Master’s in Legal and Forensic Science

General Objectives of the Course

The objective of a Legal and Forensic Science Programme is to provide all Law graduates with a specialization aiming at the practice of traditional forensic, or any other, legal professions. The Legal and Forensic Science Programme is thus designed to link 1st cycle training with in depth reflection on new legal topics; simultaneously, it aims at coupling consolidation of the basic legal training required for the legal professions with some research activity. At the end of the Programme, graduates are expected to have developed the following skills
- the ability to successfully tackle concrete, highly complex law-related cases
- critically consider legal decisions (both domestic and international, or any other court)
- critically consider domestic and foreign literature on various legal issues
- compare solutions under the Portuguese legal system with proposals from foreign legal systems
- pursue research activity in any area of the Law
- engage in any legal profession.

Admission Requirements

Master’s applicants must hold: a) a Graduate degree in Law or equivalent; b) a College degree awarded by a higher education institution from a foreign country signatory of the Bologna process, following completion of a first cycle programme in Law organized in accordance with the Bologna provisions; c) a College degree in Law from a foreign institution, provided such degree is acceptable to the Coimbra Faculty of Law; d) in duly justified cases, holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum acceptable to the Coimbra Faculty of Law.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Professional Goals

Judicial legal practice; Magistracies and Public prosecution service; Diplomacy, Regional, National and Communitarian Civil service; Registers and Notary office; Judged of Peace; Judicial Police officer; Foreigners' Service and Frontiers; International Organizations; University Teaching; Investigation; Secondary Teaching; Private Institutions; Contentious; Social Communication.

Mode of Study

Daytime, Full-time and Face-to-face

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

As assessment is a pedagogical activity inseparable from the teaching process, its aim is to establish the students' skills and training, their critical sense, ability to recognize and resolve problems, as well as their written and oral presentation skills. Students may only register for exams for classes they are currently registered for under the terms of number 6 of article 4 of the University of Coimbra Pedagogical Policy. The following are examples of assessment items: Oral or written exams, written or practical work, individual and group projects that may require an oral defense, as well as class participation. Assessment for each class may include one or more of the above mentioned items. Grading is based on a scale of 0 to 20 and a grade of 10 is required to pass. Whenever assessment includes more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according to a formula published in the course outline under the terms of number 2 of article 7 of the UC Pedagogical Policy.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

The objective of the Master’s Programme in Legal and Forensic Science is an effective specialized scientific education in a broad range of topics, providing a specific preparation in several areas of Law, depending on the curriculum the student wants to pursue; the goal is also one of promoting research on a given legal topic taking into account the interdisciplinarity of the practical issues tackled by the different doctrinal areas of Law, through the elaboration of dissertations based on autonomous and original research work of undieniable scientific and practical relevance. The skills thus acquired will concentrate on the ability to autonomously deepen and reflect on the legal literature normatively or metanormatively conceived, and on its technical explanation and dissemination to the benefit of legal practitioners. The objectives are mainly those of providing a differentiated technical and legal training, the ability to carry out research, provide critical reflection on de iure condito proposals and push forward original de iure condendo proposals.

Course Coordinator(s)

Luís António Malheiro Meneses Vale
uc36663@uc.pt

ECTS Departmental Coordinator(s)

João António Pinto Monteiro
uc36909@uc.pt

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning is carried out in accordance with the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The legal framework for the qualification is established by Decree-Law nº 74/2006, of the 24th March, in its current wording; and by Ordinance nº 782/2009, of the 23rd July

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of courses totaling 90 ECTS, plus a dissertation with public discussion.

Access to Further Studies

Successful completion of the Master’s Programme entitles acceptance in a PHD in Law Programme.

Study Programme

Ciências Jurídico-Forenses

Academic year
2024-2025

Course Type
2nd Cycle Studies - Advanced Specialisation Master Programme

DGES Code: 6400

Qualification Awarded: Mestre

Duration: 3 Semester(s)

ECTS Credits: 90.0

Category: Advanced specialization second cycle

Applications

Call for Applications

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 09-09-2024
End date: 14-12-2024
2nd Semester: Start date: 03-02-2025
End date: 22-05-2025

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2018-04-26 a 2024-04-25
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Cr 80/2018; 2018-07-16