Teacher(s)
Bailleux Antoine; Brachotte Sandrine (compensates Bailleux Antoine);
Language
English
Prerequisites
The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Main themes
The course entails a reflection on contemporary law, or more precisely, a theorisation—understood here as a problematisation—of the methods and foundations of law, with particular emphasis on modern, critical, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
It will address the position of legal theory in relation to the major challenges of the twenty-first century, including the globalisation of societal systems, the development of artificial intelligence, and climate change.
Designed to cultivate both critical analysis and familiarity with the principal schools of thought and core concepts in legal theory, the course builds on prior knowledge acquired in studies of positive law, philosophy, and the humanities.
The course is fully in line with the Faculty of Law's educational project as defined in its Manifesto (R.I.E.J., 2016/1, Vol. 74, pp. 169-175).
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
With regard to the program’s learning outcomes framework, this teaching unit contributes to the development and acquisition of the following skills:
- Mastery of both legal and interdisciplinary knowledge;
- Mastery of scientific methods and tools;
- Development of analytical, reflective, and argumentative skills applied to concrete situations;
- Development of transferable skills, particularly the refinement of personal ethics, both in completing the curriculum and in interactions with others (e.g., personal positioning consistent with one’s values, a sense of the common good, respect for others, etc.).
More specifically, by the end of the course, students will have acquired:
- A general understanding of the major schools of thought in legal theory and the central issues around which their differences crystallize;
- The ability to connect this theoretical foundation to practical, concrete cases drawn from the most contemporary positive law;
- The ability to develop, based on this theory-informed practical experience, a critical reflection on the law, its developments, and its underlying assumptions.
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Content
The course is structured into three main parts, corresponding to modern, critical, and interdisciplinary approaches to legal theory, with the interdisciplinary section covering the Saint-Louis School.
In each part, the implications of these approaches for the conception of substantive law, legal methodology, and the role of jurists are examined.
In each part, the implications of these approaches for the conception of substantive law, legal methodology, and the role of jurists are examined.
Teaching methods
The course will be taught ex cathedra in a large lecture theatre.
As part of the Ecological Transition Fortnight (2–16 November 2026), it will include a 20-minute presentation by a former student on their final-year project (‘TFE’) completed as part of the Seminar on Legal Theory. This presentation is intended to illustrate and explore a specific aspect of the course in greater depth and forms an integral part of the examination syllabus.
Each session may involve exercises to test memory and comprehension, as well as the use of schematic teaching aids.
As part of the Ecological Transition Fortnight (2–16 November 2026), it will include a 20-minute presentation by a former student on their final-year project (‘TFE’) completed as part of the Seminar on Legal Theory. This presentation is intended to illustrate and explore a specific aspect of the course in greater depth and forms an integral part of the examination syllabus.
Each session may involve exercises to test memory and comprehension, as well as the use of schematic teaching aids.
Evaluation methods
Subject matter of the assessment
The subject matter is that which is taught during the sessions scheduled for the lecture course.
Its scope is determined by the course syllabus provided by the lecturer. This includes, or is supplemented by, as appropriate,
- the bibliographical references, extracts from legal theory literature and extracts from case law set out in the course syllabus;
- the content of those parts of the course delivered by students currently in the first year of the Master’s programme (see details below)
- the examples given in class by students at the specified times (highlighted in yellow in the course materials).
Attendance at lectures is not compulsory but is strongly recommended, as it enables students to supplement the course syllabus and ensure they have notes covering the entire subject matter that will form the basis of the assessment, as well as schematic teaching aids.
In particular, students’ attention is drawn to the following points:
- the academic articles supplementing the course, available on Moodle, will be discussed during the lecture;
- the schematic teaching aids (timeline, list of cases, list of authors, summary table) will be completed during the course as we go along.
Type of assessment (and any arrangements):
· Multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ), comprising 20 questions, each worth one mark.
A session to view marked papers in the presence of the lecturer will be organised within one month of the results being announced. The date will be announced one week in advance on Moodle.
Language of assessment: English
Assessment criteria:
· Correct answers to the multiple-choice questions.
Further details:
Students are permitted to bring a French-English dictionary into the exam, provided that it is completely free of any annotations.
No other documents may be brought into the exam.
The subject matter is that which is taught during the sessions scheduled for the lecture course.
Its scope is determined by the course syllabus provided by the lecturer. This includes, or is supplemented by, as appropriate,
- the bibliographical references, extracts from legal theory literature and extracts from case law set out in the course syllabus;
- the content of those parts of the course delivered by students currently in the first year of the Master’s programme (see details below)
- the examples given in class by students at the specified times (highlighted in yellow in the course materials).
Attendance at lectures is not compulsory but is strongly recommended, as it enables students to supplement the course syllabus and ensure they have notes covering the entire subject matter that will form the basis of the assessment, as well as schematic teaching aids.
In particular, students’ attention is drawn to the following points:
- the academic articles supplementing the course, available on Moodle, will be discussed during the lecture;
- the schematic teaching aids (timeline, list of cases, list of authors, summary table) will be completed during the course as we go along.
Type of assessment (and any arrangements):
· Multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ), comprising 20 questions, each worth one mark.
A session to view marked papers in the presence of the lecturer will be organised within one month of the results being announced. The date will be announced one week in advance on Moodle.
Language of assessment: English
Assessment criteria:
· Correct answers to the multiple-choice questions.
Further details:
Students are permitted to bring a French-English dictionary into the exam, provided that it is completely free of any annotations.
No other documents may be brought into the exam.
Online resources
Course materials (see below) are available directly on Moodle or via links provided on Moodle.
Bibliography
The bibliographical references are included in the course outline and form part of the exam material.
Teaching materials
- Course outline
- Guest lectures
- Online resources available by clicking on the link provided in the course material
- Academic papers commented during the lecture
- Oral teaching
- Schematic teaching aids
Faculty or entity
Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)
Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Bachelor in Law French-Dutch (and French-Dutch-English) [trilingual version - only for re-registration]
Bachelor of Laws (French-Dutch-English / Droit-Rechten-Laws)