EU and EEA Institutional Law and Policymaking - Master

Studiepoeng, omfang

10 ECTS

Studienivå (studiesyklus)

Master

Undervisningssemester

Autumn

Undervisningsstad

Faculty of Law, University of Bergen

Mål og innhald

This interdisciplinary course aims to provide students with a comprehensive overview of EU/EEA institutional and constitutional law, as well as providing an introduction to EU/EEA politics and policymaking.

Teaching on the course will focus particularly on how EU and EEA law is made, the various political theories of European integration which shape them, and how they are interpreted, applied, and enforced by various actors at national and international level in practice.

The topics covered by the course constitute the very core of EU/EEA cooperation, and will include (but not be limited to):

• Theories of EU/EEA integration
• Policy competences and institutional structures of the EU/EEA
• The role of the EU as an international actor
• The (non-)hierarchical sources of EU/EEA law, and how they interrelate
• EU/EEA legislative processes
• The joint role of the European Court of Justice, EFTA Court and national administrative and judicial authorities in affording judicial protection to individuals, Member States, and the institutions of the EU/EEA

The course will look to go further than, and for most students build further on, general introductory courses on EU/EEA law they may already have taken, by delving deeper into the issues and by providing interdisciplinary insights into the policymaking and political aspects and theories of EU and EEA cooperation.

Læringsutbyte

Knowledge

By the end of the course, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the core institutional rules and principles set out in the EU Treaty, EEA Agreement and EFTA Surveillance and Court Agreement.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the relationship between the EU and EEA policymaking and regulatory regimes, and their relationship to the national political and legal systems of the EEA Member States.
• General awareness of the most recent developments in the case-law of the EU and EFTA Courts and national courts of the EEA states concerning institutional legal issues.
• General knowledge and understanding of the polity, politics, and policies of the EU and EEA, including the role of key political actors, such as interest groups and political parties.
• Familiarity with the main theories of European integration.

Skills

By the end of the course, students should have developed the following skills:

• Reading and critical analysis enabling them to evaluate academic works in the field on institutional EU/EEA law
• Written and oral skills, including the clear and succinct expression of ideas through presentations and case-studies
• A basic grounding in legal research skills and techniques relevant and transferable to all fields of EU and EEA substantive law
• Ability to relate the knowledge acquired throughout the course to current political and legal events and developments within the EU and EEA
• Ability to discuss and reflect on the EU/EEA policies, the institutional arrangements behind them, and their possible legal and policymaking implications both presently and in the future

Competencies

By the end of the course, students should have developed the following general competencies:

• The ability to think critically, independently and constructively
• The ability to formulate arguments based on a variety of sources, and to initiate a dialogue between those sources
• The ability to reflect upon, synthesize and present knowledge in a simple and efficient way under time constraints (2-day take home examination).

Krav til forkunnskapar

Three years of law studies

Tilrådde forkunnskapar

Good command of English language

Studiepoengsreduksjon

There is no overlapping with other courses at the Faculty of Law.

Krav til studierett

The course is available for the following students:

• Admitted to the Master of Laws (LLM) in EU and EEA Law
• Admitted to the integrated master programme in law
• Admitted to the two-year master programme in law
• Granted admission to elective courses at the Faculty of Law
• Granted additional right to study following completed master degree in law at UiB
• Exchange students at the Faculty of Law

The pre-requirements may still limit certain students access to the course

Arbeids- og undervisningsformer

Lectures and Master Classes.

Master Classes look to go one step further than regular lectures - requiring more in-depth and specific preparation (i.e. reading of specific cases, articles, reports etc.), and charging students with responsibility for teaching and learning from each other through the use of flipped classrooms, group and/or individual presentations and debates.

Obligatorisk undervisningsaktivitet

Attendance at the Master Classes is mandatory.

Students will need to pass an online multiple-choice test before the final examination. This additional test will allow more detailed knowledge of matters covered on the course to be tested, in addition to the more reflective questions which will be posed in the take-home examination. The multiple-choice test is assessed as a pass/non-pass, and students must pass this compulsory assignment to be able to complete the take-home exam.

Vurderingsformer

Take-home exam to be answered during two days.

Hjelpemiddel til eksamen

Since the examination may be taken at home, there are no restrictions on supporting materials during the examinations.

Karakterskala

For students admitted to the Master of Laws programme in EU and EEA Law: pass/fail

For other students (MAJUR, MAJUR-2, JUSVALG, POSTMAJUR, INTL-JUS): A-E for pass, F for fail

Vurderingssemester

Autumn

Litteraturliste

The reading list will be ready 1 july for the autumn semester.

Emneevaluering

According to administrative arrangements for evaluating courses at the Faculty of Law.

Programansvarleg

The Academic Affairs Committee (Studieutvalget) at the Faculty of Law is responsible for ensuring the material content, structure and quality of the programme.

Emneansvarleg

Professor Christian Franklin

Administrativt ansvarleg

The Faculty of Law¿s section for students and academic affairs (Studieseksjonen) is responsible for administering the course.