Education system
In order to know if our programmes fit in with your desires and personal situation, it is important to know more about our specific way of working. You will better understand the organization of teaching at our faculty and learn more about the attendance which is compulsory for the lessons.
The educational system
At the faculty of Canon Law, courses are organized in two different ways. There are several reasons for this.
In our programmes courses are organised in two different ways:
1) Firstly, there are courses for which lessons are scheduled on a fixed day and time every week or on a regular base. The exam at the end of the semester covers the contents of the course book and the lessons. This is the way it works at most places.
2) Secondly, there are courses for which all the lessons are given in a period of almost one week each semester. We call it a ‘concentrated lesson week’. Prior to these lesson, you have to fulfill an assignment. The exam consists either of a paper assignment or of an exam same as under 1) with even more emphasis on self-activation.
In this manner, the concept of 'Guided Indepent Learning' is implemented in a special way: this system enables students to attend lessons for all courses while our programmes are open for international or working students. Interaction in education is concentrated upon the first stage of our programmes while indepedent learning gradually develops. Study is always stimulated in a varying context.
Contents of our programmes
Check here the contents of our programme:
Students can only enrol in the programme of 'Master of Canon Law' if they have successfuly passed the programme of 'Master of Society, Law and Religion'. Students who already studied canon law can request an exemption.
Organisation of courses
Weekly courses
Following courses are taught every week.
| First semester 2011 | Second semester 2012 |
|---|---|
| B0B00A - Basic Concepts of Canon Law | B0B06A - General Norms of Canon Law |
| B0B01B - Marriage Law of the Church | B0C02B - Algemene Normen vh Kerkelijk Recht (Ned) |
| B0B07A - Law and Religion | B0B20B - Parish Law |
| B0C10A - Recht en religie | B0B11A - Process Law of the Church |
| B0B38A - Temporal Goods (6 sessions in 1st sem) | B0B31A - Process Law of the Church: Special Procedures |
| C00J5A - Human Rights | |
| B0B21A - Law of Religious Communities (6 sessions in 1st sem) | |
| B0C00A - Grondbegrippen van het kerkelijk recht (Ned) | |
| B0C20A - Rechten en plichten van christengelovigen |
A draft schedule for theses courses can be found by clicking here. The final schedul will be communicated on the platform Toledo to all students enrolled into the program.
Courses during 'concentrated lesson weeks' (compulsory attendance)
Following courses are during a concentrated lesson week.
| 24th October - 6th November 2011 | 25th February - 10th March 2012 |
|---|---|
| B0B12B - Sanctifying Office of the Church | B0B32A - Organization of the Universal Church |
| B0B30A - Teaching Office of the Church | B0B19A - Organization of the Particular Church |
| B0B33A - Seminar Process Law (part 1) | B0C13A - Comparative Canon Law |
| Capita Selecta: Current Issues of Rel and Soc (part 1) | B0B33A - Seminar Process Law (part 2) |
| Capita Selecta: Current Issues of Rel and Soc (part 2) |
The concrete schedule of these lesson weeks will be communicated by e-mail to all students enrolled in the programme.
Distance learning and compulsory attendance
Although it is strongly recommended to attend all lessons, it is possible for students to study at distance for the first type of courses. From this year on, weekly courses are recorded on video. Distance learning students can watch them from their place. All notes are available on Toledo and can be downloaded.
Concerning the second type of courses, attendance is compulsory during the ‘concentrated lesson weeks’. These weeks are held once or twice each semester.
For the academic year 2011-12 the concentrated lesson weeks are scheduled:
- first semester: from 24th October to 6th (or 8th) November 2011
- second semester: from 25th February to 4th (or 6th) March 2012
Attendance is compulsory during the exam periods. These are scheduled as follows:
- first exam period: from 16th January till 4th February 2012;
- second exam period: from 11th till 30th June 2012;
- third exam period (retake of all exams possible): from 20th August till 8th September 2012.
The concrete schedule of exams will be communicated by the platform Toledo. Mostly, exams last one week and a half. However, employed students or students with a medical condition nevertheless can apply to spread their exams (art 122 Exam Regulations 2010-11). At this webpage, you can find all information.
Attendance during a programme of three years
Two types of courses are spread in a disproportional way between the first year (Master in Society, Law and Religion), the second and third year (Master in Canon Law) of our programmes. In the first year, there are as many courses of type one as of type two. In the second year, there are more courses of ype two than of type one whereas in the third year there are only courses of type two.
Although it is not obligatory to live in Leuven during the first year (Master in Society, Law and Religion), it is still strongly recommended. Respecting the Leuven tradition, much attention is paid to the interaction in education. As there are many courses scheduled in the first year for which lessons are scheduled on a regular base, permanent attendance in Leuven is strongly recommended. Nevertheless it is possible to study at distance from the first year.
From the second year onwards (first year Master in Canon Law) there are less courses of type one. At this point, attendance in Leuven is still recommended but less important than in the first year. The last year consists of a practical in a diocesan context and a practical at the ecclesiastical court, as well as a thesis and lessons in the concentrated lesson weeks. The final year can be perfectly completed without staying nearby the university.
