Programme Regulations for the Master's Programme in Law at the University of Bergen

Approved by the Faculty Board 10.12.2002. Latest amendment by the Faculty Board 14.12.2010. Applicable until 15.08.2011.

Chapter 1. THE LAW PROGRAMME – OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL REGULATIONS

§ 1-1. The Law Programme

The Law Programme at the University of Bergen comprises a total of 300 credits (five yearly units). Included are the Examen Philosophicum, 10 credits and the Examen Facultatum, 10 credits, optional subjects, 30 credits in total, and an independent, written thesis, 30 credits in total (master's thesis).
Admission to the programme will take place as of the Autumn semester. Students from other teaching institutions may still be admitted in the Spring semester if this can be included in the student’s education plan (see the Act relating to universities and university colleges § 4-2).
Before the start of the second year, the student must have completed Examen Philosophicum and Examen Facultatum. However, the Faculty can in certain cases make exceptions to this rule, still see § 5-3.

§ 1-2. Objectives

A candidate with a Master’s degree in Law from the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen must:

be able to account for, and correctly apply, a considerable knowledge of legal concepts, values, rules and principles of Norwegian Law and also of international legal systems.
show through application in given situations that his/her basic knowledge of the programme’s different subjects is of a high quality.
be able to apply accepted legal methodology in order to analyse complex legal problems, including discuss, make arguments for/against and independently present one’s point of view of the problem.
be able to compose one’s suggested solutions in different types of text and for oral presentation.
be able to account for legal political evaluations connected to given legal problems.
be able to explain ethical aspects of the profession.
be able to acquire new legal knowledge beyond the teaching material that is part of the course, and apply this knowledge in the solving of legal problems.
demonstrate through the master’s thesis an ability to formulate and analyse legal problems, complete an independent collection and evaluation of relevant sources and present the result in an academic text form.
be able to work in a group as a participant who actively contributes to the group’s solution of legal problems.

§ 1-3. Evaluation of the programme and teaching

With regular intervals, a study and teaching evaluation of all courses will be carried out. The evaluation will include form and content of the teaching and whether the courses accord with each other.

§ 1-4. Setting learning outcomes and reading lists

The learning outcome for the individual course is set out in the Course Plan.
A reading list of core literature is set for each course. The reading list is a guide indicating one or several accounts which cover the core material of the course. As a rule, the core literature should not constitute more than approximately 30 written pages per credit.
Amendments to the learning outcome and reading lists must be passed and announced no later than four weeks before the course in question starts.

§ 1-5. Study progression. Qualification requirements from preceding courses

The courses in the programme are mandatory unless otherwise stated in the Course Plan, and are to be taken in the order set out in the Course Plan. The Faculty can make exceptions to this rule in an individual education plan.
Qualifications from preceding courses are a prerequisite for attending teaching and examinations in the individual courses.

Chapter 2. COURSE OVERVIEW AND READING LISTS

§ 2-1. First academic year

During the first academic year, the student will attend the following courses:

EXAMEN PHILOSOPHICUM (10 credits)
See separate rules under the Faculty of Arts

EX FAC Faculty of Law entrance exam (10 credits)
JUS 111 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW I (10 credits)
JUS 112 FAMILY AND SUCCESSION LAW (12 credits)
JUS 113 CONTRACT LAW I (10 credits)
JUS 114 LEGAL METHODOLOGY (8 credits)

§ 2-2. Second academic year

During the second academic year, the student will attend the following courses:

JUS 121 NORWEGIAN AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTITUTIONS (17 credits)
JUS 122 TORT LAW (13 credits)
JUS 123 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW II (17 credits)
JUS 124 PROPERTY LAW (13 credits)

§ 2-3. Third academic year

During the third academic year, the student will attend the following courses:

JUS 131 CONTRACT LAW II (15 credits)
JUS 132 DEBT COLLECTION LAW (10 credits)
JUS 133 LEGAL SOURCES & METHODOLOGY (10 credits)
JUS 134 COMPARATIVE LAW AND LEGAL HISTORY (10 credits)
JUS 125 THE RULE OF LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS (15 credits)

§ 2-4. Fourth and fifth academic year

During the fourth and fifth academic year, the student will attend the following courses:

JUS 241 CRIMINAL LAW (20 credits)
JUS 242 PROCEDURAL LAW (20 credits)
JUS 243 GENERAL LAW OF PROPERTY RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS (20 credits)

In addition, the student will take elective subjects of 30 credits in total, see § 2-5, submit an independent written master's thesis (30 credits), see §2-6, and complete a course in ethics, see § 2-7. Instead of elective subjects and a master's thesis of 30 credits each, the student may, pursuant to an application, be permitted to submit an independent, written extended master's thesis of 60 credits see § 2-6.

