Target level of study
Master's degree
ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training structure
Faculty of Law and Political Science
Presentation
Public Law major
- Master's Degree in Public Law and Litigation
Academic coordinators: Pascale Idoux - Fanny Tarlet - Master's Degree in Constitutional Law Theory and Practice
Academic Director: J. Arlettaz
The transformations in contemporary public law, linked in particular to the restructuring of the legal field brought about by the interpenetration of domestic, European, and international legal systems and by the constitutionalization of the various branches of law, but also to the growing "demand for law" in the most technical areas of public action, require 21st-century public law specialists to have both a solid general legal background, including mastery of the fundamental disciplines of public law—administrative law, constitutional law, European and international law—and in-depth knowledge of the specific scientific field in which they intend to specialize.
This observation and this necessity justify the merging of the existing Master's degrees in Public Law and European Law into a single Master's degree in General Public Law.
The Master 2 in Public Law is available in two tracks:
Public Law and Litigation track
Theory and Practice of Constitutional Law track
Content:
The Master 2 "Public Law" program at the University of Montpellier offers students high-level training in public law.
It provides "à la carte" teaching, i.e., tailored to the professional objectives of the students. At the beginning of the year, students can choose "options" and "seminars" that will allow them to specialize in administrative law, European law, or constitutional law.
Classes are taught in the form of lectures, case studies, and role-playing exercises. Students have the opportunity to do an internship in a company, local authority, or law firm. They must also write and defend an end-of-year thesis on a topic chosen in consultation with a teacher. Emphasis is also placed on student participation in various moot court competitions, such as the Cassin competition in European law or the Vedel competition in constitutional law.
The teachers of the Master 2 "Public Law" program are academics and practitioners specializing in French and comparative public law, litigation law, and fundamental freedoms law.
To train generalist lawyers capable of practicing in all branches of public law (general administrative law, constitutional law, European law, legal theory, public business law including public procurement law, local government law, environmental and sustainable development law, urban planning law, civil service law, public property law, public finance law, etc.) in advisory, defense, judgment, conciliation, or arbitration functions, drafting official documents, legal monitoring, university or extra-university legal training, including professional training, as well as conducting legal research, whether to become a legal advisor in a company or local authority (legal affairs department), a lawyer (after passing the CRFPA entrance exam), or to take competitive exams for entry into the civil service, in particular those for the recruitment of administrative court advisers or entry into an academic career (after completing a doctorate, in this case). To offer students high-level training in public law.
Know-how and skills
Organization
Open alternately
This course is available on a work-study basis.
Program
Select a program
Master's Degree in Public Law and Litigation
Public Law major
- Master's Degree in Public Law and Litigation
Academic advisors: Pascale Idoux and Fanny Tarlet
Generalist Master's degree. The new Master's degree in Public Law at Montpellier is a selective, high-level program that aims to train generalists in public law who are immediately ready to enter the professional world. We believe that the most qualitative approach to public law is a comprehensive one, which is why the Public Law and Litigation program offers in-depth teaching in all areas of public law, both theoretical and practical, and covers all levels of legislation and litigation.
Course content. Our aim is to provide our students with fundamental knowledge and a general understanding of legal culture, as well as specialized knowledge in areas currently undergoing change. With this in mind, courses are devoted to sustainable development law and public digital law, and seminars are dedicated to future issues in public law. The litigation aspect of the Master's program is, of course, particularly rich and developed, covering all levels of jurisdiction. The program therefore offers a truly comprehensive education in public law.
Continuity between M1 and M2. The two years of the Master's program are designed as a single block, with a progression in teaching that leads students toward greater autonomy each semester. In this way, our students build and personalize their projects with a view to co-producing knowledge over two years. We therefore implement innovative teaching methods that encourage student initiative.
Practical experience. Our students take part in the Legal Clinic and carry out supervised projects. In addition to core courses, they benefit from methodology lectures and numerous practical seminars and case studies, particularly in a module on Public Affairs Practice.
In addition, the Master's degree in Public Law is compatible with the Master's degree in Applied Public Law at the University of Montpellier.
Customized training in M2. Students are offered three alternative paths in M2. They have flexible working hours, allowing them to choose one of the following three projects:
- Writing a research thesis: the Master's program is directly linked to our laboratory, CREAM (Montpellier Center for Administrative Research and Studies), and students work there regularly, in contact with doctoral students and their teachers, when they are not working in the Master's program's own room located in the same premises.
- Preparation for competitive examinations: CRFPA for future lawyers, TACAA advisors for future administrative magistrates, senior civil servants, etc.
- Apprenticeship: every other week is spent in an administrative office, court, law firm, or company, to help students become more professional. They sign an employment contract and are paid for 12 months.
Teachers. The teachers and lecturers on the Master's in Public Law program are academics, teacher-researchers, administrative magistrates, and public law experts from a variety of backgrounds, who share their unique experiences and expertise with our students.
Recruitment. Students are selected for admission to the Master's program based on simple criteria: good undergraduate grades are expected, but each student's personal project and motivation are decisive factors for us, regardless of the candidate's university of origin. Admission interviews take place in June or July.
Public business law
6 creditsPublic economic law
6 creditsPublic litigation
6 creditsPublic affairs practice
6 creditsAnticipating changes in the fundamentals of public rights
6 credits
Language - Legal English
Supervised Project/Thesis
15 creditsChoose one of two options:
Tutored Project
Memory
15 credits
Promoting sustainable development
9 creditsEU of choice
Master's Degree in Constitutional Law Theory and Practice
Public Law major
- Master's Degree in Constitutional Law Theory and Practice
Academic Director: Jordane ARLETTAZ
The Master's degree in "Theory and Practice of Constitutional Law " (TPDC) in the "Public Law" program at the University of Montpellier is primarily based on the Center for Constitutional, Comparative and Political Studies and Research (CERCOP) for constitutional law and philosophy of law, which is well established nationally and whose members have written numerous reference works.
The teachers on the Constitutional Studies Program are academics and practitioners specializing in French and comparative constitutional law, legal theory, constitutional litigation, and fundamental freedoms law. Teaching takes the form of lectures, case studies, and role-playing exercises. For several years, the program has also been coaching the Montpellier team of students participating in the "Georges Vedel" moot court competition sponsored by the Constitutional Council.
Major trends in legal thought (ST)
5 creditsEU litigation system (ST)
3 creditsPublic economic law (ST)
Environment and Policy (ST)
EU Comparative Constitutional Law
7 creditsCM Comparative Constitutional Law
5 creditsTD Comparative Constitutional Law
2 credits
EU language
EU ECHR litigation system
7 creditsDigital skills - In-depth documentary research
Language
In-depth constitutional litigation
14 creditsContemporary developments in the state
16 creditsOptional
Optional
Research (workshops)
Contemporary challenges
10 creditsPre-professional skills
19 creditsChoose one of two options:
Search
19 creditsResearch + Engagement
19 creditsSearch
17 creditsStudent engagement