Faculty of LawPublic Law – Bachelor 25%
The German legal system differentiates between public and private law. Whilst private law governs the legal relationships between individuals, public law concerns legislation determining the behaviour of states and other authorities in interaction with each other, and with individuals.
Facts & Formalities
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts |
| Type of programme | Undergraduate |
| Start of programme | Winter semester only |
| Standard period of study | 6 semesters |
| Language(s) of instruction | German |
| Fees and contributions | 151.05 € / Semester |
| Application procedure | Subjects with no admission restrictions |
| Application deadlines | Information about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program. |
Course Content
Where it is studied as a minor subject, Public Law (25%) consists of two modules. One module focusses on constitutional law, and the other on administrative law. Module I – Constitutional Law, focusses on German “Staatsorganisationsrecht”, including international aspects and fundamental rights. Lectures and seminars held as part of Module II – Administrative Law, concern general administrative law as well as administrative procedural law. In addition, lectures and seminars address topics of central importance to specific administrative law. These topics include police law, building law and local law. Each semester, students are also given the opportunity to attend basic and advanced lectures and seminars to gain further insight into the material covered.
Students studying Public Law as a minor subject (25%) are able to acquire a broad knowledge of the foundations of German public law, and develop a critical understanding of the major theories, principles and methods applicable within this field. Central questions and issues within the field of administrative law are discussed in light of actual cases and students practice developing a legal opinion. Following successful completion of the Bachelor’s degree programme, students are able to collect, analyse and interpret information to solve legal cases. This is closely associated with the ability to identify central issues, and develop solutions and specialist positions, presenting the arguments for these.
Course Structure
Module I:
- At the beginning of Module I, students attend the foundation course Administrative Law I. In addition to these lectures, a working group will be offered, giving students the opportunity to gain practical experience of developing a legal opinion.
- The foundation course, Administrative Law II is taken in the second semester and is the second part of the foundation course. As part of the foundation course Administrative Law II, students are given the opportunity to take a mock written examination. Students therefore have the opportunity to apply the methods involved in analysing and solving a legal case in examination conditions, but without any pressure. Students may also attend a working group in the second semester.
- Module I – Administrative Law concludes in the third semester with the practice class, Public Law for Beginners. Examples of real cases are used as a basis for discussion of central issues within the field of public law. The final written module examination is taken as part of this practice class.
Module II:
- Module II is begun in the third semester with the lecture Administrative Law I (police law). Police law lends itself to providing a good introduction to administrative law. Lectures and seminars on general administrative law and administrative procedural law are taken in the fourth semester.
- In the fifth semester, students attend further lectures and courses from the field of specific administrative law; lectures for the module Administrative Law – Specific Part II (building law) and Administrative Law – Specific Part III (local law).
- In the fifth semester, a working group gives students the opportunity to recall and apply administrative law to legal cases. The second module concludes with an advanced practice class in public law. The final written module examination is taken as part of this practice class. The examination can be taken with different specialisms within administrative law.