§ 2-5. Specialized courses

During the fourth and fifth academic year, the student will be taking courses of 30 credits in total, out of the following elective subjects:

*n = Language of instruction is Norwegian
*e = Language of instruction is English

§ 2-6. Master's thesis

During the master programme’s fourth and fifth year, the student will submit an independent, written master's thesis of 30 credits for evaluation either individually or as a group submission. Following an application, the student can be granted permission to submit an independent, extended master's thesis of 60 credits. Detailed rules are set out in chapter 4 of this course plan.

§ 2-7 Course in ethics

During the fourth and fifth academic year, the student will follow a course in ethics. The student must register for the course himself/herself. The course is completed by registering attendance for each day the course is held. An examination will not be held.
The course must be followed in one go and 100% attendance is required. In special cases the student can apply to the Faculty for a postponement of one semester for up to one course day. The examination certificate will state whether the candidate has completed the course or not.

§ 2-8 Sound recording of lectures

Sound recordings of lectures are not permitted without the permission of the lecturer, in which case permission is to be granted to all the students in the room and will apply for a series of lectures until such permission is otherwise retracted.
Sound recordings of Large Group sessions and Work Group sessions are not permitted.
Sound recordings of seminars are not permitted.
In cases where it is not certain whether a teaching session is classified as a lecture or some other designation, such teaching sessions will be considered as lectures.

Chapter 3. TESTING THE STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

§ 3-1. Course testing

The students will be tested in each course. When tested, students can also be given questions that presuppose certain knowledge acquired from earlier courses in the education plan.
As a main rule, the students will be given a grade on an alphabetic scale for each course (subject). This grade will be stated on the grade certificate. For some courses or individual exams the Faculty can decide that a pass/fail scale will be used instead of grades.

§ 3-2. Approval of courses. Obligatory exams during the course

Unless otherwise stated in the course plan, a course is only approved if the student has attended at least three quarters (i.e. 75%) of group meetings or the like and fulfilled the requirements stated in the course plan regarding submission of course work, oral presentations and participation in other course activities. This rule applies even if the lack of attendance is caused by impediments for which the student is not responsible. Furthermore, valid exam registration for the actual course at the time for exam, is a condition for approval of the course.
Pursuant to an application to such effect, the Faculty can create an individually adapted course plan for students who can document that they are unable to fulfill the attendance requirement without an unreasonable burden being imposed on them owing to illness or illness of a close family member, military repetition courses, care of one’s own children in connection with birth or adoption, or other serious academic or compassionate reasons, where such students ensure that the requirements in the learning programme are fulfilled. This individually adapted course plan can in certain cases also be created in advance of a course when it is clear that a student will not, without the imposition of an unreasonable burden, be able to fulfill the attendance requirement.
The courses may include mandatory writing tests, oral presentations and other types of tests. These must either be approved by the responsible group leader during the course, or form a part of the evaluation basis when awarding the grade for the course.
Students who have not been granted course approval can retake the course the next time it is held. The Faculty may arrange special courses outside the academic year for students who have to retake a course.
Documentation proving that the student has been ill during the writing period of an obligatory assignment will afford the student a maximum time period of three extra days. The student must inform the Faculty of the need for extra writing time by the submission deadline, at the latest.

1) All students must attend the groups they have been assigned to by the Faculty.
2) Valid attendance will be registered only in the assigned groups.
3) A group leader may at any time take a roll-call and reject students who do not belong to the group.

