15 ECTS credits
450 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 6013473ENR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
1st and 2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Alvorens de "Masterproef met inbegrip van de studiestage" te kunnen opnemen, dient de student ingeschreven te zijn op alle opleidingsonderdelen van de Master na Masteropleiding Notariaat.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Law and Criminology
Department
Private Law
Educational team
Promotor . (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
450 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The master thesis including traineeship consists of two parts:

  1. Part 1. Traineeship report – The first part is more a descriptive and also critical component where the student writes on how his traineeship went and highlights his activities and observations of the traineeship. The traineeship report is not a chronological log book, nor a personal diary. It is a critical and contextual analysis of the traineeship and the insights, knowledge and attitudes which were gained. The student demonstrates that he has acquired the competencies and study aims of this course through the traineeship report and its recorded illustrations and concrete examples. With this he clarifies how he has made his traineeship part of his learning process. The size of this part is a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 10 pages A4 page size, font Times New Roman, body text - font size 12 and footnotes - font size 10, single line spacing). The footnotes are inserted at the bottom of the page in accordance with the reference guidelines from the most recent V&A book.
  2. Part 2. Case study – In the second part the student works from one actual case study which presented itself at the traineeship office or from a file which he followed up on during his traineeship. Preferably it is a case which the student has handled himself, but it is not necessary. The traineeship supervisor may also provide the student with an interesting or suitable case or file which is applicable for this part of the master’s thesis. In addition, a list of case studies is made available within the Notarial Law department for students who are unable to find a suitable case study or file in their traineeship. The student builds on the actual information of the case as well as the questions which arise regarding the approach, treatment, supervision, advice and progression of the case. The student analyses the concrete situation thoroughly and in a scientific manner, that is, he will formulate the legal questions which arise and analyse them. To answer these questions he consults the law, the relevant jurisdiction and legal doctrine. The file must also be handled in cross-domain and interdisciplinary manner. The student must show that he is able to think in a creative, flexible, innovative manner and that he is able to arrive at alternative, yet legally conforming solutions which allow for weighing the benefits and drawbacks. He must be able to assess and clarify the consequences of agreements, contracts and deeds. He must subsequently express a critical and reflective approach in carrying out notarial law and notary practice and must indicate acquisition of good insight into the professional ethics in the notarial profession. He demonstrates an ability to test the considered solutions against valid legal norms and deontological ethics. The size of this part is a minimum of 15 pages and a maximum of 20 pages A4 page size, font Times New Roman, body text - font size 12 and footnotes - font size 10, single line spacing). The footnotes are inserted at the bottom of the page in accordance with the reference guidelines from the most recent V&A book.
Additional info
  1. The student is free to choose his own place of traineeship. If the student has difficulty finding a place, he can contact the Notarial law department to obtain a list of potential traineeship places. The traineeship supervisor is an appointed notary (notary public or associate notary public)
  2. By the 15th of October of the current academic year, the signed traineeship agreement must be submitted electronically via email to the secretary of the Faculty of Law and Criminology (faculteit.rechten@vub.ac.be), together with the name, postal address and email address of the traineeship supervisor. The template of the traineeship agreement can be found on the following link: http://www.vub.ac.be/notariaat/stageenmasterproef.htm
  3. The traineeship runs for a period of 40 working days. The traineeship runs over the entire training period of the student. The traineeship period can begin as soon as the student is registered at the Faculty of Law and Criminology (thus before the start of the academic year), and is spread over both semesters, and if required, over 2 years if the student is studying part-time. In the latter case the student must indicate his choice for the master thesis including notarial traineeship only in the academic year in which he will carry out his master thesis. During both semesters there are 3 lesson-free days per week during which the student may fulfil traineeship obligations in agreement with the traineeship supervisor; namely Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
  4. For those already working in a notary public office, his or her work is considered as traineeship. Suffice to say that the student commits and carries out the 40 days traineeship period. Furthermore the employer accepts to take on the responsibility of traineeship supervisor.
  5. By signing the traineeship agreement the student commits to completing the traineeship agreement and concomitant obligations.
  6. The intern commits to keeping a logbook in which daily entries are made reporting which obligations he has completed at the notary public office. The logbook is separate from the traineeship report and may serve to supply information. The logbook must not be added to the master’s thesis, but may be required by the Notarial law department.
  7. By the 15th of November of the current academic year the title of the master thesis (with English translation) must be submitted via the allocated form to the secretary of the Faculty of Law and Criminology (faculteit.rechten@vub.ac.be). By the 1st of December, at the latest, the student will receive an email stating whether the subject has been approved or has been given a request to adapt the choice, as well as the name of the thesis supervisor(s).
  8. The submission date of the master thesis for the first sitting – first exam period (January), at the latest, 15 December, for the first sitting – second exam period (June), at the latest 15 May, and at the latest 16 August for the second sitting. Should the university be closed on these days, the period is extended to the first working day following these dates.
  9. Should the student experience problems with the traineeship, he may contact the Notarial law department who will endeavour to solve these problems to the best of their ability.
  10. Further information regarding the master’s thesis and the manner of submission can be found in the study and examination guidelines with faculty information at the following link https://my.vub.ac.be/RC/reglementen-en-formulieren#reglementen.
Learning Outcomes

General competencies

1) Regarding the traineeship report (part 1):

  • The student formulates his own critical evaluation regarding the workings of the office and notary practice in general, offers suggestions for improvement and poses questions regarding the manner of the preparation and drawing up of deeds; his analysis extends further than a mere description of office functioning.
  • The student demonstrates that he has made the traineeship part of his learning process and that his knowledge of notarial law has strengthened and given him better insight in the interconnectedness of the various facets of notarial law.
  • The student draws links between his academic knowledge and notary practice; he is able to translate actual situations into legal questions.
  • The student has insight into different notary duties, including giving advice, execution of deeds and the control, feasibility, registration and transfer of deeds.
  • The student is aware of the interrelational aspect of his role as notary public in law and is able to, taking deontological ethics into consideration, approach, resolve or avoid conflicts.
  • The student, in general, poses sufficient deontological questions regarding the workings of the office, the supervision of clients and the proposed legal solutions.
  • The student critically analyses his contact with the traineeship supervisor, work colleagues and the clients.

2) Regarding the case (part 2):

  • The student is able to detect and formulate research questions in the case study.
  • The student is able delineate a legal topic and show which rules regarding professional ethics of the notarial profession are applicable to the topic.
  • The student is able to deal with a topic in an analytical, synthetic and problem-solving manner at an academic and interdisciplinary level. He has a general critical-reflective attitude.
  • The student has an extensive, ready and in-depth knowledge and insight into the broad domain of notarial law in all its facets, including its international aspects. For regional matters the student also has, aside from the Flemish norms, knowledge of the Brussels and Walloon norms.
  • The student is able to suggest and work out socially responsible and legally conforming solutions, clarify the advantages and disadvantages and offer alternative possibilities. The student is able to recognise these approaching and potential conflicts, anticipate these, and act in a mediatory and reconciliatory manner.
  • The student is able to draw his own conclusions which reflect sufficient depths, without losing sight of the scope of the master thesis and on the basis of clear analysis and extensive resources research; he does not limit himself to reflecting the opinions of legal doctrine, but contributes his own structure and approach.
  • The student is able to distinguish between academic and common sources and is able to assess the reliability of sources; he manages recent and pertinent sources which he has read and analysed himself.
  • The student is able to follow-up on the rapid developments in notarial law and work with these in a flexible manner.
  • The student is able to write a logically structured text which is clear and concise and which the student may explain verbally if necessary.
  • The student uses language and style correctly and can write a fluent, readable text.
  • The student possesses good research and editorial abilities and is able to deliver a publishable text.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Master Thesis determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Master Thesis category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Masterproef with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The traineeship report is evaluated by at least one reader/juror, where the evaluation of the traineeship supervisor is taken into account. The case study is evaluated by the supervisor and one reader/juror. The evaluation of the traineeship report results in one final mark with the evaluation of the case study for the course subject, ‘Master thesis including notarial traineeship’. For the Master thesis including notarial traineeship there is only one oral defence and this takes place when requested by the student. The student may read the report of the supervisor and readers/jurors for both parts of the Master thesis (traineeship report and case study). Based on this the student may then state he is ready for a public oral defence of his thesis in front of a jury consisting out of a supervisor, the readers/jurors and other colleagues of the Notarial Law department. The student sends this request in writing to the Notarial Law department.

The master thesis is evaluated on a uniform grading sheet. There are separate evaluation forms for the evaluation of the traineeship report and the case study. The grading sheets are distributed to students at the beginning of the first semester via the online study platform Pointcarré and can be consulted via http://www.vub.ac.be/notariaat/stageenmasterproef.htm

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Notarial Law: default (only offered in Dutch)