Main Content
Training programme
The training concept for trial monitoring uniquely combines theory and practice. Participants are prepared to observe trials themselves through the provision of foundational knowledge in national and international criminal law as well as procedural law. They also receive additional methodological training to equip them for the challenge of writing trial reports. As part of this training, participants actively observe ongoing proceedings at the Higher State Court (Oberlandesgericht) in Frankfurt am Main.
Upon successful completion of the training, participants receive a certificate documenting their achievements, officially certifying them as trial monitors.
Training Programme starting Winter Semester 2024/25
The training programme has been integrated and restructured within the new study and examination regulations of the Master’s programme “International Criminal Justice: Law, History, Politics”:
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Integration of the Trial Monitoring Programme into Selected Degree Programmes:
M.A. International Criminal Justice
For students in the M.A. International Criminal Justice program, the modules Introduction: "International Criminal Law", "Foundations of Trial Monitoring", Application Perspectives of International Criminal Law", and "Practice of Trial Monitoring" are mandatory. Once all four modules are successfully completed, students receive the “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring.”
Additionally, students can take the elective module Team Leadership in Trial Monitoring as a profile module. Completing this module grants the advanced “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring (Team Leadership),” which certifies leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
M.A. Peace and conflict studies
For students in the M.A. Peace and Conflict Studies program, the Trial Monitoring Programme can be used to fulfill the module "Applied Peace and Conflict Studies". To do so, students must successfully complete either the Introduction: International Criminal Law or Application Perspectives of International Criminal Law module, as well as the Foundations of Trial Monitoring module, for a total of 12 ECTS.
The extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring” is awarded upon completion of the full programme of the first two semesters (modules Introduction: International Criminal Law, Foundations of Trial Monitoring, Application Perspectives of International Criminal Law, and Practical Trial Monitoring).
Furthermore, students can complete the Team Leadership in Trial Monitoring module, earning the advanced extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring (Team Leadership),” which certifies leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
Students of law
Law students can acquire the key qualification through the Trial Monitoring Programme. To do so, they must successfully complete the modules Introduction: International Criminal Law and Foundations of Trial Monitoring.
The extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring” is awarded upon completion of the entire programme of the first two semesters (modules Introduction: International Criminal Law, Foundations of Trial Monitoring, Application Perspectives of International Criminal Law, and Practical Trial Monitoring).
Additionally, students can complete the Team Leadership in Trial Monitoring module, earning the advanced extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring (Team Leadership),” which certifies leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
Students of other programmes
Students from other degree programmes are, of course, also warmly welcome! They have the opportunity to earn the extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring” or the advanced extracurricular “Additional Qualification in Trial Monitoring (Team Leadership).”
Feel free to discuss with your own programme coordination whether and how the training programme can be integrated into your curriculum, and then get in touch with us. If needed, we can also provide certificates for partial achievements completed within the programme.
Module description
Introduction: International Criminal Law
Credit Points 6 LP Contents and Qualification Objectives In this module, students acquire the fundamentals of international criminal law. In addition to background knowledge on the origin and development of international criminal law, students gain insights into both the general and special parts of international criminal law.
Upon successful completion of the module, students are able to:
- Understand the legal foundations of international criminal justice and critically reflect on them;
- Discuss the substantive and contextual requirements of international criminal responsibility, taking into account relevant international case law;
- Independently and problem-orientedly analyze cases in international criminal law and derive reasoned solutions.
Teaching and Learning Methods, Course Types Lecture, 2 SWS Workload Lecture:
Presence und afterwork (60h)
Exam preparation und Exam (120h)
Language of instruction and examination (if applicable) German / English
Prerequisites for participation None Prerequisites for ECTS credit allocation Module Examination:
Exam
(max. 120 Minutes) or
Oral Exam (Group exam
oder individual
max. 15 Minutes per exam)
or
Written paper
(max. 60.000 characters)
Grades Grading of the entire module according to § 28 General Provisions Duration of Module one Semester Frequency of Module Usually once per academic year Begin of Module Wintersemester or Sommersemester Module coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bock
Foundations of Trial Monitoring
Credit points 6 LP Contents and Qualification Objectives In this module, students acquire foundational knowledge in trial monitoring. They familiarize themselves with the course of criminal proceedings and learn how to draft trial observation reports. Upon successful completion of the module, students are able to:
- Describe the function, structure, and working methods of the public prosecutor’s office and the criminal courts;
- Outline the procedure and core principles of German criminal trials;
- Independently follow trials and document their observations in reports.
Teaching and Learning Methods, Course Types Lecture, 2 SWS
Project group meetings and workshops
Workload Lecture, project group meetings and workshops: presence und afterwork (80h)
exam preparation und exam (100h)
Language of instruction and examination (if applicable) German/ English Prerequisites for participation Application Prerequisites for ECTS credit allocation Coursework (Studienleistung):
Attendance of a criminal procedure lecture
Participation in 3 project group meetings
Observation of a trial at the Regional Court of Marburg
Writing of a trial report
Participation in the two-part workshop “Fundamentals of Trial Monitoring”Module Examination (Modulprüfung):
Oral examination in criminal procedure law (group or individual, max. 15 minutes per exam)
or
Short presentation on a topic of criminal procedure law (10 minutes plus subsequent discussion)Grades Grading of the entire module according to § 28 General Provisions Duration of Module one or two semesters Frequency of Module Usually once per academic year Begin of Module Wintersemester or Sommersemester Module coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bock Anwendungsperspektiven des Völkerstrafrechts
Credit points 6 LP Contents and Qualification Objectives In this module, students engage with specific issues and practical applications of international criminal justice.
