Bachelor of Law

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Fribourg

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Law at the University of Fribourg offers a comprehensive introduction to the major fields of Swiss and international law, making it an excellent choice for students interested in justice, policy, or business. The program combines strong academic foundations with practical legal reasoning and the flexibility to study either full-time over three years or part-time over four years.

One of the program’s distinctive strengths is its bilingual learning environment, where students can study in German, French, or both, with the possibility of graduating with a bilingual distinction. You can also tailor your studies through optional tracks such as European Law or Religious Law, giving you a specialized edge when continuing to master’s programs or entering the legal profession.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum is designed to gradually develop your legal knowledge and analytical skills across the core areas of law.

First Year – Understanding Legal Foundations

Your first year focuses on building a solid understanding of how legal systems function. Courses such as Introduction to Law, Swiss Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, European Law, and International Law introduce you to the key principles shaping both Swiss and global legal systems.

You will also explore Roman Law and Personal Rights, which provide valuable historical and conceptual perspectives on modern legal systems. This combination of theory and real-world context helps you develop the analytical thinking essential for legal study.

Second Year – Expanding Legal Knowledge

In your second year, you begin to explore law in greater depth. Courses such as Criminal Law, History of Law, and Philosophy of Law examine crime, punishment, and the ethical foundations of justice.

At the same time, subjects like Property Law, the Code of Obligations, and Tax Law introduce you to the legal rules that govern contracts, property ownership, and financial matters—skills that are highly relevant for both legal practice and business environments.

Final Year (Full-time) – Applying Legal Concepts

In the final stage of the program, you tackle more advanced subjects including Family Law, Inheritance Law, Commercial and Business Law, Labour Law, and Social Security Law. These courses allow you to connect private and public law while developing the ability to analyse real legal cases and business situations.

Courses such as Philosophy of Law also strengthen your critical thinking, helping you approach complex legal problems with a deeper understanding of justice and legal reasoning.

Part-time Option (Fourth Year)

Students who choose the part-time study route complete their final courses across a fourth year. This structure allows for greater flexibility and work-life balance, while still covering important topics such as Commercial Law, Tax Law, and Social Law.

Focus Areas

Swiss constitutional and administrative law, criminal law, civil and commercial law, European and international law, with optional bilingual study and specialized tracks such as European Law or Religious Law (Utriusque Iuris).

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, students develop a broad and adaptable legal education covering all major areas of law. You will gain strong analytical skills, legal reasoning abilities, and interdisciplinary knowledge, preparing you for advanced legal study or careers in law, business, public administration, and international organizations.

Professional Alignment

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Law (180 ECTS) that is fully recognized within Switzerland’s higher education system. This degree provides the essential academic foundation required to progress to Master of Law programs, which are typically necessary for professional legal qualifications such as the Swiss bar.

Reputation & Employability

The Faculty of Law at the University of Fribourg is well known for its bilingual teaching model and practical legal training. Its graduates are highly regarded in Switzerland’s legal sector and frequently continue into prestigious master’s programs or careers in law firms, government institutions, and international organizations. The university’s diverse academic environment and international faculty network further strengthen graduates’ career prospects.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Law at University of Fribourg offers far more than lectures and textbooks—it's designed to develop you as a thinking legal professional from day one. You'll engage in interactive tutorials in small groups where you analyze real legal issues, work through concrete problems, and develop critical thinking skills alongside your peers. This hands-on approach means you're not just learning law; you're practicing it. The Faculty's commitment to personal mentoring ensures you have direct access to teaching staff who know you individually and can guide your development throughout your studies.

Beyond the classroom, the university leverages its bilingual environment and interconnected faculty structure to create a robust learning ecosystem:

- Small group tutorials where you receive guided instruction on analyzing, solving, and critically examining real legal cases in an interactive setting
- Personal mentoring from faculty who know you personally and tailor support to your individual needs and career objectives
- Bilingual learning environment allowing you to study in German or French, or pursue the distinction «Bilingual curriculum, French/German» to enhance your professional credentials
- Progressive curriculum structure that revisits different areas of law multiple times, building your understanding systematically from fundamentals to advanced concepts
- Flexible study organization with lectures and tutorials concentrated on at least four weekdays, giving you dedicated time for independent study and additional learning opportunities
- Interdisciplinary options including the possibility to combine law studies with other programs (60 or 30 ECTS credits in additional disciplines of your choice), broadening your professional perspective
- Multiple distinctions available including European Law and Religious Law specializations to align your degree with your career interests

Progression & Future Opportunities

At the University of Fribourg's Faculty of Law, our Bachelor of Law program dives right into practical skills through interactive tutorials where you'll analyze, solve, and debate real-world legal issues in small groups—something that's a hallmark of our approach thanks to the faculty's compact size and dedicated personal mentoring. You'll build hands-on expertise progressively over three years (full-time), tackling key areas of law multiple times to deepen your understanding, all while choosing your language path in German, French, or bilingually for that extra edge. This setup isn't just theory; it's designed to prepare you for real legal practice with guidance from professors who know you by name.

Here are some standout ways our program delivers experiential learning tailored to law students:
- Interactive small-group tutorials: Dive into concrete legal cases with guided analysis and critical discussions, fostering practical problem-solving skills.
- Personal mentoring from faculty: Professors provide one-on-one support throughout your studies, helping you navigate complex issues and tailor your path—ideal for building confidence in real scenarios.
- Group work and debates: Especially prominent in interdisciplinary options like Economic and Legal Studies, where optimal class sizes encourage collaborative projects and interactive learning.
- Bilingual curriculum option: Follow lectures and tutorials in German, French, or both, with distinctions like "Bilingual curriculum, French/German" to sharpen your skills for multilingual legal environments.
- Progressive structure with repeated exposure: Key legal areas are revisited across semesters, allowing you to apply growing knowledge practically in lectures limited to four weekdays, leaving time for self-study and extras.