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International Students

Presentation of the Faculty of Law

The Region

Located at the South-East corner of the Iberian Peninsula, between the regions of, Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha and Valencia, the region of Murcia occupies an area of 11,317 km2 (2.2% of the total surface area of Spain), bordering the province of Albacete in the North, the province of Alicante in the East, the provinces of Granada, Albacete and Almería in the West, and the Mediterranean in the South-East.

In terms of surface area the region of Murcia is the ninth largest of the Spanish autonomous communities.

The region of Murcia has the typical Mediterranean semi-arid subtropical climate: namely an average annual temperature of 18ºC, with hot summers (registering absolute maximum temperatures of 40ºC) and mild winters (an average temperature of 11ºC in the winter months of December and January).

The number of days per year with clear skies is 120-150, with approximately 2,800 sun-hours per annum. In general rain is scarce throughout the region (approx. 300-350 mm/year), falling mainly in the spring (April) and autumn (October), leaving the summer an eminently dry season.

From the geographical point of view, the region of Murcia stands out because of its multiple contrasts: dry vs. irrigated land, plains vs. mountainous areas, coastline vs. interior, vineyards vs. mesetas.

Murcia has just over 170 km of coastline: coves and small beaches alternate with rocky shores and sheer, craggy cliffs. As a geographical accident of nature we find La Manga, a coastal strip of land which, bar a few connecting channels, or narrows, completely closes off the Mar Menor lagoon from the Mediterranean. The Murcian littoral offers on the one hand unprotected shores with wild seas and on the other small coves with calm, placid waters. Sand-dunes, beaches, salt-water lagoons, mud-flats...

According to the most recent census figures, the region of Murcia has an official population of 1,190,378 inhabitants. Between the years 1991 and 2001, the population rose by 13.8% in comparison with an average figure of 5.8% for the whole of Spain, according to data supplied by the Ministerio de Administraciones Públicas.

At the present time, the density of population is 105.2 inhabitants per square kilometre, which is superior to the national average of 81.3. The Region of Murcia has thus today become an area with a net demographic influx, due to the fact that since the 70's the number of immigrants received has been greater than the number of people who have emigrated. Special mention must be made of the important increase in the number of foreigners who have chosen to settle in the Region of Murcia as an ideal place to spend their retirement, in privileged surroundings and enjoying an exceptional climate.

For further information, please visit: http://www.murciaturistica.es/

The City

The city of Murcia is the capital of the Autonomous Community of the same name. The metropolitan area of Murcia spreads over 881 km2 and it is made up of the capital city and 54 towns and villages. Murcia and its nearby towns had a total of 398.798 inhabitants, placing it in the group of the seven most populated cities in Spain. With its great Baroque personality, and treats for the senses, Murcia is unique. The painter Ramón Gaya, to whom the city has dedicated a well-cared for and beautiful museum, says that "Murcia is Murcia and nothing more, she is distinguished by being herself and no other city or thing". With the creation of the law faculty in 1915, an age of renovation and vitality began. The University was an important influence in literature, art and science as well as research. In the last decades of the 20th century, the city, with its solid political and socio-economic base, saw a spectacular growth and renovation of its streets. The new suburbs were given green areas, the older buildings, squares and streets from the historical quarter were renovated and improved and the infrastructure of the growing city was added to. The Auditorium and Congress Palace and the regional library were built, as was the building which enlarges the old Town Hall, a project of Rafael Moneo. At the same time, new bridges of Modernist design were built over the river Segura, giving the area improved communication between neighbourhoods and towns and the coast. The great town-planning project in this period was complemented by an extremely important cultural activity. A wide network of museums was created and, throughout the year all kinds of cultural events, concerts, theatrical works, art exhibitions and other entertainment and festivals take place, making Murcia a city in which something is always happening and where everyday brings us the possibility of attending some kind of cultural or leisure activity. The city, made to measure by its inhabitants, is perfect for walking, meeting up, discovering or rediscovering it everyday. The night life is very attractive, with many "tascas" (small bars) and "terrazas" (outdoor bars) where to enjoy some of the delicious typical "tapas", as well as all kinds of pubs and clubs open until dawn. Its medium size, the relatively low cost of accommodation and living expenses and the good weather all year round make Murcia an ideal setting for students’ life

