The Master's Degree lasts one academic year (60 ECTS credits):

• 42 credits correspond to mandatory courses.

• 10 credits correspond to elective subjects that students can select from 22 seminars which are offered throughout the course.

• 1 credit for participating in a seminar, with the option to choose between two, about introduction techniques for research.

• 1 credit for attending and participating in the conferences and institutional visits program relevant to politics and the Constitution.

• 6 credits correspond to completing the End of Master's Project (TFM).

The course is divided into seven thematic units (Please see Syllabus):

Modules I to III Allow students to take a closer look at the historical and theoretical constraints on constitutional democracy; civic participation in the forming of political commitment; articulating representation and the form of government; its reflection in a system of sources derived from the Constitution established as a standard and which has opening clauses; as well as different models which assure fixing state powers to basic standards.

Modules IV and V allow students to understand the objective and subjective dimensions of fundamental rights and their mechanisms of national and supranational tutelage and, additionally, the horizontal division of power unique to composed and federal states, regulatory complexity from which they derive and the legal and political institutional guarantees to protect autonomy.

Module VI looks at European integration from the constitutional dimension and allows students to understand the theoretical models which explain the integration process; the structural and substantive dimensions of the Union Constitution; and the capital role the court of law plays as an engine for integration through law.

Module VII allows students to acquire the basic skills for introduction to research activity through seminars on research techniques in legal and social sciences, a program of master classes as well as through completing a supervised End of Master's Project.

AF1.- Master classes

AF2.- Preparing materials (articles, book chapters, bibliographical references, rulings, etc.)

AF3.- Study of the theoretical content of the subjects

AF4.- Master conferences

AF5.- Tutorials in research projects

AF6.- Completing the End of Master's Project

MD1.- Introduction to the object of study, current state and doctrine debate principles

MD2.- Analysis of theoretical and methodological references

MD3.- Commentary on reading/material provided by professors

MD4.- Group discussion

SE1.- Presentation of brief essays on proposed topics.

SE2.- Exams. This consists of a theoretical and practical component (commentary on text or ruling).

SE3.- Public defense of the conclusions from the End of Master's Project in front of the evaluation committee.

SE4.- In-class participation (importance and quality of contributions, critical attitude and ability to relate topics will be evaluated).

The Master's Degree in Constitutional Law (MDC) is an advanced and specialized program which offers a response to the current evident societal demand. The academic interest stems from combining disciplines which today are linked to knowledge belonging to Public Law, with some complementary content unique to Political Science and which allows students to appropriately make connections when examining problems referring to theory and practice in democratic societies from different methodological perspectives.

This specific character means students need to be able to interpret a specific constitutional standard, disposition or a treaty or constitutional court ruling from its historical and political constraints and likewise place it in an open context of other regulations and political systems in the regional or global context. Deepening acquired knowledge in university studies allows students to reach a new point of view from examining political regimes and their interaction on the global and regional scale.

Additionally, how are classical components of constitutionalism -separation of powers, guarantee of fundamental rights- interpreted in an integration context like that of the European Union? What effects does appropriate evaluation of public politics have on the assigning of responsibilities in a multi-level government? How are political representation mechanisms articulated which solve the paradox in the definition of societies accepting immigrants? Is there dialogue between constitutional courts in the European Union? And between these and the Court of Law and the Court of Strasbourg? Can we talk about a European integration model, whether it is based on neo-functionalism or not, which can be exported to Latin America and other regions in the world? How can we successfully articulate the processes of transition to democracy?

Likewise, the contents in the lessons of the MDC syllabus have been designed taking into account the training demands necessary to prepare graduates for upper levels of Spanish, European and international public administrations. The teaching methods facilitate acquiring the professional skills needed to navigate the changing environment of administrative organizations and to meet the challenges unique to public action. This allows us to incorporate the Master's in a professional career design in the public sector, as an initial phase in preparing for entrance exams, to enrich training and professional skills in public administration and the consulting sectors it is related to.

Specifically, entrance exams designed to evaluate candidates' maturity usually consist of completing an essay or commenting on a current social, political or legal topic proposed by the panel, as well as an oral presentation of program contents. These tests are similar to the commentary on texts which is proposed as an evaluation method above. At the same time, the topics which make up admission programs for these higher public bodies are not selected based on specific areas of knowledge that make up university studies, but rather attention to subjects for which free management is deemed necessary for those who want to participate in public functions unique to democratic societies. This is the focus found in the teaching plan and the training activity for the Master's.

Together with these objectives, the Master's also strives to be a starting point for basic research. In the initial phase of research training it is essential for future doctoral candidates to acquire consciousness of the study of relations between power and citizens which can appear in multiple and varied topics and methodological perspectives. Only then can we propose and address research topics relevant to advancing the state of knowledge of political systems.

With regard to this objective, the syllabus for the Master’s is aimed at acquiring these skills and the necessary training to begin an academic career linked to the disciplines of public law or the study of political systems. Thus, along with lessons focused on substantive content in the disciplines, and which are taught in order to provide a critical approach to the phenomena studied, the teaching program has been introduced which is specifically designated to prepare students to successfully complete a research project (Introduction to Research Methodology) and provide them with analysis tools necessary for research of political problems, government systems in the national and international context and legal articulation.

