Master's Degree in Constitutional Law Theory and Practice

The courses taught in the first year of the program have two main objectives. First, the training is deliberately general in nature, as the careers that students are pursuing require solid theoretical skills in all areas of public law, taught by academics who are specialists in these fields. Secondly, the aim is to offer students courses designed to familiarize them with the disciplines that will be studied in greater depth in the second year, particularly constitutional law.
The courses during the second year of the program—taught in the form of lectures, case studies, and role-playing exercises—provide an excellent education focused primarily on research, with very significant results in terms of thesis production and success in higher education recruitment competitions. Fundamental research in constitutional law can be conducted in the main areas of focus of CERCOP, namely legal theory and philosophy, constitutional litigation, and comparative constitutional law.
The program includes a seminar on "Research Methodology" that trains students in the practice of constitutional law research. This seminar is taught by a CERCOP faculty member. In particular, it provides students with the tools and methods they need to complete their research thesis.
Students also complete an internship at the laboratory. Working closely with their supervising professor, students participate in the day-to-day activities of CERCOP. They are also required to organize a "program study day" at the end of the academic year on a topic chosen by all the students.
The management team also maintains close ties with the Constitutional Council, as each year a team of students from the program participates in the moot court competition organized by the institution (Vedel competition).
Finally, the program also allows students to pursue careers by preparing for major civil service exams, particularly those for civil servants in the National Assembly and Senate, which are mainly taken by candidates with a Master's 2 degree in public law. For those who wish to become public law attorneys, the program allows them to acquire solid expertise in the QPC mechanism.

The Master's program offers students high-level training in constitutional law, fundamental freedoms law, and legal theory. It provides career opportunities in academic research and allows students who wish to do so to prepare for civil service exams, become magistrates, or enter the profession of public law attorney.