15 ECTS credits
450 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 6013474EER 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
- Possible
- 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’s thesis without internship consists of three parts:
- Part 1. Notary case file – In the first part the student researches a complete notary case file given to him by the Notarial Law department. This will determine if the student is able to translate an actual situation in notary practice into legal questions and if he is able to approach this case in an interdisciplinary and contextual manner. The case forms the basis for the approach, handling, supervision, advice and turnout of the case file. The student analyses the file thoroughly and in a scientific manner, that is, he formulates and analyses the legal questions which arise from this case. In answering these questions he consults the law, relevant jurisdiction and legal doctrine. Furthermore the file must be handled in a cross-domaon or interdisciplinary manner. The student draws up an agreement in the file, in accordance with the given assignment, where he demonstrates that he is able to think in a creative, flexible and innovative manner and that he can come up with alternative, yet legally conforming solutions which weigh benefits and drawbacks. He demonstrates a critical and reflective attitude and shows acquisition of good insight in the professional ethics of the notarial profession. Finally, where necessary, he will draw up an agreement or deed which clearly and completely records the agreements between the parties, and which anticipates the consequences and clarifies these. He also demonstrates that the given questions and considered solutions can be tested against the prevailing 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.
- Part 2. Critical note – In the second part the student annotates a judgment, given to him by the Notarial Law department, in which a notarial law problem is presented. The analysis of the legal ruling will demonstrate the student’s ability in detecting and handling the sources of notarial law. He demonstrates that he is able to approach the given jurisdiction in a contextual, critical and reflective manner. In other words this part corresponds with what is called a ‘critical note’ in law and found under a published judgment. 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.
- Part 3. Legal contribution – In the third part the student analyses, in a scientific and cross-domain comparative manner, an independently chosen notarial law topic. A list from the Notarial Law department is also made available via the online study platform Pointcarré. The student analyses the concrete subject thoroughly and critically, in other words, he analyses and formulates the legal question(s) which arise from this topic. In answering these questions he consults the law, relevant jurisdiction and legal doctrine and gives actual state of affairs and states its position. In other words, this part corresponds with what is called a ‘legal contribution’ in law. The size of this part is a minimum of 20 pages and a maximum of 25 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.
It is essential that the three parts of the master thesis are situated in different domains of notarial law.
- Additional info
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).
The submission date of the master thesis is 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
Further information regarding the master thesis and the manner of submission can be found in the education and examination guidelines with faculty information at the following link https://my.vub.ac.be/RC/reglementen-en-formulieren#reglementen.
- Learning Outcomes
-
General competencies
- The student is able to detect and formulate research questions in the notarial case file, the legal judgment and the legal contributions.
- 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 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’s 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 notary 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 master thesis is evaluated based on a grading sheet before the oral defence. The grading sheet is distributed to students at the beginning of the first semester via the online study platform, Canvas and can be consulted via the following link: http://www.vub.ac.be/notariaat/stageenmasterproef.htm.
The student has to obtain at least 10/20 on his master thesis to complete the education programme, regardless of the marks he obtained on other exams.
- 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)