Law and Religion (C.E.J.D.)

Program Overview

The Corporate Executive Juris Doctor (C.E.J.D.) in Law and Religion is for executives who manage religion in the workplace and the marketplace. Every large employer has religious employees who need accommodation; every faith-based business makes choices about how its convictions shape its operations; every religious nonprofit that grows into a significant employer meets nondiscrimination law, public contracting, and regulation. These are now board-level questions, and they reward leaders who understand them before a dispute begins. The corporate core covers organizational form and limited liability, fiduciary duties and board governance, and compliance, risk, and internal investigations. The specialization covers religion in employment law — protection against religious discrimination, the duty to accommodate after Groff v. DeJoy, and the exemptions for religious organizations; the religious liberty of companies, including closely held corporations after Burwell v. Hobby Lobby; conscience and compelled speech in commerce; religious organizations as government contractors; and the governance of companies that adopt explicitly religious missions. Graduates lead human resources, compliance, and operations in companies and faith-based employers, and serve as executives of businesses that integrate faith and commerce. The capstone produces a religion-in-the-workplace policy and compliance plan for a real organization. The C.E.J.D. is a professional credential for executives; it does not qualify graduates for bar admission or the practice of law.

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 613 — Religion and Employment Law (6 credits)
• CEJD 623 — The Religious Liberty of Companies (6 credits)
• CEJD 633 — Faith-Based Organizations in the Marketplace (6 credits)
• CEJD 690 — Corporate Executive Capstone in Law and Religion (12 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
• Signed acknowledgment that the degree does not qualify the holder for bar admission or the practice of law