Presentation Department of Law

The Law Department is an organic unit of the Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, thus intending to contribute to the global mission of this institution, especially from the quality of its training offer determined by the current situation, by the needs of the labour market, as well as by the articulation between teaching and research, always with the concern of proximity between Professor and Student.

The Law Department covers the 1st Cycle, 2nd and 3rd Cycles of Studies, as well as several training courses, allowing for lifelong learning and meeting the specialization and knowledge needs of the candidates.

In the 1st Cycle of Studies, besides the traditional, recognized and charismatic Degree in Law, the Department is also committed to professionalizing training, also offering a Degree in Solicitadoria. Recently, and in a policy of openness to new professional opportunities and areas of knowledge, the Law Department offers a Degree in International Relations, whose curricular programme offers candidates the possibility to take subjects from other areas to complete a specialization in Diplomacy and Area Studies or to obtain a Minor in Law, Management, Economics or Tourism.

In the 2nd cycle of studies the Department of Law has three Master’s degrees in the scientific area of Law. The traditional Master’s in Law with a double specialisation: in Legal-Administrative and Tax Sciences and in Legal-Political Sciences, the Master’s in Forensic Legal Science and the Master’s in European and Comparative Law, plus the Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy, in a logic of continuity and specialisation of the 1st cycle.

In the 3rd study cycle the Department offers the Doctorate in Legal Sciences with two branches of specialisation in Legal-Civil and Legal-Criminal Sciences. The general aim of the cycle of studies is to promote the creation of knowledge in Legal Science, developing human resources capable of designing, executing and coordinating advanced level scientific research projects.

Within the scope of continuous training, the Law Department organises several preparatory and specialised training courses every year. Among the Preparation Courses, the Law Department is recognized for its preparation course for Admission to the Judicial Studies Centre.

The Law Department of the University of Portucalense has been able to gain a prominent place in the universe of legal professions over the years, through its recipients – the students. In the legal profession, in the judiciary, in politics, in registry and notary services, in banking, in legal consultancy and, in general, in all the professions for which it prepares its students, the University of Portucalense is a recognized presence in the city of Porto and in Portugal.

The University Portucalense leaves in each person a legacy that goes beyond the academic aspect, and its students keep with them the conviction of a whole lived, human and academic environment that prepares them for life in its fullness, which transcends the study and complements it. In its excellent facilities, students find spaces and activities that fill them beyond teaching time, creating an environment of study, research and growing interest.

The Law Department is concerned with equipping its students with skills for an increasingly global and competitive world, through the acquisition of professional, social and personal knowledge and skills that enable them to build their learning, entrepreneurial spirit and sense of responsibility autonomously. In this sense, the Department has developed partnerships with several law firms, solicitors, companies, public entities and offers various extra curricular activities, including the possibility of internships that allow contact with the professional environment, see here.

It also has a qualified faculty with PhDs from leading universities. The Law Department has enhanced research, in conjunction with Instituto Jurídico Portucalense, which includes researchers of various nationalities and has been accredited by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Foundation for Science (ESFA), see:www.ijp.upt.pt/.

It is also the Department of Law’s mission to foster relationships with foreign universities, for which reason it has been permanently establishing several partnerships. In the area of mobility programmes, every year the Law Department sends and receives lecturers and students from universities in other countries. See here