§ 3-3. Test types. Grading

The test type for individual courses is stipulated by the course plan. Usually, the student will be tested with both a final exam for the individual course and by course work during the course itself.
Testing during the course may include oral presentations, assignments etc. that the student must pass in order to achieve pass approval for the course, or written or oral tests that are included in the basis of the evaluation.
Unless otherwise decided in the course plan, the course is concluded with an individual written exam carried out under supervision (school exam). In order for the student to take this concluding course exam, he or she must have fulfilled the requirements of § 3-2 regarding approved attendance on the course.
The grade for the individual course is set on the basis of a collective evaluation of the student’s documented performance. The basis of this evaluation may consist of:
a) Individual answers on written exams carried out under supervision and with limited use of supplementary material (school exam).

b) Individual, independent written assignments with the use of supplementary material (“home exam”, “course work”, etc.).

c) Individual oral test with or without preparation time.

d) Written assignments or oral presentations based on group work.

e) Other types of testing stated in the course plan.

The weight accorded to the different elements providing the basis of the evaluation is set out in the course plan
One examiner shall evaluate the tests which are included in the evaluation of the student’s performance on the individual course or tests which conclude the course. Any failed assignments or exams will be evaluated by two examiners. The exam evaluation shall be organised in a manner that will ensure a consistent level as regards the individual test and as between the different subjects. As far as is possible, written test papers shall be anonymous.

§ 3-3 a. Requirements for independence and source citation

All test answers submitted for approval/grade evaluation, must be the student’s own. This also applies to test answers that are not included when determining the grade. Sources used must be acknowledged in accordance with the University's guidelines on source citation. A breach of these guidelines will be considered as cheating, see chapter 8.
In assignments with a certain word limit, the number of words written must be stated on the answer sheet. Footnotes and endnotes should be included in the word count.

a) A breach of the word limit may cause the submitted paper to be rejected.

b) If the number of words stated on the answer sheet is not correct, this may be considered as cheating.

§ 3-4. Requirements for test composition and formulation

In its work concerning test composition and formulation, the Faculty must focus on the following:

a) The students must know what they are to be tested in, in what way the testing is to be carried out and what requirements are made for the setting of grades.

b) Routines shall be established to ensure that the individual questions are formulated in a clear and unambiguous manner as regards academic content and answer form.

c) The questions must be formulated in such a way that they require independent effort and problem-solving beyond that which can be extracted from available supplementary materials.

The Faculty provides more detailed guidelines for formulating the test questions.

§ 3-5. Final grade

A final grade is not given for the Master’s degree in Law.

§ 3-6. Supplementary material at the exam

Unless otherwise stated in the course plan, the students may bring the following items to all school exams on the master’s programme:

a) No more than two editions of the statute book “Norges lover” (published by the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo).
b) Official printed versions of Norwegian laws.
c) One spelling list or dictionary. “Jusleksikon” by Jon Gisle or “Juridisk leksikon” by Egil Guldbrandsen.
d) Any statutory instruments, bye-laws, regulations or draft legislative bills that the Course Supervisor considers relevant for answering the questions will be handed out along with the exam paper.
e) Individual course descriptions may allow for additional use of supplementary material.
f) Students who have been in Norway less than four years, may apply for permission to bring more dictionaries to exams at the two firsts years, except for the EXFAC exam.

§ 3-7. Submission and checking of supplementary material

The supplementary materials that the student wishes to use during the exam must be brought to the exam desk at the latest half an hour before the exam starts if no other deadline is provided. If this deadline is not upheld, the student should not expect to be able to commence the exam at the given time. No books or notes can be brought to the exam room after the book checking has started, without also being subject to checking. Books/notes etc. that cannot be used during the exam cannot be brought to the exam room after the book checking has started.
a) Where photocopies are approved as supplementary material, it must be made clear where these have been copied from.
b) Print-outs from the Internet or databases are not approved supplementary material.
In addition to supplementary material, only necessary writing instruments and, if desired, food and drink, can be present at the student’s exam desk.
The student is responsible for ensuring that the submitted supplementary material is in accordance with the regulations stated in § 3-6 and § 3-8, see further the rules on supplementary material in the individual course descriptions.
Any materials found to be in breach of the exam regulations will be confiscated. The situation may also be considered as cheating, see Chapter 8: Violation of the regulations.
A decision to confiscate materials may be appealed immediately, and at the latest three weeks after the exam. In order for a possible reversal of the decision to be effective in the exam in question, the decision must be appealed at the latest by one hour after the exam has started. Such immediate complaints must be determined by the Course Supervisor.
Students who have had their supplementary material confiscated will be supplied with a written statement of reasons from the Faculty. The students will also be informed about the further progress of the case.

