Why do we have fundamental rights? How exactly do the bodies of the German state work? And are court decisions mutually recognized in the EU? If you are interested in these questions, this is the programme for you!
Smartphone display shows an excerpt of the Civil Code
Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)
If you had to sum up Public Law in one word, you could say… ‘variety’! The focus is on the relationships between the state (at federal, state and local level) and its citizens – but also on the relationships between individual institutions of government. You will also gain an insight into international law, constitutional law, administrative law and European Union law. Hmmm… and what does that mean exactly? Here are two everyday examples to illustrate: planning permission can only be granted by a planning authority, and cars parked incorrectly in public places can only be towed away by authority of the police in its role as the law enforcement agency empowered by the state to maintain public order. As a rule, this cannot be done by individual citizens.
In studying law at the University, you will learn how the German legal system and its laws work. If you specialize in Public Law, you will acquire basic knowledge and learn to solve simple legal cases on your own. Tackling legal issues is a brilliant way to sharpen your analytical thinking skills. By practising this way of thinking, you will be well prepared for the world of work and able to follow a broader range of career paths.
Multi-subject bachelor’s programme
Picture: Sophie BartholomeA bachelor’s degree is the first professional qualification that can be obtained at a university. The standard length of the programme is six semesters, and different types of courses are offered for each module (e.g. seminars, lectures or practical classes).
A multi-subject bachelor’s programme consists of a major subject worth 120 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit = 30 hours for attendance, preparation and follow-up work, private study, assessed coursework and examinations) and a minor subject worth 60 ECTS credits.
This degree programme focuses on just one area of law, but it does include some modules from other areas of law to broaden your basic legal knowledge. You can choose one of three areas of law as your focus: in addition to Public Law, we offer Civil Law and Criminal Law as minor subjects.
The following table shows the possible structure of your degree programme with ‘Public Law’ as your minor subject:
| 1st semester | 2nd semester | 3rd semester | 4th semester | 5th semester | 6th semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic modules | Introduction to Legal Studies (3 ECTS) | Basic Course in Public Law II (9 ECTS) | ||||
| Basic Course in Public Law I (3 ECTS) | ||||||
| Advanced modules1 | European Law (3 ECTS) | General Administrative Law (9 ECTS) | Practical Exercises in Public Law for Advanced Students (up to 15 ECTS) | Fundamentals of International Law (3 ECTS) | ||
| Supplementary modules2 | Supplementary module I – Fundamentals (3 ECTS) | Supplementary module II – Fundamentals (3 ECTS) | Supplementary module III – Fundamentals (3 ECTS) | |||
| Specialization modules | Seminar3 (9 ECTS) |
Abbreviations: ECTS = European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (credit points)
1 The advanced modules (15 ECTS credits in total) include Fundamentals of European Union Law, Fundamentals of International Law, General Administrative Law, and Practical Exercises in Public Law for Advanced Students.
2 This includes the following courses: Fundamentals of Medieval and Early Modern Legal History, Fundamentals of Roman Legal History and the History of European Private Law, Fundamentals of Modern Legal and Constitutional History, Fundamentals of Legal Philosophy and Argumentation Theory, and Fundamentals of Legal Theory, Legal Methodology, and Sociology of Law.
3 You can choose one of the following seminars (9 ECTS credits in total): German and European Public Law, International Law, or Fundamentals of Law and Legal Studies.
You can find more detailed information in the module catalogue for the degree programmeExternal link.
The Faculty of Law is based at Ernst-Abbe-Platz – in the heart of the city. A modern building complex houses the administration team and the various professorial chairs and institutes. Most of the lecture theatres and seminar rooms used by the Faculty of Law are also located here.
Career opportunities:
Graduates in conversation
Image: Designed by gpointstudio / freepik.comBy practising legal modes of thinking, familiarizing yourself with the concepts and content of the discipline of law, and learning how to solve legal cases by applying law to problem scenarios, you will broaden your range of career paths. However, graduating in the minor subject will not qualify you to work in purely legal fields. Your career opportunities will depend on your major subject.
A university entrance qualification, such as a general secondary school leaving certificate, is required for admission onto the study programme.
More information on university entrance qualifications can be found here.
Admission and language requirements for applicants of foreign nationality and without German Abitur: www.uni-jena.de/en/study-orientation-international
Please submit an up-to-date and complete CV in tabular form. Please provide full details regarding your schooling and academic education to date. You can find more information hereExternal link.
Please upload the school certificate confirming your university entrance qualification to our application portal. You can find more information hereExternal link.
Please upload transcripts of records for all previous periods of study and degrees, as well as, if applicable, your degree certificate, to the portal.
Proof of sufficient German proficiency must be provided for all German-language degree programmes. The following certificates are recognized as proof of proficiency by Friedrich Schiller University Jena:
Please note: We strongly recommend that you submit the required proof of German proficiency at the time of your application.
If you do not yet have the required language certificate, you may apply for our DSH course starting from German level B1. This course ensures optimal language preparation and also gives you the opportunity to get to know Jena while benefiting from student status.
A translation into German or English must be submitted for every application document that was not originally issued in German or English. These translations must be prepared by an authorized translation office.
Applicants with university degrees from India, Vietnam, or the People’s Republic of China must submit an APS certificate.
Applicants from the following countries must provide proof of their university entrance examination:
Room 2.50
Carl-Zeiß-Str. 3
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link
Room 2.41
Carl-Zeiß-Str. 3
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link
Carl-Zeiß-Str. 3
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link
University Main Building / SSZ
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link
Office hours:
We offer consultations in person, by telephone, and via Zoom. You can make an appointment by calling us on +49 3641 9-411111 (Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 to 11:00) or outside these office hours on +49 3641 9-411200. You can also use our remote help desk.
Consultation hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (9:00 to 12:20), Tuesdays (14:00 to 18:00), and Wednesdays and Thursdays (14:00 to 16:00).
Video chat: To the video chat – Zoom Videochat ZeitenMondays to Fridays (12:30 to 13:00) Password ZSB2020 Data protection informationpdf, 101 kb
University Main Building, Room E065
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link
Opening hours:
Information Desk (UHG; Room E0.65)
Mondays (10:00 – 12:00)
Tuesdays (13:00 – 15:00)
Wednesdays (10:00 – 12:00)
Thursdays (13:00 – 15:00)
Fridays (10:00 – 12:00)
You can also use our remote help desk at
www.uni-jena.de/service-ssz
or send us your enquiries by post.
Telephone hours:
Mondays to Fridays
(9:00 – 11:00)
Postal address:
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Studierenden-Service-Zentrum
07737 Jena
University Main Building
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena
Google Maps site planExternal link