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Studies & Degrees in Constitution and Legal Order

Constitution and legal order is the part of legal studies that deals with a country's constitution and with the system of rules built on it. The constitution sets out how the state is organised, how power is divided and limited, and which rights people hold against the state. The legal order is the whole body of rules in force, from the constitution down to statutes and regulations, and the way those rules rank and relate to one another. The Spanish Constitution puts the link in one sentence: citizens and public authorities are subject to the Constitution and to the rest of the legal order.

Students read the constitutional text and the case law of the courts that interpret it. Typical topics are the sources of law and their hierarchy, the separation of powers, parliament and government, federal or regional organisation, fundamental rights and constitutional review. In Spain, for example, the Constitution guarantees the principle of legality and the hierarchy of norms, and the Tribunal Constitucional decides whether statutes are compatible with the Constitution. Because every country has its own constitution, the subject is always tied to one legal system, often with a comparative or international part.

Qualifications and levels

Constitutional law is a core course in almost every law degree and a specialisation afterwards.

  • Within a first law degree. The University of Graz in Austria describes its law programme as revolving around one question: how political community is organised. This diploma programme has 240 ECTS credits, lasts 8 semesters and leads to the degree of Magister or Magistra iuris. In the United States, constitutional law is one of the courses of the Juris Doctor (J.D.), which follows a bachelor's degree: according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school.
  • Master's degree. The Department of Legal Studies of the University of Madras in India, established in 1951, offers an LL.M. in Constitutional Law and Legal Order. A bachelor's degree in law is required for its LL.M. courses.
  • Doctorate. Both universities offer doctoral study in law. Graz asks for a relevant degree from a recognised domestic or foreign institution and for a research proposal.
  • Spain. Official degrees follow a fixed structure: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, such as the grado en Derecho, and master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

Admission and language

The subject is taught in the language of the legal system concerned. The Graz diploma programme is taught in German, and students must show Latin skills during the programme. Enrolment in Graz is restricted: an admission process takes place once a year for the winter and summer semesters of that academic year. A law degree from one country does not automatically give access to the legal professions of another, so ask the university and the professional body of the country where you want to work what recognition the qualification has.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools under this subject: the University of Madras in India and the University of Graz in Austria. Any full law degree also covers constitutional law, so the schools listed under law are an alternative.

Careers

Specialists in constitutional law work as lawyers, judges and court clerks, as legal advisers to parliaments, ministries and other public bodies, in international organisations and NGOs, and in university teaching and research. The University of Madras says that alumni of its department have built careers in the judiciary, in ministries and in teaching. Graz names lawyer, judge and notary public as the core legal professions. In the United States, the BLS projects employment of lawyers to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Is constitutional law a degree of its own?

Usually not. It is a core course of a law degree and can become a specialisation at master's or doctoral level, as in the LL.M. in Constitutional Law and Legal Order of the University of Madras.

What does "legal order" mean?

It is the complete system of legal rules in force in a state and the hierarchy between them, with the constitution at the top.

Can I practise law in another country with this specialisation?

Not automatically. Access to the legal professions is regulated by each country, so check the recognition rules with the authorities of the country where you plan to work.