§ 3-8. References, additions etc. in the supplementary material

All submitted supplementary material for the exam may contain underlining and lines in the margin in all colours.

All submitted supplementary material may also contain added references both internal and to other approved supplementary material. This does not apply to references in and to lists, registers, dictionaries etc. The references can only start with words like "see", "confer", "contra", "compare", "repealed", "amended". References to laws, royal decrees, statutory instruments and regulations can only include title and/or data (or necessary number), paragraph and/or section, sentence number, number, or subsection. Standard abbreviations such as "grl.", "str." etc. can be used.

A reference may for example read: "Sml.FAL § 18-1; appealed by lov 13. februar 1976; see Lov nr. 261969 § 2-1".

References other than those mentioned above under 1. and 2., such as for example writing a new law into the supplementary material, are not allowed.

§ 3-9. Explanation of grades

A student is entitled to an explanation of the grade he or she has been awarded and must contact the examiner in the manner and at the time stated for each individual exam.

When an explanation is not provided at the latest the day after the request was made, the Faculty’s administrative course supervisor must be informed the same day, or at the latest by the next morning.

Chapter 4. MASTER'S THESIS

§ 4-1. Objective

Work on the master's thesis is meant to provide the students with practice in processing and presenting larger legal problems on their own, based on an independent analysis of the subject and source material. The thesis shall document that the student can relate to wider and more complex legal questions, and viewed along with the elective subjects shall comprise the student’s professional specialisation.

§ 4-1 a. Independence and source citation

The thesis must be the student’s own work. Sources used must be referred to in accordance with the University's guidelines regarding the use of sources. Violation of these guidelines will be considered as cheating, see chapter 8.

§ 4-2. Approval of a topic for the master thesis

The topic for the master's thesis must be registered by application within the deadlines outlined in section 4-4, subsection 7. The topic for the master's thesis must be approved by the Course Supervisor or lecturer to whom the University refers the student. The topic must be suitable to fulfill the purpose of the master thesis according to § 4-1. The topic is not approved if it is of such a nature that the Faculty cannot provide proper guidance.
Two independent pieces of work can be approved as a master thesis when they viewed together in terms of their content can be said to comprise a whole. A short summary or introduction must be submitted along with the two parts accounting in closer detail the complete nature of such a master thesis.
If the master thesis is to be evaluated as a group submission, this must be specially approved. It must be made clear who is in the group. Approval of group submission will be denied if the topic, scope, plan, composition of the group or planned working form does not indicate that the purpose of the master thesis according to § 4-1 will be achieved by every member of the group.
Subsequent changes to the topic and plan for the master thesis, or of a group’s composition, must be specially approved by the supervisor.

§ 4-3. Supervision

The master's thesis is to be written under supervision. A thesis without documentation of supervision, will not be subject to grading. The Faculty will provide more detailed guidelines on the extent of the supervision.
For a master's thesis which is written in connection with a course, the group leader or another person appointed by the Course Supervisor shall act as supervisor for the thesis. In all other cases the supervisor shall be appointed by the Faculty.
The supervision can be provided individually or in groups. The supervisor shall emphasize various matters considered suitable towards achieving the purpose of the master thesis according to § 4-1, with special focus placed on discussions concerning problem formulation, delimitation, presentation, form and structure and on methodological questions.

§ 4-4. Submission

Only a master's thesis approved according to § 4-2 can be submitted for evaluation.
Students who have been awarded a pass on their master's thesis cannot submit this or any other thesis for a new evaluation. Students who have been awarded a fail on a submitted master's thesis can only submit this master's thesis for a new evaluation if it raises a different issue, or constitutes a considerably revised version of the originally submitted paper.
For the 30 credit master's thesis, the guiding word limit is 12,000 words. Papers exceeding 15,000 words will not be evaluated. For the 60 credit master's thesis, the guiding word limit is 30,000 words. Papers exceeding 37,500 words will not be evaluated. Footnotes and endnotes are included in the word limit. Preface, front cover, table of contents, index, list of references and attachments are not included.
Papers that have been refused because they have exceeded the word limit must be revised and submitted the following semester. No extra supervision will be offered during this revision process.
The master's thesis is submitted electronically on MySpace. The delivered thesis should be anonymized and paginated. Title of the thesis, candidate number, name of supervisor as well as word count including footnotes and endnotes should be included on the front cover.
Deadlines

