LAW118 Constitutional Law II
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Feb 02, 2026
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Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Law
Mirza Ljubović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This required course introduces the students to the realm of constitution, complements, completes, and reinforces the instructional materials on the topic. Four themes elaborated in the course are: (1) constitution-making and redesign, (2) constitutional structure and foreign influence, (3) state obligations relating to protecting individual rights, (4) constitutional endurance, (5) legislative-executive relations, (6) the role of courts in constitutional interpretation.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
1. Tushnet, Mark. Advanced Introduction to Comparative Constitutional Law (Edward Elgar, 2014) 2. Ginsburg and Dixon, eds., Comparative Constitutional Law (Edward Elgar, 2011)
Additional Literature
Other materials to be provided by the instructor.Teaching Methods
The course will involve a combination of lectures
Class discussions
And excursion trip.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | Material provided by the instructor |
| 2 | Comparative Constitutional Law - History and Contours | 1. Chap. 1 |
| 3 | Constitution Making | 1. Chap. 2 |
| 4 | Constitutional drafting and external influence | 2. Chap. 5 |
| 5 | Constitutional amendment rules; quiz | 2. Chap. 6 |
| 6 | Constitutional Endurance | 2. Chap. 7 |
| 7 | The formation of constitutional identities; preparation for midterm exam | 2. Chap. 8 |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | Covers the preceding materials |
| 9 | Legislative-executive relations; Political parties and constitutionalism | 2. Chap. 12, 14 |
| 10 | The rise of specialized constitutional courts | 2. Chap. 15 |
| 11 | The interplay of constitutional and ordinary jurisdiction | 2. Chap. 16 |
| 12 | Federalism, devolution and secession: from classical to post-conflict federalism | 2. Chap. 20 |
| 13 | The structure and scope of constitutional rights | 2. Chap. 21 |
| 14 | Excursion Trip | TBA |
| 15 | Final exam preparation, Presentations | Covers the preceding materials |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAW118.1 | Course | Tuesday 09:00 - 12:50 | A F2.8 - Classroom | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | 09:00 - 14:00 | A F2.23 | Online |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Midterm
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4 5
Research Paper
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Tutorials
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Quiz 1
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
Quiz 2
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
Midterm
20 hours ⏳ (5 week × 4 h)
Final Exam
20 hours ⏳ (5 week × 4 h)
Research Paper
10 hours ⏳ (1 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [LAW118] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Feb 02, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| LAW118 | Constitutional Law II | 2 | 2 | 6 | Tuesday 09:00-12:50h | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mirza Ljubović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Friday: 9:00-14:00 Online |
|||||||
| mljubovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | hskose@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This required course introduces the students to the realm of constitution, complements, completes, and reinforces the instructional materials on the topic. Four themes elaborated in the course are: (1) constitution-making and redesign, (2) constitutional structure and foreign influence, (3) state obligations relating to protecting individual rights, (4) constitutional endurance, (5) legislative-executive relations, (6) the role of courts in constitutional interpretation. | |||||||||
| Textbook | 1. Tushnet, Mark. Advanced Introduction to Comparative Constitutional Law (Edward Elgar, 2014) 2. Ginsburg and Dixon, eds., Comparative Constitutional Law (Edward Elgar, 2011) | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | The course will involve a combination of lectures, class discussions, and excursion trip. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction | Material provided by the instructor | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Comparative Constitutional Law - History and Contours | 1. Chap. 1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Constitution Making | 1. Chap. 2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Constitutional drafting and external influence | 2. Chap. 5 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Constitutional amendment rules; quiz | 2. Chap. 6 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Constitutional Endurance | 2. Chap. 7 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | The formation of constitutional identities; preparation for midterm exam | 2. Chap. 8 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | Covers the preceding materials | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Legislative-executive relations; Political parties and constitutionalism | 2. Chap. 12, 14 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | The rise of specialized constitutional courts | 2. Chap. 15 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | The interplay of constitutional and ordinary jurisdiction | 2. Chap. 16 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Federalism, devolution and secession: from classical to post-conflict federalism | 2. Chap. 20 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | The structure and scope of constitutional rights | 2. Chap. 21 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Excursion Trip | TBA | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final exam preparation, Presentations | Covers the preceding materials | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm | 1 | 30 | 1-3 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 2 | 20 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 2-5 | Not Allowed | |
| Research Paper | 1 | 10 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 15 | 30 | Tutorials | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Quiz 1 | 10 | 2 | 20 | Quiz 2 | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||
| Midterm | 4 | 5 | 20 | Final Exam | 4 | 5 | 20 | |||
| Research Paper | 10 | 1 | 10 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 23/02/2026 | |||||||||