Murcia is well connected with the main Spanish and European capitals by way of its airports, railways and motorways:

Airports
San Javier Airport (Murcia), 47 km from Murcia by car.
Tel:+34 968 17 2000
El Altet Airport (Alicante) , 68 km from Murcia by car.
Tel:+34 966 91 91 00/ +34 966 91 94 00
www.aena.es

Trains
El Carmen Station (Murcia). Tel:+34 968 25 25 72
www.renfe.es

Buses
San Andrés Station (Murcia). Tel:+34 968 29 22 11

Motorways and toll roads
Autopista del Mediterráneo A-7: France, Barcelona/Valencia/Alicante/ Murcia
Autovía A-30: Madrid/Albacete/Murcia/Cartagena
Autovía con Andalucía E-15

For further information, please visit: http://www.murciaciudad.com/index.htm

 The University

The origins of the University of Murcia date back to the thirteenth century. However, as we know it today, it was founded in 1915 with the grant made by the government of a Faculty of Law for Murcia. The majority of the University's facilities and buildings are spread over two campuses: the older is La Merced, dating back to 1935, situated in the town centre, where take place most of the courses of Law, and the larger is Espinardo, just 5 km to the north of Mucia. The University also boasts two extensive libraries with over half a million books and some 10,000 scientific journals that can be consulted in any of the 3,000 reading areas. The Antonio de Nebrija Library is located on La Merced campus. In addition, the Main Library in Espinardo houses a European Documentation Centre. In addition the university offers free unlimited access to the internet through more than 1000 computers in the 39 ALA’s (Classrooms of Free Access). They are located in places of different Faculties and Schools but their access is free for all students, independently of the specific location of each ALA. Sport is also very important to the University of Murcia and it enjoys a great number of facilities. These are mainly in Espinardo although some are in the city centre. These include for example: sports halls, football and rugby pitches, seven-a-side football pitches, aerobic and weight rooms, a gymnasium, tennis and squash courts, a pelota court, training areas, a climbing wall and an indoor swimming pool. The Sports Activities Service promotes and organises sport at all levels and for all the groups making up the university community. The University organizes every year the SBU (University Homecoming Week). It is an occasion to know the university community, offering a sample of our great daily activity: student´s clubs and associations, theatre, music, conferences, sports competitions, cinema, family visiting days or environment days, etc… The SBU includes an International Homecoming Week for foreign students, organized by the International Relations Office and the association ESN, with visits to Murcia´s main monuments and museums, international cinema, travels and night parties.

 The Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law is the oldest Faculty of the University of Murcia, and one of the most prestigious in Spain. It is renowned for the excellence of its students, many of whom have reached the highest positions in public administration, international organizations as well as private corporations and attorney´s bureaus. The professors and lecturers at the Faculty of Law hold a very solid education in their fields, being necessary to pass through years of very demanding studies and research to become one. Many of them have previous teaching and research experience in other Spanish and international universities, being so that most speak a second or a third language fluently. Many of the lecturers have also professional experience outside of the academic world, some of them are Attorneys, Judges, District Attorneys, General Managers etc… and many are members of the most prestigious and influential economical and juridical institutions of the region.

The Deanery

The Deanery is composed of the Dean, five vice-deans and a secretary, the people in charge are:

Dean: Dª Esperanza Orihuela Calatayud. Phone: +34 868 88 3392 E-Mail: eorihuel@um.es

Vicedean of Investigation, International and Institutional Relations: Ph.D. Dª Blanca Soro Mateo. E-Mail: blancasm@um.es

Vicedean of Management and Academic Ordination: Ph.D. Dª Ascensión Leciñena Ibarra. E-Mail: ascenl@um.es

Vicedean of Quality: Ph.D. Martín García-Ripoll Montijano. E-Mail: martinga@um.es

Vicedean of Planning of Educations: Ph.D. Dª Mª Angeles Sánchez Jiménez. E-Mail: angeles@um.es

Vicedean of Infrastructure and Economy: Ph.D. Dª Mª Carmen López Aniorte. E-Mail: carmenlo@um.es