Writing during the Autumn semester:

15 May – general registration and submission of specific topic
10 November – students confirm submission
10 December – actual submission

Writing during the Spring semester:

1November – general registration and submission of specific topic
1 May – students confirm submission
1 June – actual submission

§ 4-5. Evaluation

The master's thesis is evaluated by two examiners, one of whom will be an external examiner. The other examiner will usually be the student’s master's thesis supervisor.
The Faculty provides guidelines for the evaluation of master's theses.
The evaluation of the master's thesis must be completed by two months at the latest following the submission deadline, see the Rules on Studies and Degrees at the Faculty of Law (“Forskrift om studier og grader ved det juridiske fakultet”), § 1-2 nr. 2.
If the examiners do not agree on the evaluation, a third examiner shall be appointed by the leader of the Study Committee.

Chapter 5. INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN. RE-SITS. LOSS OF ADMITTANCE TO THE PROGRAMME

§ 5-1. Individual education plan

During the first three academic years, the student must attend the lectures in accordance with the general individual education plan for the year he or she is in. The courses in criminal and procedural law must also be attended in the order set out in the course plan.
The Faculty may, pursuant to an application to such effect, create a course plan that deviates from the general education plan for the individual student, for example where the student concerned is a part-time student or exempt from certain courses because of exams taken at the Faculty or at a different learning institution, or where he or she due to illness or other significant reasons has not or will not be able to attend the ordinary teaching schedule in the set order.

§ 5-2. Exam. Re-sits and re-taking

Students who have not had their obligatory attendance rating approved will not be able to sit the exam and must re-take the whole course in question. All written papers must be rewritten before being handed in again. Papers that have been handed in previously can not be resubmitted.
Students who have achieved approved obligatory attendance:
a) The students may sit the exam at the end of the course.
b) The students who have failed the exam (were not present, withdrew from the exam, failed the exam or were prevented from taking the exam due to illness), will automatically be registered for a re-sit exam.
If the student does not want to take the re-sit exam, then he or she must withdraw from it.
c) If the student also fails the re-sit exam, he or she must independently register for a new exam.
d) Pursuant to an application to this effect, the student may be allowed to attend teaching. If the student chooses to attend obligatory teaching, the approval of the first course will no longer apply, and he or she shall attend the new course on the same conditions as students who have not had their course approved at an earlier stage as outlined in subsection 1.
Students who have passed the course, including the exam, but who still want to re-take the exam:
a) The student cannot attend teaching, except for lectures.
b) The exam can be re-taken when the next ordinary exam is held.
c) The exam can be re-taken no more than twice (see section 7 and 8 as regards attempts which count), but still with certain limits from Autumn 2007:
i) Exams from the first academic year can not be re-taken after the start of the third academic year.
ii) Exams from the second academic year can not be re-taken after the start of the fourth or fifth academic year.
iii) Exams from the third academic year can not be re-taken after the student has passed all the exams of the fourth academic year (JUS241, JUS242, JUS243 (alternatively JUS123 for transitional students)).
d) Student who cannot sit the ordinary exam due to studies abroad can announce their need to take a re-sit exam during the year in which they return from their studies abroad. This applies in cases where the semester finishes less than two weeks before the exam in Bergen.
Students on studies abroad may, according to circumstances, re-take an exam at the re-sit exam before they leave Norway.
e) Students who, according to contract of employment as a working-group leader, cannot re-take an exam, may apply for permission to re-take the exam at the re-sit exam the summer before the work period starts.

For students on the specialized courses, the following applies:
Whether the course has obligatory teaching or not is set out in each individual course description. Where obligatory teaching is stipulated, attendance must be approved before the student can sit the exam.
The exam is held during the same semester as the teaching, and again during the following semester. Exceptions are made for subjects which have the examination form integrated with the teaching. Such exceptions will be set out in the course description.
Re-sit exams will as a main rule not be arranged for specialized courses.

