Legal French I: Introduction to Law (FRA105) | GSÜ

Content

Objective

This course aims to consolidate the language skills required to progress through the Bachelor’s degree programme in Law, in both French and Turkish, whilst introducing students to the methodological exercises specific to the discipline (syllogism, essay writing, case studies).

Course Content

This course builds on the introductory course in legal French taken during the foundation year. It deepens students’ command of legal French — in terms of methodology, terminology and grammar — through the study of French public law (constitutional law, administrative law) and public international law.

Course Learning Outcomes

Legal terminology and content
• become familiar with the vocabulary of constitutional law, administrative law and public international law
• identify the main French and international public institutions and understand how they relate to one another

Legal methodology
• recognise the structure of a simple legal syllogism and practise reproducing it orally and in writing
• explore the logic behind practical case studies and legal essays

Language skills
• recognise and begin to replicate the syntax of normative texts (passive voice, nominalisations, argumentative connectors)
• produce a short, guided argumentative piece of writing
• speak about a simple legal concept, with guidance

Teaching and Learning Methods

This course continues the communicative and comparative approach begun in the preparatory year: students are encouraged to draw on their knowledge of Turkish to build bridges to legal French. It gradually introduces methodological exercises specific to legal reasoning without aiming for complete mastery of these, which will be developed throughout the FJ I–IV programme. The two legal film sessions (S6, S14) extend this approach through visual media and encourage a critical analysis of the law and its historical and contemporary applications.

References

Textbooks
• J.-L. Penfornis, Le français du droit, CLE International
• É. Damette et F. Dargirolle, Méthode de français juridique, Dalloz

Podcasts
• Le Droit en 3 Minutes — niveau A2-B1
• Besoin de rien, envie de droit (Binge Audio) — niveau B1-B2
• Esprit de Justice (France Culture) — niveau B2+ • Juste un droit (20 Minutes) — vulgarisation courte et accessible

Online resources
• Vie-publique.fr — fiches pédagogiques sur les institutions françaises
• Dictionnaire-juridique.com
• conseil-constitutionnel.fr — décisions commentées et actualités (utile pour S9)
• conseil-etat.fr — décisions et actualité du droit administratif (utile pour S10-S13)
• Dalloz Actu Étudiant — actualité juridique reformulée pour un public étudiant

Weekly Contents

Theory Topics
Week	Weekly Contents
1	Introduction
2	Subjects of public international law
3	The sources of public international law
4	Separation of powers, types of political systems
5	The Fifth Republic
6	Film screening (title to be confirmed)
7	The Government and Parliament
8	NO CLASSES (exam week)
9	Constitutional justice
10	Sources of administrative law; duality of jurisdiction
11	Administrative police
12	Public service
13	Administrative contracts + administrative liability
14	Film screening (title to be confirmed) + general summary

Assessment System

Contribution to Overall Grade
Activities	Number	Contribution
Contribution of in-term studies to overall grade	5	50
Contribution of final exam to overall grade	1	50
Total	6	100

In-Term Studies
Activities	Number	Contribution
Assignments	0	0
Presentation	0	0
Midterm Examinations (including preparation)	0	0
Project	0	0
Laboratory	0	0
Other Applications	0	0
Quiz	3	15
Term Paper/ Project	1	25
Portfolio Study	0	0
Reports	0	0
Learning Diary	0	0
Thesis/ Project	0	0
Seminar	0	0
Other	1	10
Make-up	0	0
Total	5	50

Relation of Proficiency

No	Program Learning Outcomes	Contribution
No	Program Learning Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	Recognizing fundamental legal concepts, defining, interpreting and using them.					X
2	Recognizing fundamental disciplines of law and their content, including legislation, case-law and the doctrine in the relevant discipline.					X
3	Recognizing positive norms in the legislation and being able to define and explain the principals of methodology.			X
4	Being able to determine, identify and restate legal problems.				X
5	Being able to use legal interpretation principals in an efficient manner in order to analyse and resolve a legal problem and in order to develop a strategy.				X
6	Being able to conduct academic researches on legal problems and to propose solutions.				X
7	Assuming responsibility individually or collectively for resolving complicated legal problems.					X
8	Being able to criticise positive norms of the law system.				X
9	Being able to explain technical legal knowledge in Turkish, French and English verbally or in writing, being able to report personal opinion concerning a legal problem verbally or in writing in a persuasive manner.					X
10	Being able to follow up the local and international legal literature, to update technical legal knowledge permanently, to use information technology in an efficient manner in order to achieve these goals.					X
11	Being able to conduct comparative academic researches between different law systems.					X
12	Respecting human rights and universal principals and notions of law.					X
13	Respecting the ethical standarts, good faith, fairness and equity principals.					X
14	Being sensitive to social problems, democracy, laicism and rule of law principal.					X

ECTS

Activities	Number	Period	Total Workload
Class Hours	14	4	56
Working Hours out of Class	14	3	42
Assignments	0	0	0
Presentation	0	0	0
Midterm Examinations (including preparation)	0	0	0
Project	0	0	0
Laboratory	0	0	0
Other Applications	0	0	0
Final Examinations (including preparation)	1	8	8
Quiz	3	3	9
Term Paper/ Project	1	6	6
Portfolio Study	0	0	0
Reports	0	0	0
Learning Diary	0	0	0
Thesis/ Project	0	0	0
Seminar	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Make-up	1	8	8
Yıl Sonu	0	0	0
Hazırlık Yıl Sonu	0	0	0
Hazırlık Bütünleme	0	0	0
Total Workload			129
Total Workload / 25			5.16
Credits ECTS			5