Secretary: Ph.D. Alejandra Selma Penalva. E-Mail: aselma@um.es

The International Relations Office offers an annual scholarship to a graduated or last-year student for working with the Faculty of Law on international affaires under the direction of the Vice-dean of International Relations:

Scholar collaborator: Phone: +34 868 887186 E-Mail: sridere@um.es

The Departments

The Faculty of Law is composed of nine departments, some of which are divided in areas. Each department is responsible for teaching and research in its corresponding field. The departments are: Political and Administration Science, Administrative Law, Civil Law, Private Law (area of Roman Law and area of Commercial Law), Procedural International and Financial Law, (area of Procedural law, area of Public International Law, area of Private International Law, area of Financial Law), Labour and Social Security Law, Foundations of the Juridical and Constitutional Order (area of Constitutional Law, area of Philosophy of Law, area of Ecclesiastic Law of the State), Estate and Economy of the Public Sector, Juridical History and Criminal law (area of History of the Law and of the Institutions, area of Criminal Law).

The Degrees

The Faculty of Law offers five different Degrees,

Please notice that some of the courses in the Degrees offered by the Faculty of Law depend directly upon departments of different Faculties, the most important example being that of the Combined Honours Degree in Law and Administration and Management, with many courses offered by the Faculty of Economics and Business.

For further information on the content of each subject, please visit: http://www.um.es/facdere/estudios.php (under "programas de asignaturas")

For further information on exams, please visit: http://www.um.es/facdere/examenes.php

The Faculty of Law is also active in postgraduate studies. It offers Doctorate or third cycle studies under the supervision of the departments. They begin with biannual programs of specialisation in any particular field of Law, after which a DEA (Diplome of Advanced Studies) is awarded. Following the DEA the candidate must research, write and read their thesis before obtaining a Ph.D. If you hold an undergraduate degree in a foreign University and want to begin Doctorate studies in the Faculty of Law, you must follow the "Procedure of homologation of degrees to realize Studies of Doctorate and Specialization", or if you already have a Ph.D. given by a University other than the University of Murcia or if you have any courses, seminars or works of research and wish to give them validity in Spain, you must follow the "Procedure for the correspondence in the studies of Doctorate and Specialization in Spain". Please visit: http://www.um.es/estudios/doctorado/index.php

Besides the Doctorate studies, the Faculty of Law is constantly developing Independent Postgraduate Degrees and extracurricular studies of specialisation in a wide variety of fields. These and other courses given by other Faculties and Schools of the University of Murcia are available for all students at a special price and even for non-students. Of special interest for foreign students are the courses given by the Service of Languages on Spanish Language and Culture, as well as on other languages from English to Chinese. For further information please visit: http://www.um.es/estudios/oferta-propios.php

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees at the Faculty of Law are not very high due to it being a public institution funded partially by the State. The price per credit ECTS varies depending on the number of years the student has registered on the same course. For the period 2005/2006 they are as follow:

First enrolment: 8.55 € per credit. Second enrolment: 12.41 € per credit. Third and successive enrolments: 18.39 € per credit.

This would make a complete year of 60 to 90 credits cost approximately between 500 and 800 €. Please notice that the participants in any of the programs of exchange with the University of Murcia, as Erasmus, ISEP and ILA, are completely exempt from the payment of tuition fees at the University of Murcia. The Doctorate studies are more expensive. The rest of the courses offered by the Faculty of Law, e. g. Masters and independent degree courses, are not state financed and vary in price, being the price often lower for students that for non-students. For further information please visit: http://www.um.es/estudios/normas-academicas/tasas.php.

Foreign Students

If you are a foreign student and wish to study at the Faculty of Law, you might be in one of the following situations:

I.Be part of an international exchange programme for a fixed period and only to study a part of your Degree, or be part in a specific agreement between your centre of study and our University. This is the case of the Erasmus, ISEP and ILA students among others.

You will be exempt from the payment of tuition fees depending upon the agreement with your University. However you might be expected other payments for the use of the University facilities, such as sport courts or gym, always on the same conditions as local students.

