Target level of study
Master's degree
ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training structure
Faculty of Law and Political Science
Language(s) of instruction
French
Presentation
- Head of Education: Marie-Christine Sordino
The Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences major is the ideal program for students who wish to pursue any career in criminal law and criminal sciences.
The structure of both levels is designed to lead students toward gradual specialization in the various areas of criminal law and criminal sciences. The specific courses in the Master 1 program cover the essential disciplines of criminal law and criminal sciences, which are part of the review programs for the main legal exams and competitive examinations. Thus, the Master 1 program includes courses in criminal procedure, international criminal law, special criminal law, business criminal law, criminal sanctions law, and criminology.
The teaching of these subjects is further developed in the Master's 2 programs, both in terms of research and practical and pre-professional training designed to enable students to enter the job market directly.
Objectives
The main objective of the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences major is to prepare students for all careers in criminal law and criminal sciences.
It is therefore recommended for students wishing to become magistrates, lawyers, police and gendarmerie officers, prison directors, rehabilitation and probation counselors, customs officers, compliance officer, employee of a private company in the "legal" or "litigation" sector, employee of organizations such as TRACFIN, or if they wish to take the major civil service exams. It is based on both theoretical and practical teaching accompanied by internships (vocational courses).
It is also recommended for students who wish to pursue a career as a teacher-researcher or researcher at the CNRS, thanks to its preparation for research and research in criminal law and criminal sciences (research-oriented program).
Know-how and skills
Thanks to the training received as part of the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences program, students will be able to:
- master all disciplines related to criminal law and criminal sciences
- construct a legal argument
- master the writing of a legal summary
- master oral presentations on legal topics
Organization
Open alternately
This course is available on a work-study basis.
Program
The Master 1 program in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences is designed to naturally lead to the choice of one of the programs offered in Master 2.
The transition between the two years of Master's 1 and Master's 2 is structured in a logical and consistent manner, as the subjects taught in Master's 1 prepare students for greater specialization within each program.
The field covered by criminal law and criminal sciences requires specialized training, built around distinct educational projects and objectives, depending on whether the student intends to pursue research or enter the workforce directly, if necessary by passing an exam or competitive entrance exam.
Select a program
Master's Degree in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
The Criminal Law Practices course aims to promote in-depth knowledge of the entire field of criminal law in a practical, cross-disciplinary, and multidisciplinary manner. Current practices in all areas of economic, social, cultural, and family life are examined from the perspective of criminal law enforcement, taking a cross-disciplinary approach. This allows for in-depth study of all disciplines relating to general criminal law, criminal procedure, and special criminal law that have not been covered in previous courses, as well as more advanced study of subjects that have already been introduced.
The multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary program, combining public and private law with a comparative and international dimension, is a considerable asset in helping students enter the job market. All developments in criminal law are thus captured and passed on to students: the program curriculum highlights, in particular, the dematerialization and consideration of new technologies and the Internet in criminal law.
Through the study of case studies led by professionals, students are involved in role-playing and simulation exercises. This is very useful in preparing them for competitive examinations or for direct entry into the professional world.
In this sense, the program constitutes a veritable professional school of criminal law and criminal sciences.
The program is supported by the Montpellier Criminal Law Team (EDPM), a renowned research team specializing in criminal law and criminal sciences.
Insolvency Law Group 2 (ST)
EU Special Criminal Law
8 creditsCM Special Criminal Law
6 creditsSpecial Criminal Law Tutorial
2 credits
Digital skills - Pix+Law preparation
EU Criminal Procedure 2
8 creditsEU International Criminal Law
7 creditsCM International Criminal Law
5 creditsTD International Criminal Law
2 credits
Choice of internship or thesis
Choose one of two options:
Memory
3 creditsInternship
3 credits
Advanced civil procedures: enforcement procedures (ST)
Private digital law (ST)
Optional
Criminal law & criminal practices applied to individuals
5 creditsOption block selection
Choose one of two options:
Language - Legal English
Criminal law & criminal practices applied to legal entities public law
5 creditsComparative and international criminal law
2 creditsCriminal procedure law and practice
5 credits
Criminal law relating to new technologies
3 creditsEuropean Union criminal law
3 creditsOption block selection
Choose one of two options:
Option in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences
Choose one of two options:
Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences - Option 2
21 creditsResearch thesis
10 creditsLiability law
3 creditsOral exam
8 credits
Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences - Option 1
21 creditsOral exam
6 creditsResearch thesis
10 creditsLiability law
3 creditsStudent engagement
Criminal law options
Choose one of two options:
Criminal practices - option 1
21 creditsCriminal audit practice
4 creditsChoice of thesis/supervised project
Choose one of two options:
Supervised project
Memory
3 credits
Criminal Risk Management - Internal and International
1 creditCriminal law and applied criminal procedure partners of the company
1 creditStudent engagement
Professional integration
8 creditsOral exam
2 credits
Criminal practices - option 2
21 creditsCriminal audit practice
4 creditsChoice of thesis/supervised project
Choose one of two options:
Supervised project
Memory
3 credits
Criminal Risk Management - Internal and International
1 creditCriminal law and applied criminal procedure partners of the company
1 creditOral exam
4 creditsProfessional integration
8 credits
Criminal law of the ECHR
3 credits
Admission
Target audience
Admission to the Master 1 program in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences is open to students who have obtained a bachelor's degree in private law or public law or an equivalent qualification. It is also open to continuing education students, for whom it can serve as a specialization.
The criteria for admission between Master 1 and Master 2 are the systematic review of the application file and, in most cases, in addition to the review of the application file, interviews and motivation tests (which are not systematic).
Mandatory prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in private law or public law or equivalent qualification, in initial training; open to continuing education.
And after
Continuing education
Students can continue their studies by enrolling in preparatory courses for competitive examinations related to careers in criminal law: for example, Prépa–ENM, Prépa-ENA, Prépa en vue de l’obtention de l’examen d’entrée au CRFPA, Préparation aux concours des métiers du droit pénal 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 a University Diploma in Criminal Sciences offered by the Montpellier Criminal Law Team (EDPM—Director Mr. Olivier Sautel).
Obtaining the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences Specialization allows graduates to enroll in a doctoral program.
Professional integration
Career opportunities for graduates of the Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences program include:
Magistrate (judicial and administrative order)
Attorney
Clerk
Police competition
Gendarmerie competition
Customs competition
Tax competition
Civil service exam
Prison administration competition
Youth Judicial Protection Competition
Corporate lawyer or company director
Compliance officer
Employee at organizations such as TRACFIN, at banking institutions
University professor and researcher
Researcher at the CNRS