Double degrees, joint masters, english-friendly programs

Subsequent to an agreement between the Department of Law of the University of Pavia and the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales) of the University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, effective with the 2011-2012 academic year, students may simultaneously qualify for degrees in both institutions.

Participation in the joint program is open to UNIPV students who have completed the first semester of the third year of the Master in Law and passed the examinations in courses that the Department designates as fundamental for admission to the University of Belgrano four-year Bachelor’s program in Law (qualification as abogado).

UNIPV students will then attend the second semester of the third year and the fourth year of University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires four-year Bachelor’s program, completing all the relevant academic obligations and exams, which will also be assessed for purposes of assigning the Italian Master’s degree in Law.

After completing their studies, the qualifying students will obtain the joint title of Master of Law in Italy and Abogado in Argentina.

The joint program is limited to a maximum of five students per institution per academic year. Students from both institutions pay university fees and contributions in their country of origin, and are simultaneously enrolled in the program of the host country.

Qualification for the joint degree requires attendance and successful completion of all relevant courses, examinations and academic obligations, completed over a minimum period of three semesters abroad, as well as submission of the Master’s thesis or Trabajo Final de Carrera in the language of the student’s home university, accompanied by a summary in the language of the other country. The requirement of the minimum of three semesters of study abroad is strictly enforced.

Students in the joint program may apply for support from a limited fund for special scholarships.

Italian citizens obtaining a degree in Abogacía, with residence of at least two years in Argentina, may immediately practice their profession in the country. Argentine citizens who obtain the UNIPV Master's Degree in Law may practice the profession in any European Union nation following completion of the relevant national examination.

During the study planning period of their first year, students intending to apply for the joint program must request a modification of the regular plan, using a specific form obtained from Milena Negri milena.negri@unipv.it.

Concerning the “two-semester” subjects (Commercial Law, Administrative Law, Criminal Procedure), the Faculty Council has established the following:

• For the first part of these courses, students will be informed of dates for optional colloquium interviews; the student may choose to either take the colloquium and the final oral examination for the second part or sit for one single examination before the relevant examination board for the second part.
• For students who opt for the colloquium interview, the final grade will be the average of that from the colloquium and the final examination.
• If a student fails the optional colloquium interview, they may not sit for the single final exam in the same 15-day examination period.
• The colloquium interview and final examination shall deal exclusively with the material of the respective courses.

Candidates for the joint degree will take a first module of the course in International Law in Italy, and a second in Argentina. While no credits will be awarded upon completion of the first module, they will be awarded when the second module is completed for the whole discipline. The student’s grade is calculated at the close of the second module, on the student’s return to Italy, as the average of the mark for the first part and the mark obtained in Argentina.

The final grades and the recognition of credits in the Civil Procedural Law and Criminal Law will be determined after the successful completion of the Argentine exams in Civil Procedural Law and Penal Law “parte especial” (Derecho procesal civil II and Derecho penal parte especial).

Students whose program will include the Argentine subjects Contracts I, Contracts II, Property rights, Civil and commercial obligations II (Contratos I, Contratos II, Derechos reales, Obligaciones civil y comercial II), must include these when compiling their joint-degree study plan, designated as: Civil liability law (6 CFU), Labour contract law (6 CFU), Banking law (6 CFU), Industrial law (6 CFU).

• Social-professional work (400 hours): consists of student work experience planned and agreed with the Argentine coordinator, not recognised for Italian educational credit but essential for Argentine qualification as Abogado.
• Academic obligations (45 credits): consist of participation in training seminars scheduled over the course of the year, compulsory for Argentine qualification but not recognised for Italian educational credit.

Candidates for the joint degree will take the Spanish Language A course taught as part of the Bachelor of Philosophy program in the UNIPV Department of Humanities, by Professor Garcia Y de La Cruz Felisa.

The four courses of the student’s third semester at the University of Belgrano will included two chosen by the student from the available options (Materias optativas).

Concerning the award of the 30 CFUs for the master’s thesis, the student should refer to what has already been described for the main UNIPV Master’s program in Law.