Study Law in the Czech Republic
New Summer Course in the Czech Republic
A new course, Comparative Legal Systems: Individual Rights and Enforcement, will be offered in every May in the Czech Republic. The course explores legal structures from a comparative perspective, analyzing how various legal systems conceptualize, organize, safeguard, and enforce civil and human rights.
- When: May of each year
- Where: Palacky University Law School, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Side trips are planned, but not confirmed, to Prague, Brno, and Vienna, and other sites including Kromeriz, Terezin, Litovel, and Bouzov Castle
- Credit: Two to three credit hours
- Cost: Students will pay their own airfare, UIC tuition, some of their meals and entertainment expenses. A fee yet to be determined will be charged to cover housing, some group meals, group travel, and other expenses associated with the course.
more information
View more detailed information below.
about
The course explores legal structures from a comparative perspective, analyzing how various legal systems conceptualize, organize, safeguard, and enforce civil and human rights. Students will delve into the legal frameworks and key legal instruments that drive rights discourse across American and European jurisdictions, as well as the mechanisms these systems employ to uphold these protections. By investigating distinct models, including constitutional and supranational frameworks, students will gain insights into the foundational principles shaping each region’s approach to civil liberties and human rights.
qualifications
Students must have completed 29 credit hours to enroll in the course.
outcomes
Through case studies covering topics such as racial discrimination, privacy, free speech protections, prisoners’ rights, and restorative justice practices, the course encourages students to critically assess how these issues are addressed in contrasting legal systems. Students will examine how societal values, historical contexts, and political dynamics inform legal interpretations and applications, allowing them to appreciate the diversity and commonalities in rights protection.
experience
Students will have the opportunity to discuss these issues with local judges, prosecutors, ombudsmen, and attorneys. Czechia provides a laboratory to study the transition from a totalitarian/Soviet legal system to a more democratic/Western legal system. This comparative approach aims not only to broaden students’ understanding of global legal landscapes but also equips them with critical skills for analyzing and applying these principles in a transnational context. It will also provide students with a broader perspective to analyze their own legal system and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.
Visits may also be arranged to the Czech Parliament, the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, the Ombudsman Office, and private law firms.
instructors
- Instructors: Professor Danielle Jefferis, University of Nebraska Law School
- Professor Michael Seng, UIC Law School
- Czech professors, judges, and attorneys
Annual Czech/Slovak Study Tour
Each fall since 1993, (except in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 outbreak), UIC Law has arranged a 10-day study tour to the Czech and Slovak Republics. The tour is designed for American lawyers, judges, and others who are interested in Czech and Slovak politics and culture. Participants visit sites in the Czech Republic, especially those with a legal significance, including the Czech Bar Association, the courts, and other government agencies.