Today’s post features highlights from a tour the Norwegian blogger, Marianne, and I had recently of the law faculty. Emilie Melbø Kristoffersen, a member of the board of the Juridisk studentutvalg or JSU (the law student committee), acted as our patient tour-guide.

 

Emilie and the Law Faculty

Emilie is her 3rd year at UiB’s law faculty. She is originally from east Norway, and came to Bergen for law school. She has not surrendered to the lack of snow and general raininess. She has one more year here in the inclement weather of Bergen, and then she hopes to study abroad in her 5th and final year (she’s been eyeing Australia with interest for both education and weather opportunities).  One thing she particularly enjoys about UiB’s law programme is its structured nature. Unlike some programmes which rely on more student-directed self-study, it offers concrete assignments and deadlines that she feels facilitate her learning well. She also enjoys the group work that is involved in the programme and that students help assess each others work. She looks forward to being a student mentor for the first year law students in the Fall Semester.

 

Having your photo taken by two bloggers simultaneously can be awkward. It is a simple and oft-told truth. Photo: Stand Hiestand

JSU

In addition to her future mentorship of incoming first year law students, Emilie is already involved in student life in the law faculty. One of her favorite places in the faculty is the JSU office (see below). JSU in Bergen’s Facebook describes their organization as one that works to promote students’ vision concerning the study environment, teaching, and operations at the law faculty. Emilie notes the office also sells useful items for students like markers, notebooks and locker rental. They also offer waffle Fridays (last Friday of the month)! Make sure to watch their Facebook page for waffles or law student-related events and opportunities.

 

Classrooms

The auditoriums in the law faculty are often used for courses. International students are often introduced to these auditoriums as their first experience of the UiB campus, as they generally house the ‘Introductory Programme‘. If you haven’t already seen them, check them out below.

 

Photo: Eivind Senneset Image: http://www.uib.no/node/81576

Image: http://www.uib.no/en/node/all/news-archive?page=395

Study Areas

The law school boasts many floors of reading and group-work rooms. You can rent a locker so you don’t have to lug your law books all over the place. Just remember to take your belongings out at the end of the semester! Photo: Stand Hiestand

 

A solo-student in a group study room. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

Group study rooms (top left), computer room (top left), and a group room that may also be used for smaller classes (bottom). Photo: Stand Hiestand 

 

A classic place to study! The law library, convenient located in the faculty. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

Emilie’s favorite study spot, at the back of the library. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

One of many reading rooms. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

Student meeting-places

Behind this forbidding door is an event space that sees a fair amount of student activities/parties throughout the semester. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

The cafeteria’s seating area, featuring gorgeous views is the ultimate meeting place for students. If you want a seat, Emilie suggests showing up before 11am or after 12pm. It’s popular! Photo: Stand Hiestand 

When the cafeteria closes, this handy second kiosk opens up to cater to students studying in the evenings. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

One final note about a JSU sponsored campaign that encourages law students to take a deep breath and relax about grades: Juss Pust. Juss Pust is trying to reduce the stress and pressure students put on themselves to achieve the top grades and be satisfied with nothing else. I put it here in the student meeting places, because it is an opportunity for students to reprioritize from a ‘studies only’ attitude. Photo: Stand Hiestand 

 

For more information about UiB’s faculty of law, you can take a look at their website here.

For information about law courses taught in English, click here.