German Legal Education Flashcards
starting off in school
at the age of around 19 or 20, germans finish school. graduating with your exams in the abitor. you recieve either a 4.0 being bad or a 1.0 being good. once school has finished you apply to universities. these universities only look at your score in your school exams and do not require you to write a personal statement.
what universities are about
all universities are state run by the government, they recieve funding from the government also. universities get to choose their own research. universities however do not get to choose the mandatory subjects called pflichacher for the pupils in law school as the state chooses these. however, universities can now choose their own elective subjects called valfach for students to choose. universities usually have many students. for example an average class yould have 4000 students to around 37 lecturers. students still have face to face time through tutorials with their lecturers.
law school
over the 4 or 5 years at university, you will be required to sit around 12 exams with 6 report papers. students are required to think like a judge and have more of an impartial opinion. during the first year of university, students must sit 3 exam papers and 1 oral exam. the 3 exam papers are tested on three manditory subjects of criminal law, private law and public law. if these exams are not passed then they can no longer continue with their degree. for passing each exam, you receive a certificate called a schein allowing you to sit the final exam.
first examination
the first examination requires you to sit between 7 and 11 exams with 1 oral examination which lasts between 4-6 hours. covers everything taught in the 4 years of university. the main subjects of criminal, public and civil law are tested and legal oppinions must be given to exam questions. if this examination is failed, then students may have one more chance to pass the exam, however if failed again then the student will be kicked off the course. usually students believe that university has not prepaired them well enough to sit the first examination and so they look for a personal tutor to help better themselves at the law. this is where practice questions are looked over and it is more of an interactive environment where students can ask questions unlike the lecture theatres.
practical training
once the first exam is passed, all students are now called referendare and are now civil servants who earn around 800 euros per month. they now spend 2 years in different offices concerning the law such as an advocates office where they spend 9 months, this is because the majority of the students (90%) will go on to become lawyers and not judges and so most time is spent in a lawyers office. the rest of the time is spent in court representing clients for firms, the public prosecutors office and the administration office. during this time they participate in special study groups where they are evaluated, however, they are not tested and this does not count towards the second examination.
final examination
the second exam marks the end of legal education. by this time they have spent around 6-9 years of studying the law. they take between 8 and 12 examinations with 1 oral examination, this mainly focuses on practical skills obtained. once passed, the referendare become the assesor. only around 15% then become judges.
what are the compulsoy and non compulsory subjects called in germany?
also, what are the students called when they pass the first exam and then what are they called when they pass the second exam?
what are the compulsory tests called?
compulsory subjects are called pflichtfacher
non compulsory subjects are called valfuch
once students pass the first exam, they are called referandare
once they pass the second exam they are called the assessor.
compulsory exercises are called ubungen
