I can only tell you what I know, but here goes...
1st semester:
REQUIRED CLASSES:
Droit Intl Public - Prof Latty is amazing, adorable and lovely, but don't take this exam oral (friends have cried). I took the TD (travaux diriges) for this class and would recommend that.
Droit Intl Privé - Usually Madame Bachelier teaches this. She is very good, and seems stern, but is extremely nice during the oral exam. I would take this exam oral and STRONGLY recommend NOT taking the TD for this class. I personally did not take the TD, but the class itself is confusing enough at first, and the TD goes even more in-depth (but not in a helpful, clarifying way).
Droit Européen - Prof Robin-Olivier teaches this class. She is incredibly sweet and helpful person, but her teaching style can be a little difficult to follow. I recommend taking this TD as well. It will help you understand the overall material better.
ELECTIVES
Droit de l'environnement - awful, awful, awful. don't do it. the prof will numb your mind. i'm sure its an amazingly interesting field normally, but this class will make you want to jump into a river - not save it. and this prof made me cry during the oral exam. grrr. awful. I had to take the rattrapage. Was very sad to face him again. He gave me a lot of crap the second time too, but at least I passed that time.
Droit Pénal (aspects internationaux) - very interesting. i struggled with this during the written exam (thought I rocked it answering a question on Nuremberg, and got a 9). I would recommend the class, but if you do, take the exam oral. Prof Eudes seems a little stern during class, but is the nicest woman.
2nd semester:
REQUIRED:
Privé II - M. Train is SO NICE. You MUST take the exam oral with M. Train. Seriously. Again, don't take this TD. This subject is not conducive to TD.
Concurrence - I took this TD, and would recommend others doing the same.
Droit de l'Homme - Either oral/written are fine.
ELECTIVES:
Droit Administrative Comparé - the class is interesting, comparing admin law from France, Spain, Germany, England, Italy and (maybe?) Russia. The material is extremely easy, but the prof expects you to know it inside-out. She is extremely friendly and helpful, but expects a lot, so be ready for your exam. But definitely do-able.
Droit du Commerce Intl - M. Ruet is pretty entertaining. He can be tough during the final.
Droit Intl du Developpement - Don't take this class, unless the prof is new. (sorry, I can't remember his name). I took development finance at WCL and was really excited for this class. I sat in on one class, left before the class was finished to run to the secretary to change out. He was growling and mean and talking about how there is no such thing as international development.
Contentieux Intl - I didn't take this class, but Madame Eudes teaches it, and she's fabulous.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Exams
3 sets of exams
-First semester exams usually start the end of January.
-Second semester exams start end of May.
-Third set of exams are "rattrapages" (aka retakes) for first and second semester exams, usually starting the first week of September.
Exams are in oral or written format. This is a big decision to make, and must be made for both semesters at the very beginning of the year. I believe that you have a small window where you can change the format of the exams, possibly the first week of classes, but I'm not entirely sure. Whatever class you have a TD in, you must take that exam in written form.
Oral vs. Written
Oral exams are shorter, usually lasting 15 minutes. Certain professors are very foreign-student friendly and therefore, taking it oral is a great thing. Others don't care and are awful and will make you cry (not just me folks, many WCLers have cried after an oral exam). Oral exams usually consist of one or two very specific questions. Sometimes you have 10 minutes or so to outline an answer, sometimes you don't. Also, if you aren't the first person that day, you will be preparing while someone else is giving their exam in front of the professor. It can be difficult to concentrate, especially if the person before you is extremely good or extremely bad.
Written exams are usually 3 hours long. One must chose to answer 1 of two possible questions, which are usually extremely broad, touching on many different parts of the course material. Also, you can write "Etudiant(e) Etranger(e)" in BIG letters, so you don't necessarily miss out on the foreign-student pity. You have the right to use an English-French dictionary. Written exams are much better for classes which you understand better in breadth than in depth.