As an exchange student you will have a tutor to help you. This tutor will be a teacher of some department of the Faculty of Law. When the foreign students come to the University of Murcia and appear before their tutor, this one will verify that the contract of studies that the student brings is viable. Any academic problem he will have to communicate to their partner university coordinator for its resolution. To facilitate their process of matriculation in the Faculty of Law, the tutor will complete the document "Proposal of Studies" that includes the subjects that they will take in the University of Murcia.

The incoming student can choose whatever course of any degree offered by the University, even if it is not related to the Law Faculty. For example, students from our partner universities frequently choose courses on Geography, History, Spanish art, or Economics and Business Administration in order to meet the requirements of their combined degrees at their home institutions. The University of Murcia puts no obstacle on incoming students planning their own curriculum as they deem best in agreement with their home tutors.

The International Relations Office gives detailed information on other issues concerning the interests of exchange students.

II.You come as an independent student. You may study at the Faculty of Law if your individual case fulfils one of the following requirements:

1.- You have carried out secondary school level studies in a foreign country following which you would like to begin studying at the University of Murcia.

It is then necessary to follow two steps:

-Have your qualification officially validated by the Spanish Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport:

MINISTERIO DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTE
Information:
C/ Alcalá, 36
MADRID 28071
Tel: +34 91 701 85 00
Fax.: +34 91 506 56 98, 91 506 57 06
http://www.mecd.es/inf/comoinfo/titextranj/sistemaseducativos.html

-Pass the University entrance tests (PAAU)

This test is called "Selectividad", and is organised by the National Open University (UNED) ( http://portal.uned.es/portal/page?_pageid=93,674429&_dad= portal&_schema=PORTAL ) There are pre-established registration periods according to the country in question and to which examination session is to be set.

For further information please contact

SECCIÓN DE SELECTIVIDAD DE LA U.N.E.D.

C/ Senda del Rey, nº 11 - 28040 MADRID - SPAIN-
Telephone numbers: +34 91 398 66 12/13/16 (opening hours: from 9:00 to 14:00)
Fax: +34 91 398 66 79
E-mail: selectiv@adm.uned.es

2.- You have started studies at a foreign university and would like to continue at the University of Murcia.

Modules studied abroad can be validated when the content and class hours are equivalent and comply with the following types of study:

-Studies followed partially in the same discipline that you would like to continue with at the University of Murcia.

-A completed course of study which the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport has not validated but has nonetheless specifically indicated that there exists a possibility of validation of some of the components. (http://www.mecd.es/inf/comoinfo/titextranj/homologacion.html)

If you are from an area whose official language is not Spanish, it is likely you will have to pass a language level test.

If you are interested, you should send an application to study at University to the Rector of the University care of the Secretary of the relevant department of the University you wish to study at.

3.- You have completed studies at a foreign university and have therefore been awarded a University degree by that university.

If you are a foreign student, have a graduate degree (or academic equivalent), awarded by a University or other Higher Education establishment and wish to carry out Doctoral studies in Spain, this can be done in two ways:

-On validation of a foreign degree, carried out in accordance with the Royal Decree 185/1985. Your application must be approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. This is a lengthy process as, once your application has been made and the correct documentation is in order, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture will submit the report to the University Council who will then inform of their decision within the established timeframe.

-By study equivalence (without the need for a foreign degree to have been previously validated). Your application is made directly to the Rector’s Office at the chosen university. On submitting the application, the interested party will be able to enroll for any Doctoral course scientifically related to their university profile.

After this stage, via either of the two ways explained above, you should send your application to register for Doctoral study to the Rector of the University of Murcia and present the documents to:

NEGOCIADO DE TERCER CICLO
C/ Escopeteros, 9, Bajo
Plaza de La Cruz Roja
30003 Murcia (Spain)
Tel: +34 868 88 36 53
Fax: +34 868 88 76 30
http://www.um.es/estudios/doctorado/

Finally, if you choose to contact the Faculty of Law of the University of Murcia, be certain that you will meet the warmest welcome by those who work for it. The Faculty of Law has years of tradition dealing with international affaires and foreign students. The common projects and links between our departments and foreign institutions are extending and deepening each year. We have already a strong international projection, and we are looking forward to broaden it with your participation!

Useful links: