JU5-100 Introductory Law Course

Contents and structure

Examen facultatum (preliminary course in law) is an introduction to the study of law. It introduces students to how to solve legal issues using a legal method. A key aim of the course is to provide a professional foundation that makes it easier to get a grip on the other courses in the law program.

The course covers, among other things, basic ideas, principles, and values ​​that characterize a state governed by the rule of law, what a legal system is and how it is structured in Norway. Other subjects are the role of the court in society, key concepts in legal methodology, and how the legal system achieve legitimacy among the citizens in the state.

An important part of the course is to receive training in discussing the theoretical and practical issues that the course addresses in an independent and balanced way. The course also introduces the students in how to how to find sources of legal knowledge on their own.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student must have knowledge of:

• the central institutions in the Norwegian legal system
• what a law is and how they are created and how they are changed
• fundamental considerations in Norwegian legal culture, and what functions laws has in the society
• the requirements imposed on a state governed by the rule of law
• how international law becomes part of Norwegian law
• basic features of legal method (how legal professionals solve legal issues)
• how the court achieves legitimacy in society
• the moral responsibility associated with giving counsel and making decisions based on the law

Skills

The student must be able to:

• identify legal issues and formulate a legal issue
• search for and retrieve relevant legal arguments from digital sources, and identify any value tensions between these arguments
• apply the basic features of the legal method to legal issues
• see the rules of law in a legal policy perspective

General competence

The student must be able to:

• plan and carry out independent work within word limits and time frames
• present course assignments in groups orally
• create and participate in oral discussion of theoretical and practical legal issues in groups
• prepare an individual written course assignment answer
• solve a practical legal issue in writing
• give constructive feedback on other people's work, and make use of other people's feedback on your own work

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars, work groups, assignments, presentation of an assignment at a seminar, and self-studying.

Compulsory learning activities

At least 80% participation in seminars and guidance in small groups. Oral presentation of a written assignment at a seminar (group work). Up to two written assignments (individual work), including submission of draft assignment answers. Constructive feedback on other students' draft assignments. All work requirements must be approved before one can apply for the exam. The work requirements is valid for the following two semesters.

Assessment

Multiple choice test (written school exam), 1 hour.

Grade: passed / failed.

Examination support material

Lovdata pro in exam mode (with the incorporations that Lovdata has allowed, and with access to all laws, preparatory work, regulations, case law from the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal, and all of EEA and EU sources of law, unless the course coordinator has determined otherwise), bokmål / nynorsk dictionary.

More about examination support material