Derivatives, FinTech, Market Liquidity, Financial Trading, Futures Exchange, Securities (Finance), Digital Assets, Liquidation, Market Data, Transaction Processing, Asset Management, Arbitration, Risk Management, Governance
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
287 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Supplier Management
Skills you'll gain: Supplier Management, Procurement, Supplier Relationship Management, Supplier Performance Management, Vendor Management, Strategic Sourcing, Contract Management, Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Ethics, Quality Assessment
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
238 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Earth Economics
Skills you'll gain: Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Economics, Economic Development, Socioeconomics, Policy Analysis, Data Analysis, Tax, Environmental Issue, International Relations, Investments, Behavioral Economics, Sustainability Reporting, Supply And Demand, Data Collection
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
87 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Taxation of Business Entities I: Corporations
Skills you'll gain: Corporate Tax, Income Tax, Tax Laws, Liquidation, Tax Management, Tax Planning, Tax Compliance, Business Valuation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Expenditure, Organizational Structure, Consolidation
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
242 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Houston
American Deaf Culture
Skills you'll gain: Disabilities, Social Justice, Culture, Diversity Awareness, Sociology, Social Sciences, Cultural Diversity, Special Education, Education and Training, Non-Verbal Communication, Civil Law
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
381 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
Introduction to Systems Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Model Based Systems Engineering, Failure Analysis, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Requirements Management, Design Reviews, Scope Management, Project Scoping, Risk Management, Root Cause Analysis, Program Management, Requirements Analysis, User Requirements Documents, Business Requirements, Cost Management, Product Requirements, Contract Management, Systems Architecture, Test Planning, Systems Design
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
106 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
ESSEC Business School
Negotiation, Mediation, and Conflict Resolution - Capstone Project
Skills you'll gain: Mediation, Negotiation, Conflict Management, Intercultural Competence, Contract Negotiation, Cultural Diversity, Communication Strategies, Analysis, Value Propositions, Consultative Approaches, Process Design, Interpersonal Communications, Rapport Building, Active Listening
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
260 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Coursera Instructor Network
Introduction to Generative AI in Legal
Skills you'll gain: Legal Strategy, Legal Research, Generative AI, Legal Risk, Case Law, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Legal Proceedings, Artificial Intelligence, Legal Writing, Document Management, ChatGPT, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Automation, Natural Language Processing, Client Services
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Politecnico di Milano
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Skills you'll gain: Ethical Standards And Conduct, Data Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Governance, Policty Analysis, Research, and Development, Public Policies, Social Sciences, Policy Development, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Social Justice, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Information Privacy
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
218 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Maryland, College Park
Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs
Skills you'll gain: Intellectual Property, Entrepreneurship, Business Planning, Business Strategy, Innovation, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Legal Strategy, Legal Risk, Commercialization, Registration
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
76 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Sciences Po
Migrations internationales : un enjeu mondial
Skills you'll gain: International Relations, World History, Immigration Law, Social Sciences, Environmental Issue, Governance, European History, Demography, Political Sciences, Socioeconomics, Cultural Diversity, Social Justice, Public Policies
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
126 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months