Law

Teacher(s)

Bernard Diane; Slingeneyer de Goeswin Thibaut (compensates Bernard Diane);

Language

French

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

This course aims - to provide you with a general knowledge of the legal phenomenon, through your command of the appropriate terminology and your understanding of certain fundamental legal concepts; - you knew the basics of some of the more common branches of law; - to enable you to carry out (simple) legal research, i.e. to handle your collection of legal texts and legal databases effectively, to base your arguments on the relevant legal basis(s). The course is built on the idea that a basic understanding of law is necessary for every citizen, especially for those who intend to undertake university studies. Indeed, law is both a human science with close links to various other disciplines, including those you have chosen to study as your main academic subject, but also a mode of social regulation that is ubiquitous in the political arena and in our private lives.

Content

Course Content:

• General introduction: definitions and functions of law; concepts such as “legal rule,” “rule of law,” “legal person,” “subjective rights,” and “branches of law”;
• Structure of the Belgian State and the exercise of powers in Belgium;
• Formal sources of Belgian law;
• Coherence of the Belgian legal order;
• Elements of private law.

Led by two teaching assistants in dialogue with the professors, the tutorial sessions ("monitorats") cover the same topics, illustrated and applied through practical exercises.

Teaching methods

Interspersed with interactive exercises, the lecture consists of a presentation of the concepts and issues outlined above. It is based on slides available on Moodle.
In parallel with the lecture, tutorial sessions offer you the opportunity to work through exercises.
To answer your questions, both professors and teaching assistants are available during breaks and at the end of their classes.

Evaluation methods

* The evaluation covers all the material addressed in the course. This content is developed in the syllabus; sections marked as “for reference” ("pour mémoire") are not included in the scope of the exam.
* Learning outcomes are assessed through a written examination. The exam includes three types of questions: (1) multiple-choice questions; (2) questions requiring the use of the Code; and (3) open-ended questions involving application and recall.
* Students are allowed to bring and use legislative and regulatory texts explicitly authorized by the course instructors. These documents must be free of annotations, except for cross-references between articles. Detailed instructions and examples will be provided during the lecture.
* The assessment methods are the same for both the first and second examination sessions.

Teaching materials

• PowerPoint sur Moodle
• Code Bac Vol. I Généralités (éd. La Charte)
• Syllabus

Faculty or entity

> ESPB