Christian Legal Studies (C.E.J.D.)

Program Overview

The Corporate Executive Juris Doctor (C.E.J.D.) in Christian Legal Studies is for executives who want their companies and nonprofits governed with legal competence and Christian integrity. A corporate officer's fiduciary duties — care, loyalty, and good faith — have deep roots in the Christian figure of the steward who must give an account. This program studies corporate law with that figure in view and trains executives to resolve disputes, keep promises, and exercise power in ways that would bear scrutiny in a courtroom and in conscience. The corporate core covers organizational form and limited liability, fiduciary duties and board governance, and compliance, risk, and internal investigations. The specialization covers the Christian legal tradition on property, contract, and trust; stewardship and fiduciary duty; Christian conciliation and arbitration as a model for resolving business disputes; Christian ethics in employment, pricing, and marketing; and the governance of Christian nonprofits and of businesses with explicitly religious missions. Graduates serve as chief executives, trustees, conciliators, and senior officers in companies and Christian nonprofits. The capstone applies Christian legal principles to a real governance or dispute-resolution problem in the student's organization. The C.E.J.D. is a professional credential for executives.

Core Courses

• CEJD 501 — Corporate Law and Organizational Form (6 credits)
• CEJD 510 — Fiduciary Duties and Board Governance (6 credits)
• CEJD 520 — Compliance, Risk, and Internal Investigations (6 credits)
• CEJD 615 — The Christian Legal Tradition on Property, Contract, and Trust (6 credits)
• CEJD 625 — Stewardship and Fiduciary Duty (6 credits)
• CEJD 635 — Christian Conciliation and Business Arbitration (6 credits)
• CEJD 690 — Corporate Executive Capstone in Christian Legal Studies (12 credits)
• CEJD 870 — Christian Corporate Judgment and Case Consultation (3 credits)

Credit requirements

• Core courses: 51 credits
• Required elective credits: 9 credits

Total required: 60 credits

Elective Courses

Complete 9 credits from the options below (18 credits offered).

• CEJD 715 — Christian Ethics in Employment (3 credits)
• CEJD 725 — Pricing, Marketing, and Honesty (3 credits)
• CEJD 735 — Governance of Christian Nonprofits (3 credits)
• CEJD 745 — Business as Mission (3 credits)
• CEJD 950 — Responsible Ownership and Long-Term Stewardship (3 credits)
• CEJD 951 — Restorative Corporate Culture and Accountability (3 credits)

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a recognized institution
• Management, board, compliance, or executive experience in a company or nonprofit organization
• Statement describing the governance or legal challenges of the applicant’s organization
• Current résumé
• Official transcripts from prior institutions when available