Constitutional Organisation of the State and Sources of Law

Constitutional Organisation of the State and Sources of Law (20607)

2014-2015

Year: 1
Term: 1st and 2nd
Number of ECTS credits: 9
Student hours: 225

Syllabus

This course studies the basic concepts of constitutional theory and its projection on the principles and state institutions established by the 1978 Spanish Constitution, state institutional and territorial organisation and the system of legal sources system.

On completing the course students should have an understanding of the legal significance of the concept of constitution and the content in which the definition of the state as democratic, social and subject to the rule of law is articulated. Likewise, they should know about the main institutions which exercise state power and the sources of law at state, Autonomous Community and European level and understand the relationships between the different legal systems. To follow the course it is necessary to develop skills related to understanding and analysing constitutional texts past and present and constitutional and doctrinal articles, as well as the ability to apply the structures of constitutional arguments to conflict resolution and critique of institutions.

Topic 1. CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONALISM

Topic 2. THE CONSTITUTION AS SUPREME REGULATION AND ITS GUARANTEES

Topic 3. CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STATE (I): A DEMOCRATIC AND SOCIAL STATE SUBJECT TO THE RULE OF LAW

Topic 4. CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STATE (II): POLITICAL AUTONOMY

Topic 5. CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STATE (III): EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Topic 6. THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

Topic 7. JUDICIAL POWER

Topic 8. THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Topic 9. THE INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF THE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES

Topic 10. THE INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Topic 11. THE CONSTITUTION AS THE SOURCE OF LAW

Topic 12. THE RULES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Topic 13. THE RULES OF EXECUTIVE PROCEDURE

Topic 14. THE SOURCE SYSTEM IN THE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES

Topic 15. THE IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW ON THE SYSTEM OF SOURCES

Topic 16. SOURCES OF EUROPEAN UNION LAW