Master of Arts in Legal Studies

(Etudes Juridiques)

Description of the study programme

The programme consists of compulsory courses from the bachelor study programme and of elective courses from both the bachelor and master study programmes.

The study of the compulsory courses gives basic training in private law, public law and criminal law.

The following courses are compulsory:

• Introduction to law (9 ECTS)
• Private law: Civil law I (6 ECTS) and Law of obligations I (12 ECTS) or Law of obligations II (12 ECTS)
• Public law: Public law I (12 ECTS) or Public law II (12 ECTS)
• Criminal law: Criminal law I (12 ECTS) or Criminal law II (9 ECTS)

In individual cases it may be possible to modify the choice of compulsory courses. The study of the elective courses (about 40 ECTS) completes and furthers basic training according to the personal interests of the student.

Students are recommended to choose the elective courses of their study programme in agreement with the professor responsible for this program.

Traget Audience

Students who do not wish to practise in the classical professions of law (e.g. advocate, judge or notary), but who wish to obtain sufficient legal expertise related to their profession:

• Persons with bachelor qualifications
• Persons with appropriate qualifications awarded by an advanced education centre

Foreign lawyers:

• Persons with a Bachelor of Law or a Master of Law qualification awarded by a foreign university.

Structure

Study programme: Legal studies (including a master thesis for 4 ECTS) 90 ECTS

Length of the study programme

A minimum of 3 semesters (there is no maximum limit for the length of studies).

Teaching language(s)

French or German (student choice) with the possibility of studying in both languages.

Title awarded

Master of Arts in Legal Studies.

Distinctions

Possibility of the award of a Master of Arts in Legal Studies with the distinction «bilingual studies» (French–German).

At least 40% of the credits must be obtained in the second language, including written work in the second study language. This written work may consist of a master thesis or another written report accepted by a professor.

Career pruspects

The award of a Master of Arts in Legal Studies opens the way to many professional activities:

• management and expert advice in local, cantonal or federal administrations, private sectors, societies, international organizations, social sectors (AVS/AHV, Al/IV, etc.)
• diplomat, journalist, politician, teacher, specialist in legal informatics

Access to the master programme

Persons with Swiss bachelor qualifications other than law or persons with foreign bachelor qualifications judged equivalent are in principle admitted without further reservations. The faculty decides about the admission of persons with appropriate qualifications awarded by an advanced education centre on the basis of the titles obtained, maintaining the possibility of additional requirements. Applications for admission accompanied by the required documents must be submitted to the Office for Admissions and Registration of the University of Fribourg.

Information