Asignaturas - Máster universitario en unión europea

THE COURSE IN ITS CONTEXT

Extensive knowledge of the EU institutional system is fundamental within the framework of the Official Master's Degree in European Union Studies (Multilevel European Integration and Fundamental Rights). It is a basic premise to understanding how EU law is created and how Member States, EU Institutions and EU citizens take part in that process. Knowledge of the EU institutional machinery helps to understand how and why EU policies are made. Mere knowledge of the content of EU policies does not suffice to capture the dynamics of the EU system. Familiarity with institutional issues is necessary in order to grasp the dynamics of policy-making and to predict the outcome of any given project.

The course will have a theoretical and a practical dimension. The study of the legal foundations of each Institution is to be supplemented with a view of its internal workings and of the influence of case-law in circumscribing its powers. Specific approaches to each Institution will be followed by a study of inter-institutional relations, which will result in an overview of the system operating as a whole. A stocktaking exercise of institutional issues will then be possible. The student will thus be ready to consider the convenience or viability of various projects of institutional reform.

On the other hand, a proper understanding of the EU Institutional system is the right avenue to capture the specific features of this International Organization. The EU system of political power does not conform to classic constitutional models (Centralism, Federalism, Regionalism, Confederation, etc). The balance of power among EU Institutions hardly fits into the traditional systems of division of powers adopted by Member States through their own Constitutional Law. Grasping  this fact is key if one is to view the EU as it is, to expect what can be expected and to understand the EU from a democratic perspective. Once the study of the institutional system is completed, students will be ready to understand the EU as a singular type of political and legal entity, and to approach this issue in light of the different theories of European integration. 

This course is targeted to actual or future professionals with a diversity of profiles: EU Law experts, International Law experts, EU civil servants, National or Regional civil servants dealing with EU issues, Diplomats. It can also be useful to managers and decision-makers working for political organizations and private or public companies.  The course is also valuable to members of the legal profession, as lawyers and judges must deal with EU law on a daily basis. Finally, special regard will be paid to students interested in conducting research on EU Law, EU policies and international relations from the EU perspective.

RECOMMENDED PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS

It is assumed that the natural background of the students will be a Law Degree, a Political Science Degree or, more generally, a Degree in a Social Science-related area. Other Graduates are by no means excluded. Students holding a History Degree or a Degree in Journalism are a special target of this course. At any rate, any graduate truly interested in EU issues will fit into the course.

Previous knowledge of EU Law and International Law (the Law of International Organizations in particular), along with familiarity with EU affairs is an excellent starting point for the student to make the most of this course.

TUTORIALS AND FOLLOW-UP

Although communication between students and the teaching staff will take place preferably on-line, an extra resource for tutorials and guidance will be provided by the traditional system of academic service practiced by UNED.

In this regard, Dr. Fernando Val Garijo will be on duty on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 14 p.m. (Telephone. +34 91 398 8865/6125). Students can send their e-mail to fval@der.uned.es at any time. Dr. Justo Corti will be available on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 14 p.m. 

COMPETENCIAS BÁSICAS Y GENERALES:

CG01 - Saber resolver problemas en entornos multidisciplinares relativos a la Unión Europea.

CG02 - Saber comunicar ideas y opiniones basadas en conocimientos específicos y avanzados sobre Unión Europea y emitir juicios razonados sobre las mismas.

CG03 - Interpretar el contenido de los textos y documentos de la Unión Europea de forma que el alumno sea capaz de adoptar decisiones y formular opciones sobre ellos en el entorno complejo de la estructura y ordenamiento de la Unión Europea.

CB6 - Poseer y comprender conocimientos que aporten una base u oportunidad de ser originales en el desarrollo y/o aplicación de ideas, a menudo en un contexto de investigación 

CB7 - Que los estudiantes sepan aplicar los conocimientos adquiridos y su capacidad de resolución de problemas en entornos nuevos o poco conocidos dentro de contextos más amplios (o multidisciplinares) relacionados con su área de estudio

CB8 - Que los estudiantes sean capaces de integrar conocimientos y enfrentarse a la complejidad de formular juicios a partir de una información que, siendo incompleta o limitada, incluya reflexiones sobre las responsabilidades sociales y éticas vinculadas a la aplicación de sus conocimientos y juicios

CB9 - Que los estudiantes sepan comunicar sus conclusiones y los conocimientos y razones últimas que las sustentan a públicos especializados y no especializados de un modo claro y sin ambigüedades

CB10 - Que los estudiantes posean las habilidades de aprendizaje que les permitan continuar estudiando de un modo que habrá de ser en gran medida autodirigido o autónomo.

