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The Diplomstudium (Degree program) in Juristiche or Rechtswissenschaft (Law) are comprised of both formal education and a practical apprenticeship/traineeship program. The law curriculum includes formal education coursework as well as state examinations.
The first major stage of law studies takes place at a university. The educational studies typically last for 4-4.5 years of full-time study. Like pre-Bologna programs, many universities do not issue traditional transcripts for law studies. Studies in law have not been incorporated into the Bologna Process system, though some universities award Bachelor of Law or Master of laws in specific situations detailed below.
Law programs at universities typically consist of three main segments. The first segment comprises 2 years of basic/introductory studies leading to a Zwischenprufung (Intermediate Examination). The intermediate exams consists of written exams in each of the major areas of law.
In addition to the university law studies, students generally must complete a 2-year part-time specialization in foreign language training program during the intermediate examination phase. It is often offered by the foreign language department of the university, but it may be a joint venture between the law and foreign language departments or other institutions.
The goal of this program is to provide intensive training in legal education terminology in German and the chosen foreign language. The foreign law and language program generally represents additional undergraduate study spread out over the two years of the intermediate examination phase.
The intermediate exam level is followed by a year of Schwerpunkt (Specialization) studies. Students choose their own specialization to allow further personalization of their studies. Depending on the institution and time period, specializations may be offered in areas such as economics and business, public law, criminology, tax law, international law, international and comparative law, work and social affairs, European law, and others.
Assessment of the specialization typically culminates in an examination of written examinations and seminars. Upon passing the exams, students will be awarded a Certificate of the Specialization with a final overall exam result, but universities might not issue transcripts showing the individual components.
The final academic phase culminates in 1-1.5 additional years of a Examens-Repetitorium (Exam Preparatory Review) in preparation for the Staatliche Pflichtfachprufung (State Compulsory Subject Examination). At some universities, students can create their own exam review course, and other universities offer a formal course schedule that may be known as Universitares Examensrepetitorium/UniRep.
Universities typically issue partial transcripts of the coursework for the components on the intermediate examination. For the specialization and state compulsory subject exams, the university may issue academic documents with the components, or they may only issue certificates with the overall examination grade for that level. However, some universities do follow a Bologna Process curriculum and awarded ECTS credits.
After completing their review level, students sit for the state examination. Those who pass the examination are awarded the Erste Juristiche Staatsprufung (First State Examination in Law) or Erste Prufung (First Examination) from the Justizprufungsamt (Judicial Examinations Office), not the university. Some universities may also issue a Diplom-Jurist (Law Degree) after completion of the first state examination.
The student's overall grade is comprised primarily from the state examination results and far less on the specialization grade; at some institutions, as high as 70% of their overall grade is based on the state exams.
The state examination is not administered by the university where the student has completed their 4-4.5 years of academic study (two years for the intermediate examination phase, one year for the specialization phase, and at least one year for the compulsory review phase). Instead, the state exam is administered by one of the state examination offices for law studies. The examination consists of written papers and an oral examination. The written papers require an expert opinion on the outcomes of legal cases, while the oral exam includes a discussion.
Passing the first stage, the Erste Staatsprufung, or First State Examination for Law, grants access to post-graduate studies in other fields or doctoral programs in law, but students cannot practice law. In order to practice law, they must register in the Referendariat (Legal Traineeship).
The second major stage of law studies is the apprenticeship stage, and it leads to the second law examination. There are no formal education studies during the second stage, and this stage does not occur at a university. During the 1.5-2 year Referendariat period between passing the first state exam and preparing for the second state exam, students are known as Referendar (Law Clerks). This apprenticeship phase allows the law clerk to work in different legal settings for mandated periods of time under fully fledged lawyers.
Upon completion of the traineeship, students sit for the second stage examination, Assessorexamen, which consists of written and oral examinations based on practical situations and assesses the understanding of the entire legal education program. Successfully passing the second state examination culminates in the award of the Zeugnis der Rechtsrefendar (Certificate of Legal Traineeship) confirming passing of the Zweite Juristische Staatsprufung (Second State Examination in Law).
Some universities issue a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) after passing the specialization level (after completing at least 3 years of full-time study) to enroll in other Master's degree programs. In addition, some German universities also offer 1.5-2-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree programs for foreign Bachelor degree holders who want to pursue education in Law. Neither of these lead to the ability to practice law in Germany, since that requires passing both state examinations.
Resources:
Law (Jurisprudence) Studies. Einstieg. https://www.einstieg.com/studium/detail/rechtswissenschaft-jura.html
Lawyers Training Systems in the EU. European Commission, 2014. https://e-justice.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2014-06/Germany_factsheet_v3_web_EU_en.pdf?id=c5d9bc8b-e31f-442b-87d2-ecdf023e3b4b
Law Studies. Ausbildungs Kompass. https://www.ausbildungskompass.de/rechtswissenschaft-studium
Studying Law in Germany. Higher Education Compass. https://www.hochschulkompass.de/rechtswissenschaften-wirtschaftswissenschaften/rechtswissenschaften.html
Study Program: Law. Berufsberatung. https://www.berufsberatung.ch/dyn/show/29352
Some universities:
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Faculty of Law: https://www.studium.uni-mainz.de/studienwahl/studienangebot/rechtswissenschaft-ste/
University of Heidelberg Faculty of Law: https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/de/studium/alle-studienfaecher/rechtswissenschaftjura
University Trier Faculty of Law: https://www.uni-trier.de/studium/studienangebot/studienfaecher/rechtswissenschaft
University Wien Faculty of Law: https://aufnahmeverfahren.univie.ac.at/rechtswissenschaften
University of Zurich Faculty of Law: https://www.ius.uzh.ch/de.html