Taking Exams Early
If you are planning on taking BarBri to prepare for the bar exam, you need to take exams early. This has not been a problem in the past, but can be a big hassle. You should talk to your profs relatively early in the semester to warn them, and then remind them more than once as it comes closer to the end of the semester.
-First semester exams usually start the end of January.
-Second semester exams start end of May.
-Third set of exams are "rattrapages" (aka retakes) for first and second semester exams, usually starting the first week of September.
Exams are in oral or written format. This is a big decision to make, and must be made for both semesters at the very beginning of the year. I believe that you have a small window where you can change the format of the exams, possibly the first week of classes, but I'm not entirely sure. Whatever class you have a TD in, you must take that exam in written form.
Oral vs. Written
Oral exams are shorter, usually lasting 15 minutes. Certain professors are very foreign-student friendly and therefore, taking it oral is a great thing. Others don't care and are awful and will make you cry (not just me folks, many WCLers have cried after an oral exam). Oral exams usually consist of one or two very specific questions. Sometimes you have 10 minutes or so to outline an answer, sometimes you don't. Also, if you aren't the first person that day, you will be preparing while someone else is giving their exam in front of the professor. It can be difficult to concentrate, especially if the person before you is extremely good or extremely bad.
Written exams are usually 3 hours long. One must chose to answer 1 of two possible questions, which are usually extremely broad, touching on many different parts of the course material. Also, you can write "Etudiant(e) Etranger(e)" in BIG letters, so you don't necessarily miss out on the foreign-student pity. You have the right to use an English-French dictionary. Written exams are much better for classes which you understand better in breadth than in depth.
Taking Exams Early
If you are planning on taking BarBri to prepare for the bar exam, you need to take exams early. This has not been a problem in the past, but can be a big hassle. You should talk to your profs relatively early in the semester to warn them, and then remind them more than once as it comes closer to the end of the semester.
Grading System
Grades are numbers out of 20. A flat-out passing grade for a single class is 10/20 or above. If you get this grade, you'll never have to see that class again.
Also, there is the magic of the "moyen." When you pick your electives, keep this in mind! Classes that are blocked together (such as required classes) will be averaged. If the average is 10/20 or above, you won't have to retake an exam even if you did not technically pass that particular course.
EXAMPLE: Droit Intl Public, Droit Intl Privé, and Droit Européen are required classes for the M1 droit intl et européen. Let's say one gets the following grades : 10/20, 12/20, and 8/20 respectively. Although 8/20 is not a passing grade for Droit Européen, one does NOT need to retake the exam during the rattrapages because the average is 10 between that block of classes.
NOTE: Although it was not well clarified in the past, my understanding is that WCL does NOT give credit when grades are under 10/20, even if UPX considers them passed because of the average.
Unlike in the US, failing exams (under 10/20, see Grading System entry) is quite common in France. My guess is around 30-40% of students have to retake at least one exam.
When you retake an exam, the new grade completely takes the place of the old grade, for better or for worse.
Also, there is the magic of the "moyen." When you pick your electives, keep this in mind! Classes that are blocked together (such as required classes) will be averaged. If the average is 10/20 or above, you won't have to retake an exam even if you did not technically pass that particular course.
EXAMPLE: Droit Intl Public, Droit Intl Privé, and Droit Européen are required classes for the M1 droit intl et européen. Let's say one gets the following grades : 10/20, 12/20, and 8/20 respectively. Although 8/20 is not a passing grade for Droit Européen, one does NOT need to retake the exam during the rattrapages because the average is 10 between that block of classes.
NOTE: Although it was not well clarified in the past, my understanding is that WCL does NOT give credit when grades are under 10/20, even if UPX considers them passed because of the average.
Unlike in the US, failing exams (under 10/20, see Grading System entry) is quite common in France. My guess is around 30-40% of students have to retake at least one exam.
When you retake an exam, the new grade completely takes the place of the old grade, for better or for worse.
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