For all:
The student can register for an exam no more than three times; see section 8 as regards attempts which count.
An attempt to sit an exam will be deemed to count where the student has not withdrawn his or her exam registration by two weeks before the day of the exam at the latest; this applies to both the ordinary exam and the re-sit exam.
a) An attempt to sit an exam will not be deemed to count if the student is prevented from sitting the exam due to a lack of approval of the course.
b) An attempt to sit an exam will not be deemed to count if the student can provide a legitimate reason for being absent.
A legitimate reason may include illness documented by a doctor’s certificate or the like. The doctor’s certificate must have been issued at the latest on the day of the exam, and explicitly state that the candidate was unable to complete the exam on the day in question due to illness. It must be submitted to the Faculty by one week after the day of the exam at the latest.
c) A legitimate reason for absence does not allow re-takes beyond the limitations stated in section 3 b and c.
d) Documentation of illness during a home exam will not provide grounds for annulling the attempt to take the exam. Instead, the student will be provided an extended writing period of three days maximum. The student must notify the Faculty of the need for extended time no later than the deadline for submission of the exam.
For exam re-takes, the best grade awarded out of all of the attempts made by the student shall count.

§ 5-3. Revision of the individual education plan. Loss of admittance to the programme.

If a student has not had his or her course approved, the Faculty shall, in conference with the student, decide on a revised individual education plan for him/her. If the student falls behind by more than 20 credits, the student may be moved back one academic year.
Students who fall behind more than 60 credits will lose their admittance to the programme. Where particular reasons apply, the Faculty may, pursuant to an application to such effect, make exceptions to this rule.
A follow-up of the individual education plans takes place in the Autumn semester, following the end of the academic year.

§ 5-4. Leave

Students on the Master's Programme in Law may as of the second academic year be granted leave for a whole academic year, without having to provide a specific reason. Such applications must be submitted before 1 June.

Leave based on this provision may only be granted once during the master programme.

Leave based on the first sentence of this section cannot be granted if this results in a period of study which will extends to more than ten years.

Chapter 6. CONVERSION FROM THE CURRICULUM OF 1997

§ 6-1. The phasing out of the curriculum of 1997

Teaching of the curriculum of 1997 shall not be offered. If the students wish, they may attend lectures on the Master's Programme in Law of their own accord.
Exams based on the curriculum of 1997 will be held for the last time as follows:
Fourth unit, Spring 2007.
For students who are taking the fourth unit later than Spring 2004, Health and Social Law will no longer be available as a subject. Instead, these students will take Administrative Law II (curriculum of 1997) with the same learning objectives as under the new curriculum. The exam will be integrated in the exam for JUS97-4.
Students who have admission to the cand.jur.-programme at the University of Bergen can convert this to a new admission to the Master's programme in Law.

§ 6-2. Accommodation of the exam from the curriculum of 1997

Students who have passed the Examen Philosophicum and/or Examen Facultatum under the curriculum of 1997 or at other faculties or learning institutions are exempt from these courses under the curriculum of 2003. The first academic year of the Master's programme in Law will for these students constitute 40, alternatively 50 credits.
Students who have passed the exam from the first unit under the curriculum of 1997 can be admitted to the curriculum of 2003 as of the second academic year. They must have passed the Examen Facultatum and Examen Philosophicum before they start the fourth academic year.
Students who have passed the second unit under the curriculum of 1997 can be admitted to the curriculum of 2003 as of the third academic year, but so that these students can take courses in Administrative Law II (17 credits) instead of the courses in Debt Collection Law (10 credits) and Comparative Law and Legal History (10 credits). They must have passed the the Examen Facultatum and Examen Philosophicum before they start the fourth academic year.
Students who have passed the obligatory part of the third unit under the curriculum of 1997 can be admitted to the curriculum of 2003 as of the fourth academic year. Instead of the course in General Law of Property and Obligations these students will attend a course in Administrative Law II (17 credits). These students are exempt from one elective subject. They must have passed the the Examen Facultatum and Examen Philosophicum before they start the fourth academic year.
Students who have passed the obligatory parts of the fourth unit under the curriculum of 1997 can be admitted to the curriculum of 2003 as of the fifth academic year. These students will only have to write their master thesis to achieve the master’s degree.

