Intended Level of Study
5 years of post-secondary education
ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training Structure
School of Law and Political Science
Language(s) of Instruction
French
Overview
- Academic Director: Marie-Christine Sordino
The Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences track is the ideal program for students who wish to pursue careers in any field related to criminal law and criminal sciences.
The structure of both levels is designed to guide students toward a gradual specialization in the various fields of criminal law and criminal sciences. The specific courses in the first year of the Master’s program cover the core disciplines of criminal law and criminal sciences, which are included in the review materials for the major legal exams and competitive examinations. Thus, the first year of the Master’s program includes courses in criminal procedure, international criminal law, special criminal law, business criminal law, criminal sanctions law, and criminology.
The study of these disciplines is further explored in the Master’s 2 programs, both in terms of research and practical, pre-professional training designed to enable students to enter the job market directly.
Objectives
The main objective of the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences track is to prepare students for all careers in criminal law and criminal sciences.
It is therefore recommended for students who wish to become judges, attorneys, police or gendarmerie officers, prison directors, rehabilitation and probation counselors, customs officers, compliance officers, employees at private companies in the “legal” or “litigation” sectors, employees at organizations such as TRACFIN, or those wishing to take the major civil service exams. The program is based on both theoretical and practical instruction, supplemented by internships (a career-oriented track).
It is also recommended for students who wish to pursue a career as a professor-researcher or as a researcher at the CNRS, thanks to the training in research and the opportunity to conduct research in criminal law and criminal sciences (research-oriented track).
Expertise and Skills
Through the coursework in the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences track, students will be able to:
- master all disciplines related to criminal law and criminal sciences
- develop a legal argument
- master the writing of a legal summary
- master the art of speaking publicly on a legal topic
Organization
Open on an alternating basis
This program is offered as a work-study program.
Program
The Master’s 1 program in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences is designed to naturally lead to the selection of one of the Master’s 2 tracks offered.
The transition between the first and second years of the master’s program is structured in a logical and coherent manner, as the courses offered during the first year of the master’s program prepare students for greater specialization within each track.
The field covered by criminal law and criminal sciences requires specialized programs of study, structured around distinct educational goals and objectives, depending on whether the student intends to pursue research or enter the workforce directly—if necessary, by taking an entrance exam or competitive examination.
Select a program
Master's in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Practices
The Criminal Law Practices track aims to foster a deeper understanding of the entire field of criminal law in a practical, cross-cutting, and multidisciplinary manner. Current practices in all areas of economic, social, cultural, and family life are examined from the perspective of criminal enforcement, using a cross-cutting approach. This allows for an in-depth study of all disciplines related to general criminal law, criminal procedure, and special criminal law—which were never covered in the previous curriculum—or for students to delve deeper into subjects they have already been introduced to.
Exposure to a multidisciplinary and cross-cutting curriculum—combining public and private law with a comparative and international perspective—is a significant asset in helping students enter the job market. All the developments affecting criminal law are thus addressed and conveyed to students: in particular, the program highlights the shift toward digital formats and the incorporation of new technologies and the Internet into criminal law.
Through the study of clinical case studies led by professionals, students engage in role-playing and scenario-based exercises. This is very helpful in preparing them for entrance exams or for their immediate entry into the professional world.
In this sense, the program serves as a true professional training ground in criminal law and criminal sciences.
The program is affiliated with the Montpellier Criminal Law Research Group (EDPM), a renowned research group in criminal law and criminal sciences.
Insolvency Law, Group 2 (ST)
EU Special Criminal Law
8 creditsSpecial Criminal Law Course
6 creditsTD: Special Criminal Law
2 credits
Digital Skills - Pix+Droit Prep
EU Criminal Procedure 2
8 creditsEU International Criminal Law
7 creditsCM International Criminal Law
5 creditsTD International Criminal Law
2 credits
Choosing Between an Internship and a Thesis
Choose one of the following two options:
Thesis
3 creditsInternship
3 credits
In-Depth Civil Procedure: Enforcement Remedies (ST)
Private Law of Digital Technology (ST)
Optional
Criminal Law & Criminal Procedures as They Apply to Individuals
5 creditsOption Block Selection
Choose one of the following two options:
Language - Legal English
Criminal Law & Criminal Practice: Application to Public Law and Legal Persons
5 creditsComparative and International Criminal Law
2 creditsCriminal Procedure Law and Practice
5 credits
Criminal Law Related to New Technologies
3 creditsEuropean Union Criminal Law
3 creditsOption Block Selection
Choose one of the following two options:
Specialization in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences
Choose one of the following two options:
Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences - Option 2
21 creditsResearch Thesis
10 creditsTort Law
3 creditsOral Exam
8 credits
Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences - Option 1
21 creditsOral Exam
6 creditsResearch Thesis
10 creditsTort Law
3 creditsStudent Engagement
Criminal Procedure Option
Choose one of the following two options:
Criminal Law Practices - Option 1
21 creditsCriminal Audit Practice
4 creditsElective: Thesis/Supervised Project
Choose one of the following two options:
Supervised Project
Thesis
3 credits
Criminal Risk Management—Domestic and International
1 creditCriminal Law and Applied Criminal Procedure: Partners of the Firm
1 creditStudent Engagement
Employment Placement
8 creditsOral Exam
2 credits
Criminal Practice - Option 2
21 creditsCriminal Audit Practice
4 creditsElective: Thesis/Supervised Project
Choose one of the following two options:
Supervised Project
Thesis
3 credits
Criminal Risk Management—Domestic and International
1 creditCriminal Law and Applied Criminal Procedure: Partners of the Firm
1 creditOral Exam
4 creditsEmployment Placement
8 credits
Criminal Law under the ECHR
3 credits
Admission
Target Audience
Admission to the first year of the Master’s program in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences is open, as part of an initial degree program, to students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in private law or public law, or a degree deemed equivalent. It is also open to continuing education students, for whom it may serve as a specialization.
The admission criteria for the transition from the first year of the master's program to the second year include a review of the applicant's application materials, which is always conducted, and, in most cases, in addition to this review, interviews and motivation tests (though these are not always required).
Mandatory Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in private law or public law, or an equivalent degree, as part of an initial degree program; open to continuing education.
And then
Continuing Education
Students can continue their studies by enrolling in preparatory programs for entrance exams related to careers in criminal law: for example, Prépa–ENM, Prépa-ENA, preparatory courses for the CRFPA entrance exam, and preparatory courses for competitive exams in criminal law careers organized by the Montpellier Criminal Law Team (Director: Mr. Olivier Sautel, MCF-HDR, Montpellier Criminal Law Team; Director of Studies: Mr. Eloi Clément, MCF, Montpellier Criminal Law Team).
Students may also continue their studies by pursuing the University Diploma in Criminal Sciences offered by the Montpellier Criminal Law Team (EDPM—headed by Mr. Olivier Sautel).
Earning the Specialization in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences qualifies graduates to enroll in a doctoral program.
Employment Placement
Career opportunities for graduates of the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences track include:
Magistrate (judicial and administrative branches)
Lawyer
Clerk
Police Recruitment Exam
Gendarmerie Recruitment Exam
Customs Exam
Tax Contest
Civil Service Exams
Prison System Recruitment Exam
Youth Judicial Protection Competition
Corporate lawyer or business executive
Compliance Officer
Employee at organizations such as TRACFIN or at banking institutions
Faculty Member and Researcher at the University
Researcher at the CNRS