Legal Studies
Abstract
The Master of Arts in Legal Studies is aimed at persons who wish to acquire a sound fundamental knowledge of law, but do not want to complete full law studies. It chiefly addresses non-lawyers who are interested in Swiss law in the context of their professional activities, or lawyers who hold a foreign law degree.
Students draw up their own curriculum, which enables them to deepen their legal knowledge in line with their personal interests. Compulsory subjects can be freely combined with other subjects.
This master's degree course is only offered at the Faculty of Law of the University of Fribourg.
- Show the study programme profile
Profile of the study programme
Students create their own curriculum in consultation with the person responsible for the Master of Arts in Legal Studies, which means they can intensify their basic legal knowledge in accordance with their personal interests. They take some of the compulsory subjects in the bachelor course –introduction to law, civil law, code of obligations, public law and criminal law – and combine these with freely selectable subjects from the bachelor and/or master programmes. This master's degree course can be awarded with the distinction «Bilingual curriculum, French/German». Students are free to choose whether to complete their studies in one language or take some examinations in German and some in French, thus fulfilling the requirements for this distinction.
Fribourg profile
The Master of Arts in Legal Studies gives non-lawyers and lawyers with a foreign law degree a thorough fundamental knowledge of Swiss law. This option is unique in the whole of Switzerland. Students benefit from the global network of teaching staff and events featuring visiting professors.Career openings
This programme of studies is directed at persons wishing to acquire a level of legal knowledge which is sufficient for use in their professional activities. It prepares them for management and consulting activities in areas such as communal, cantonal and federal administration, social services, associations, the private sector and international organisations, as well as paving the way to future careers as diplomats, journalists, politicians, teachers or legal informatics specialists.
Studies organisation
Structure of studies
90 ECTS credits, 2-3 semesters; no limit on study time
Curriculum
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/6bar7 (French)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/heNo7 (German)
Comments
The annual compulsory courses start in the Autumn Semester (September).
Admission
There are two types of admission:
Holders of a non-law bachelor's or master's degree awarded from a Swiss university can be admitted to the Master of Arts in Legal Studies without any additional requirements. The same applies to holders of a law or non-law bachelor's or master's degree awarded by a foreign university, provided that the degree is recognized and considered equivalent by the University of Fribourg.
Holders of a bachelor's degree awarded from a Swiss university of applied sciences can also be admitted with additional requirements (can be completed during the master's degree program). They have to submit a written work within the first to semesters.
Key points
Degree conferred
Master of Arts in Legal Studies
Languages of study
Possibility to study in French, in German or in French and German. Some courses are offered in English.
Options
Option of an award bearing the distinction «Bilingual curriculum, French/German».
Commencement of studies
Commencement of studies in the Autumn Semester (September) or in the Spring Semester (February)
Access to further studies
Ph.D.
Contact
Faculty of Law
Rachele Tiziani Tanner, study advisor and study coordinator
rachele.tizianitanner@unifr.ch
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/fr-ius (French)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/de-ius (German)