Chapter 7. ADMITTANCE TO THE COURSE. EXEMPTION FROM EXAMS – CREDITING AND INTEGRATION OF EXAMS

§ 7-1. Admittance to the study takes place through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS)

§ 7-2. The Faculty carries out a special admission procedure for specialized courses

Guidelines and application form

§ 7-3. Crediting exams

A master thesis and exams taken at Norwegian law faculties that have been passed during the last ten years can be integrated into the Master's programme in Law at the University of Bergen. Pursuant to an application to such effect, the Faculty may also recognize exams older than ten years for integration into the degree.

§ 7-4. Exemption from parts of the course on the basis of other exams

The Faculty shall make an exemption from the requirement of a master's thesis if the student has passed an equivalent test at a Norwegian or foreign educational institution in the form of an independent written piece of course work which in essence corresponds to a master's thesis written as a part of a Norwegian Master's programme in Law. The Study Committee shall determine more detailed rules.
The Faculty can make an exemption from the requirements concerning exams if it can be shown that an equivalent exam or test is passed. The exam in question is required to be equivalent to the exam to which the exception is applied for in terms of content, scope and depth. With the exeption of EXFAC Introductory Course, students can not sit exams in courses they may be given an exemption from in the first, second, third and fourth academic year. The Study Committee shall determine more detailed rules.
Exemptions based on exams from Oslo and Tromsø:
a. Completion of the first and second unit of the Master's programme in Law in Oslo or Tromsø will provide exemptions from the first and second academic years on the Master's programme in Law in Bergen. Completion of the first or second unit alone will not give rise to an exemption.
b. Completion of the third and fourth unit of the Master's programme in Law in Oslo or Tromsø will provide exemptions from the third and fourth academic year on the Master's programme iin Law n Bergen. Completion of the third or fourth unit alone will not give rise to an exemption.
c. Students from the cand.jur. programme in Tromsø are given exemptions in the Master's programme in Law according to the same regulations as students from the cand.jur. programme in Bergen, see § 6-2.
d. Students from the cand.jur. programme in Oslo:
i. Year One Private Law will give rise to an exemption from the first academic year, except JUS111 Administrative Law I, and also JUS122 Tort Law for the second academic year.
ii. Year One Private Law and Year One Public Law will together give rise to an exemption from the first and second academic years on the Master's programme in Law.
e. Exemptions from the first academic year only include Examen Philosphicum and Examen Facultatum when equivalent exams have been passed.
f. Exemptions from individual courses may be granted, see however subsection five below.
Exemptions based on exams from the One-Year programme in Law at Lillehammer University College or Sogn og Fjordane University College
a. The One-Year Programme in Law from Lillehammer University College or Sogn og Fjordane University College may pursuant to an application to such effect give rise to an exemption from the first year of the Master's programme in Law. Students are required to have passed the Examen Philosphicum and Examen Facultatum before the second academic year starts, see subsection five below.
b)The Bachelor Programme in Law from Lillehammer University College gives rise to an exemption from the first, second and third years of the Master's programme in Law.
Individual education plan following an approval of exemptions
Students who have had exemptions from one or more subjects on the Master's programme approved cannot expect to be provided with a revised curriculum. As a main rule, all students must follow the same curriculum as the students in their year, and must count on less than 60 credits being awarded for the academic years containing subjects from which one has been granted exemption or had accredited.

Chapter 8. VIOLATION OF THE REGULATIONS

§ 8-1. Breaches of the regulations related to the master's thesis, exams or course work and/or other obligatory elements relating to the teaching, may be considered as cheating.

§ 8-2. Intentional or grossly negligent violations of the regulations may lead to annulment of the exam/work in question, see the Act relating to universities and universitiy colleges § 4-7, subsection 1, alternatively also expulsion from the University for up to two semesters, see the Act relating to universities and universitiy colleges § 4-8 subsection 3.

§ 8-3. An attempt to breach the regulations will be treated equally to those situations where the breach is actually carried out, on condition that the necessary intent can be shown.

§ 8-4. Annulled exams/tests count as attempts to sit the exam, but only as regards the number of times the exam can be taken.

§ 8-5. Cases of annulment or expulsion will be decided upon by the University Board’s Complaints Panel. The appeal body is the central complaints authority under Act relating to universities and universitiy colleges § 5-1, see the administrative regulation FOR 2005-10-10 number 1192: Regulations on the common complaints board further to the University and College Act § 4-7 to 4-10.

Last updated 7.7.2011

Belongs to

Faculty of Law