Criminal Law

Mission:  The mission of the Criminal Law (LLM) program is to educate highly ethical and skilled professionals, leaders, and researchers with advanced and practical knowledge in the field of criminal law and European Framework to prepare them to contribute the advancement of rule of law, economic growth, and sustainable development through innovative processes, teaching, and research excellence for the benefit of people and community.  The main goal  of the program is to help students develop the knowledge and analytical skills to become agents of change in a democratic society. Our program encourages students to take an active role in criminal justice, analyze issues critically, conduct research, communicate effectively, and pursue high-level opportunities in securing and advancing the rule of law. Our program also aims to create a dynamic community of criminal law professionals and scholars who will work together to strengthen the rule of law and to critique and improve the legal criminal law system.

Intended learning outcomes of the study program are:

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

Knowledge

1. Critically understand the principles and conceptual knowledge of criminal law, focusing on criminal rights and national measures for addressing criminal issues, in alignment with UBT’s mission to provide advanced legal education.
2. Evaluate and interpret primary and secondary sources of criminal law, including the substantive doctrine and laws of Kosovo’s criminal law, criminal procedure, and comparative criminal law, enabling graduates to engage with current legal issues.
3. Compare the legal frameworks of criminal law and procedure with regional, European, and international justice systems, emphasizing criminal actions, criminal liability, and the system of criminal sanctions in different legal contexts.

Skills

• Develop creative responses to complex criminal law issues, such as criminology, victimology, penology, forensics, and measures to prevent organized crime, using advanced problem-solving techniques.
• Conduct critical reviews of court decisions related to criminal cases in Kosovo, demonstrating analytical skills in interpreting the legal rationale and judgments behind these cases.
• Plan and execute legal research projects in the field of criminal law, applying advanced research methodologies to explore criminal judicial processes and develop innovative solutions to criminal law issues.

Competencies

• Manage teams in the simulation of criminal court processes, overseeing the formulation of criminal complaints, indictments, and judgments, and providing critical analyses of trends and reforms in criminal law, in alignment with UBT’s mission to foster leadership.
• Lead and contribute to legal investigations and criminal judicial processes, demonstrating expertise in criminal investigation methodology and tools, including pre-criminal and criminal investigation procedures.
• Communicate effectively within criminal law institutions, ensuring clarity in formulating legal arguments, analyzing trends, and presenting solutions to criminal law challenges to both specialized and non-specialized audiences.
• Demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning in criminal law, staying updated on reforms, new legal interpretations, and the latest developments in criminal law practices, in line with UBT’s mission of continuous professional development.