The process of writing the Research Report - End of Master's Project allows students to face different phases of research: reflection about a problem to be solved, the planning of the research question(s) and familiarization with the most important written works in this regard; compiling empirical material and processing the information; the selection of research method to use to take on the research question; the design of the project structure; and finally, reaching conclusions which include the main research findings.

G1.- Apply acquired knowledge and ability to problem solve in new or unfamiliar environments within wider or multidisciplinary contexts related to the study of political regimes.

G2.- Integrate knowledge and face the complexity of forming judgments from limited or incomplete information which includes reflections on social or ethical responsibility tied to applying legal knowledge.

G3.- Integrate structural principles of the democratic system in order to participate in the construction of a more egalitarian society which defends fundamental rights.

G4.- Communicate conclusions and arguments which may or may not support specialized publics in a clear and unambiguous way.

G5.- Adequately create written compositions or motivated arguments, write projects or scientific articles or form a reasonable hypothesis with certain originality.

G6.- Learn to work in a team and assume the role of leadership in collective projects.

G7.- Learn to design, plan and organize their own work, fostering initiative and entrepreneurial spirit.

CT1 - Meeting, critical analysis and presentation of information; ability to search, filter and synthesize information; oral communication skills; ability to read primary and secondary sources and summarize or transcribe and classify the information appropriately; ability to write and present academic essays and professional reports; oral expression skills in English in the academic environment.

CT2 - Introduction to research; theoretical provisions to define the research topics relevant to the development of knowledge and scientific debate; ability to form research questions; familiarization with the most relevant literature, compiling and analyzing empirical material; creating a hypothesis; validating/developing argument; presenting conclusions.

CT3 - Ability to integrate and work in multidisciplinary teams; work in multidisciplinary and international teams; recognition of diversity and multiculturalism; ability to solve problems and adopt creative and innovative decisions in new environments.

CE1.- Be familiar with the main theoretical debates and the historical evolution of constitutionalism.

CE2.- Apply the comparative analysis method to institutional design in political regimes.

CE3.- Be familiar with the main traits of the representative government's historical evolution, its legal-constitutional materialization and current debates about it crisis.

CE4.- Demonstrate the ability to extract consequences from rational-legislation conception of the Constitution about the system of sources and constitutional control.

CE5.- Contextualize the current Spanish model of constitutional control based on features that liken and distinguish it from other constitutional control systems.

CE6.- Know how to identify elements which distinguish constitutional interpretation from ordinary legal interpretation in constitutional court rulings.

CE7.- Understand, synthetically present antecedents and critically evaluate constitutional court rulings and supranational integration systems related to the application of fundamental rights and distribution of jurisdiction.

CE8.- Relate different legal regulations of a constitutional nature based on regulatory principles and extract the consequences derived from this interaction.

CE9.- Understand the underlying dynamics of different federalizing and regional integration processes.

CE10.- Know the functioning of different political and legal guarantee systems in preserving autonomy of state and infrastate entities.

CE11.- Demonstrate the ability to present, orally or in writing, a theoretical question of relative complexity with a convincing argument regarding the different subjects in the area of political and constitutional studies.

CE12.- Ability to form research questions in the area of political and constitutional studies; familiarization with the most relevant literature; compiling and analyzing empirical material; creating a hypothesis; validating/developing argument and presenting conclusions.

The Master's Degree in Constitutional Law is specifically aimed towards graduates of Law and Political Science as well as Social Sciences, Sociology, Administration, International Relations, History and Information Sciences.

The Master's is directed towards university graduates who want to begin an academic career connected to the disciplines of Public Law or the study of political systems, as well as those who wish to go on to pursue professional activity in the public sector.

In the latter case, the training itinerary for the Master's can be seen as an initial preparation phase for admission tests for higher public activities as well as postgraduate training aimed at enriching knowledge and skills for professionals in public administration and the consulting sectors related to it.

Access with an official university degree from Spain or the European Higher Education Area (EHEA): Admission to the Master's Degree in Constitutional Law requires an official university degree from Spain or another higher education institution belonging to another Member State of the EHEA which grants access to study a Master's Degree in the country of origin.

Access with a university degree from outside the EHEA: Students with degrees from education systems outside the EHEA can be accepted without requiring official recognition of their degrees by accrediting that the level of studies is the equivalent to that of official university degrees in Spain and that the degree allows access to postgraduate studies in the country of origin. Access for these students depends on a favorable decision from the Rector. The decision by the Rector will never imply official recognition of the degree the student possesses nor its recognition for purposes other than to study the Master's Degree.

Applications for admission must be sent via the web site "Online Pre-Registration" which can be accessed on the UIMP website at http://www.uimp.es/preins/index.php. When pre-registration is made, the required documentation must be attached in PDF format, although the documents do not need to be authenticated at the time of pre-registration. However, they should be certified because it will be essential to formalize registration, if admitted.

Students currently enrolled in the last year of their university degree who are due to present and defend their End of Degree Project can pre-register. In this case, admission will depend on obtaining the degree corresponding to the June opportunity.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Photocopy of ID document (in the case of Spanish students) or NIE or passport (in the case of foreign students).

2. Photocopy of degree which grants access to the Master's Degree.

3. Personal academic transcript.

4. ID-size photo, in JPG format, identifying the file with the student's surname(s) and name, without spaces.

5. Curriculum vitae (maximum of 4 pages), in PDF format, which allows evaluating other merits in the applicant's profile.

6. Two cover letters. The letters must be directed to the coordinator of the Master's and must indicate the applicant's email and phone number.

7. Text (maximum of 1000 words), in PDF format, explaining the reason why the applicant wants to complete the Master's, their professional objectives and how they expect the program to meet these objectives.

Students with a non-homologated degree or one which is in the process of homologation must additionally provide:

1. Certification from the university where studies were completed which states that the degree grants access to postgraduate studies in the country where it was issued.

2. Personal academic transcript which states the official length of the program in academic years, the curriculum followed, the subjects studied, grades received and the course load for each of them.

IMPORTANT: The academic documents of foreign degrees are to be presented translated into Spanish, where necessary; all those corresponding to countries not belonging to the EHEA are to be certified (on the UIMP website, general information on these requirements can be found).

The required documentation in original format should ONLY be submitted to the Student Administration Office (Secretaría de Estudiantes - C/ Isaac Peral 23. 28040 Madrid - Spain) in the event that the application has been passed by the Academic Committee for the Master's.

Special educational needs

Universal accessibility will be guaranteed and the necessary resources and support will be monitored for those students with disabilities in order to assure the correct completion of the Master's. We ask that these students indicate their specific needs when enrolling.

In this link you can consult the UIMP Protocol for the attention of students with specific educational needs.

The following will be considered in the admission process:

1. Degree granting access. The Master's Degree in Constitutional Law will give preference to degrees in Law and Political Science as well as Social Sciences, Sociology, Administration, International Relations, History and Information Sciences.

2. Academic transcript. The average grade on the academic transcript will be taken into account.

3. Reasons for choosing the Master's. The suitability of the Master's Degree in Constitutional Law for the development of the professional or research career of the candidate will be evaluated.

4. Evaluations expressed about the candidate in the cover letters. Those qualities which make optimum learning possible will be taken into account.

5. English skills. It is recommended to have a good knowledge of this language which allows successfully following the content of seminars which are given in English. To demonstrate knowledge of the language, students must show proof of a B2 level from the European Common Framework of Reference for Languages.

6. In addition, the following criteria will also be taken into account: Research experience - Professional experience - Publications - Academic stays abroad and knowledge of other foreign languages ​​- Research grants or or scholarships.

Acceptance of candidates will be done by the Academic Committee for the Master's once the pre-registration period is complete. Said committee will hold a personal interview, via videoconference or any other means the CEPC deems acceptable, on a date and at a time that is previously given to preselected students. The interview will be held in Spanish.

The Academic Committee will publish a list of accepted students each academic course on the UIMP web site.

The administration for the Master's Degree in Constitutional Law will organize an initial welcoming meeting for students during which they will be informed of programs, academic calendars, evaluation means, tutorial systems and available resources (library, documentation center, rooms, ICT, publications).

Once a month a student monitoring meeting will be held with the Academic Secretary for the Master's to deal with issues related to the completion of academic activity.

For personalized academic guidance, the administration for the Master's will assign a personal tutor for each enrolled student, proposed by the tutor coordinator for the program.

The personal tutor will be responsible for guiding the student in selecting elective subjects, lines of research, training strategies and anything the student brings up related to their postgraduate training.

The tutor will also be responsible for guiding the student in the organization of their personal work regarding the postgraduate studies, indicating the use of tools that are required for each of the modules and the course that must be passed.

Master's Director

María Yolanda Gómez Sánchez, Chair of Constitutional Law, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia. Director of the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies (CEPC)

Academic Coordinator

Julia Ortega Bernardo, Professor of Administrative Law, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Subdirector of the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies (CEPC)

Academic Secretary

Pablo Saez Herrera, Head of the Department of Studies and Research at the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies (CEPC)

Contact email: master@cepc.es

The faculty for the Master's consists of professors from universities, academic institutions, research centers and Spanish and foreign public institutions. Research projects are directed and supervised by the team of professors-tutors from the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies.

Coordinating professors for modules

Module I - Juan Luis de Diego Arias, Professor of Constitutional Law, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Module II - David Sarias Rodríguez, Professor of Political Science, Universidad San Pablo CEU

Module III - José María Coello de Portugal Martínez del Peral, Professor of Constitutional Law, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Module IV - Fernando Reviriego Picón, Professor of Constitutional Law, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Module V - Esther González Fernández, Professor of Constitutional Law, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Module VI - Luis Ignacio Gordillo Pérez, Professor of Constitutional Law, Universidad de Deusto

Module VII - Julia Ortega Bernardo, Professor of Administrative Law, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid