Faculty of Law
The first indications of legal science studies and law studies in Banja Luka date back to 1960, when the Faculty of Law Department at the University of Sarajevo was opened, while the Faculty of Law Department at the University of Sarajevo with its seat in Banja Luka was established in autumn 1973. It was a response to the growing economic needs and needs of the social community for highly skilled staff in the field of law. Namely, they contributed significantly to the accelerated progress of this region, which included 25 municipalities at the time. In view of the fact that the number of law students was increasing every year and with the consent of the then Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Municipal Assembly of Banja Luka passed the Decision on Establishment of the Faculty of Law as an independent organisation of joint operation in the field of science and higher education on 6 February 1975. In the first decade of its establishment, an average of 350 students enrolled in the first year of study each year. Staff educated at this Faculty are employed and are getting employed in the judiciary, managerial bodies, professions of advocate and notary, businesses, non-governmental sector, media, political organisations, international organisations and bodies, scientific, educational and cultural institutions etc.
The Faculty of Law did not stop teaching during the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which lasted from 1992 to 1995, albeit in extremely difficult conditions of information and science isolation, inability to travel and lack of funds for some basic needs. After the war, special attention was paid to the revival of scientific and publishing activities, as evidenced by the large number of publications and the participation of the staff of this faculty at conferences and meetings outside Banja Luka and the Republic of Srpska. Following the amendments to the Law on Universities and the passing of the Law on Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, the principles of the Bologna Process were introduced in the teaching in the academic year 2006-07, thus the studies were organised in three cycles: undergraduate, graduate and doctoral, i.e., the first, second and third cycle of studies. All three cycles are licensed and apply the ECTS grading system. The first-cycle study programme was licensed by the Decision of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Education and Culture, and teaching under this programme started in the academic year 2007-08. Courses at the bachelor level are taught over eight terms, i.e., four years. After completing the first-cycle study programme, students are awarded the academic title of Bachelor of Laws – 240 ECTS.
The second cycle of studies, i.e., graduate studies were conducted on eight study programmes; however, since the academic year 2019-20, they have merged into one study programme consisting of nine modules titled Master’s in Law (modules: Civil Law, Criminal Law, Business Law, Administrative Law, Labour and Social Law, International Law, State Law, Legal History Studies and Legal Economic Studies). It takes two terms to complete these studies, after which students are awarded the academic title of Master of Laws (in the relevant field) – 60 ECTS. In 2019, doctoral studies, i.e., the third cycle of studies were also licensed, following the same concept as the graduate studies, i.e., with nine modules of one study programme – Doctoral Studies of Law, which takes three academic years to complete, after which students are awarded the academic title of Doctor of Laws – 180 ECTS.
With its study programmes the Faculty of Law seeks to increase the quality of teaching and science, and does so by creating more efficient mechanisms for monitoring the progress, developing its staff, conducting curriculum reform, introducing more practical contents, strengthening the cooperation with the business community and coping with the labour market demands, as well as improving the cooperation with partners in the region, in Europe and worldwide. In this regard, special attention will be paid to building new and strengthening the existing forms of cooperation with partners from other countries, especially the neighbouring ones, which will include the establishment of joint second and third study cycles, engagement of teaching staff from partner institutions for postgraduate studies and encouraging of academic and student exchanges, i.e., international mobility. Strengthening the cooperation with public and private institutions and economic entities would enable more practical work in the education of our students, provide places where graduates would do traineeships or the work required to take the qualifying exam for a job in government, or the judiciary or notary exam, and in the long run, the most successful graduates would be given the opportunity to get employment in institutions that are partners of the Faculty.
| Phone | +387 51 339 001 |
|---|---|
| Fax | +387 51 460 602 |
| Website | www.pf.unibl.org |
| info@pf.unibl.org | |
| Address | 77 Vojvode Stepe Stepanovića Blvd. Banja Luka, 78 000 |
| Dean | Dr. Zoran Vasiljević, Full Professor |
| Vice-Dean for Teaching | Dr. Stojana Petrović, Assistant Professor |
| Vice-Dean for Science, Research and International Cooperation | Dr. Igor Milinković, Full Professor |