COMPETENCIAS ESPECÍFICAS:

CE01 - Trabajar en contextos multidisciplinares que son los propios del ámbito de la Unión Europea y resolver problemas en dicho ámbito.

CE03 - Identificar normas y documentos dentro del sistema jurídico-político resultante de la integración de los ordenamientos jurídicos de los Estados Miembros y de la Unión Europea

CE04 - Encontrar, analizar y aplicar la legislación emanada de las diferentes instituciones y órganos de la Unión Europea, así como la de los Estados Miembros que se refiera o esté implicada en el sistema europeo.

CE05 - Encontrar, analizar y aplicar la jurisprudencia de los Tribunales que componen la jurisdicción de la Unión Europea así como la jurisprudencia de cualquier orden y nivel de los estados miembros que se refiera o que estén implicadas con el sistema de la Unión Europea.

CE06 - Elaborar proyectos en el ámbito del sistema integrado por los ordenamientos de los Estados Miembros y de la Unión Europea.

CE07 - Elaborar propuestas, informes y dictámenes sobre materias propias del sistema integrado de la Unión Europea.

CE08 - Integrar la perspectiva institucional en el análisis de las normas y políticas de la Unión Europea.

CE11 - Afrontar y resolver problemas relacionados con la evaluación de programas y políticas públicas (particularmente los que se refieren a la Unión Europea)

INTENDED RESULTS

Knowledge: Students are expected to acquire extensive and advanced knowledge of the EU institutional system. Familiarity with the mandate and powers of each Institution, as well as with the basic system of inter-institutional relations, is intended to be the minimum result of the course. Learning will be based on the materials referred to or provided by the teaching staff. If required, academic guidance will be available on-line. In this regard, the teaching staff is committed to providing guidance that is tailored to the specific needs of individual students.

Skills: Students are expected to develop their ability to find their way through the complex EU institutional framework (which means being able to know which Institution is to do what, when and to what extent) when confronted with EU affairs. One of the crucial skills to be honed by students is the selection, usage and management of documentary sources and doctrinal materials. Writing about EU legal-institutional issues in a clear and concise manner is another skill this course is intended to reinforce. 

Attitudes: Students are encouraged to have a positive attitude towards the inter-relation of the various aspects of the EU institutional organization. An intellectual attitude that is both open and critical will be required to examine the institutional dimension of the problems currently faced by the EU. A good disposition towards autonomous work is essential to maximize the results of the course.

This combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes will prepare students for the task of understanding the complexities of the EU institutional framework, providing them with the tools required to understand the challenges it faces and its possible evolution and development.     

METHODOLOGY

Teaching and learning are to take place through well-tested methods of distance education as understood in open universities. Learning materials will be referred to or provided by the teaching staff through on-line channels. Acquisition of knowledge will take place through: 1) Reading the recommended materials; 2) Research, guided by the teaching staff through on-line tutorials and 3) Video lectures on selected topics

- HODSON, D., PUETTER. U.; SAURUGGER, S.; PETERSON, J: THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 5th Ed, 2021

WIENER, A., BÖRZEL, T., RISSE, T.: EUROPEAN INTEGRATION THEORY, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 3RD EDITION, 2019

- TC HARTLEY: THE FOUNDATIONS OF EUROPEAN UNION LAW, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 8th EDITION, 2014.

- ESCOBAR HERNÁNDEZ, CONCEPCIÓN (DIR.): INSTITUCIONES DE LA UNIÓN EUROPEA, VALENCIA, TIRANT LO BLANCH, 2012.

ACADEMIC JOURNALS:

Academic Journals are important tools for the students of this course. They will be necessary to enhance views and deepen knowledge. Familiarity with this type of academic, specialized literature is required if students are to move beyond handbooks and official documents towards high-quality doctrinal sources. All Journals recommended below are available via the UNED web page (Biblioteca, Revistas). Students are free to add to the list any academic journal in any language. 

- European Law Journal, Blackwell Publishing. (available from 1995 to date)

- Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley-Blackwell, (available from 1997 to date)

- Common Market Law Review, Kluwer Law International, (available from 2003 to date). This publication is useful for finding comments on EU case-law.

- The Review of International Organizations, Springer Science and Business Media M. V., (available from 2006 to date) 

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

On-line course: The course will be conducted on-line. On-line tutorials will be the basic form of interaction between students and the teaching staff. Access to learning materials, submission of essays and other documents, and communication between course participants will take place through the specific on-line channel designed and maintained for the course.