Upon successful completion, they will be able to:
- identify and analyze complex facts and legal problems in the fields of international criminal law and international criminal procedure;
- describe and assess the development and dynamics of international criminal law norms and procedures;
- critically reflect on the purposes, prerequisites, and limitations of international criminal justice.Teaching and Learning Methods, Course Types Lecture, 2 SWS or
Seminar, 2 SWS
Workload Lecture:
Presence und afterwork (60h)
Exam preparation and exam (120h)
Seminar:
Preperation and presence including Coursework (Studienleistung) (60h)
Exam preparation and exam (120h)
Language of instruction and examination (if applicable) German / English Prerequisites for participation Recommendation: Successful completion of the basic module. Prerequisites for ECTS credit allocation Lecture:
Module Examination:
Written exam (max. 90 minutes)
or
Term paper (max. 60,000 characters)or
Oral examination (group or individual, max. 15 minutes per exam)Seminar:
Coursework (Studienleistung):
Oral presentation (max. 20 minutes) or equivalent achievement
Module Examination:
Written exam (max. 120 minutes)
or
Term paper (max. 60,000 characters)or
Oral examination (group or individual, max. 15 minutes per exam)Grades Grading of the entire module according to § 28 General Provisions Duration des Moduls One Semester Frequency of Module Usually once per academic year Begin of Module Wintersemester or Sommersemester Module coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bock Practice of Trial Monitoring
Credit Points 12 LP Contents and Qualification Objectives In this module, students conduct active trial monitoring.
Upon successful completion, they will be able to:
- independently observe trials with relevance to international criminal law, document their observations in written reports, and highlight procedural particularities;
- reflect on and contextualize both the trial observations and the reports produced;
- identify the specific challenges of international criminal proceedings and develop interdisciplinary, well-founded approaches to address them.Teaching and Learning Methods, Course Types Project group meetings, workshop, and trial observation Workload Project group meetings, workshop, and trial observation presence and afterwork (100h)
Exam preparation and exam (60h)
Language of instruction and examination (if applicable) German/ English Prerequisites for participation Successful completion of the module “Fundamentals of Trial Monitoring” Prerequisites for ECTS credit allocation Coursework (Studienleistung):
Attendance at 10 trial days
Participation in a total of 6 project group meetings
Participation in a legal psychology workshopModule Examination (Modulprüfung):
Oral examination during a project group meeting (presentation of one trial day)
Grades Grading of the entire module according to § 28 General Provisions Duration of Module one or two semesters Frequency of Module Usually once per academic year Beginn of Module
Wintersemester or Sommersemester Module coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bock Team leadership Trial Monitoring
Credit points 6 LP Contents and Qualification Objectives In this module, students are introduced to the active management of a trial monitoring team.
Upon successful completion, they will be able to:
- independently lead trial monitoring teams;
- compile trial reports and produce daily summaries;
- contextualize trial and daily reports within the framework of the observed proceedings.Teaching and Learning Methods, Course Types Project group meetings, workshop, and trial observation Workload Project group meetings, workshop, and trial observation presence and afterwork (100h)
Exam preparation and exam (60h)
Language of instruction and examination (if applicable) German / English Prerequisites for participation Successful completion of the module “Practice of Trial Monitoring”
Application and selection for team leadership
Prerequisites for ECTS credit allocation Coursework (Studienleistung):
Leadership of a trial monitoring team on 5 to 10 trial days
Participation in a total of 9 project group meetings
Participation in the workshop “Team Leadership in Trial Monitoring”Module Examination (Modulprüfung):
Compilation of a daily report
Grades Grading of the entire module according to § 28 General Provisions Duration of Module one or two semesters Frequency of Module Usually once per academic year Begin of Module Wintersemester or Sommersemester Module coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bock
Training programme until the winter semester 2024/25
Those who have started the monitoring training up to winter semester 2024/25 have the following options to earn the key qualification, a certificate, and the monitoring certificate:
Key qualification (Law)
- Attendance of workshops
- Lecture on the fundamentals of criminal procedure law
- Regular participation in project group meetings
- 5 trial days
12 ECTS-certificate
- Attendance of workshops
- Lecture on the fundamentals of criminal procedure law
- Lecture on International Criminal Law – Fundamentals with written exam
- Seminar with term paper
- Regular participation in project group meetings
- 5 trial days
Monitoring-certificate | 18 ECTS- certificate
- Attendance of workshops
- Lecture on the fundamentals of criminal procedure law
- Lecture on International Criminal Law – Fundamentals with written exam
- Lecture on International Criminal Law – Advanced (or equivalent) with written exam
- Seminar with term paper
- Regular participation in project group meetings
- 10 trial days