Fundamental Notions of Law

Code:

CINF051

Acronym:

NFD

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Social Science

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
E-learning page:	https://moodle.up.pt/
Responsible unit:	Department of Germanic Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor of Arts in Information Science

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CINF	44	Study plan	2	-	6	41	162

Teaching language

Portuguese
Obs.: Desaconselhado a estudantes s/ domínio do Português.

Objectives

This UC intends to provide a legal-scientific perception of the vast field of intervention of the State and other legal persons. More specifically, it is intended to provide students with the essential tools that allow them to gain knowledge of the Portuguese Public Administration and the legal regime that is applicable to it, with a view to entering the job market in the area of Information Science within the framework of the transition digital.

Learning outcomes and competences

The present Curricular Unit aims to provide the students to achieve the competences and perform tasks in an autonomous and informed way in order to:

1. Distinguish between legal regimes of Public Law and Private Law, in order to be able, especially in a professional context in the public or private sector, to contribute to the resolution of problems with a legal dimension;
2. Apply to information science the legal regime regarding the protection of personal data and privacy, especially in the digital environment;
3. To know, explain and apply the mechanisms that the law provides for access to, and reuse of, administrative documentation;
4. Understand the interactions between the legal regimes of the right to information and the right of communication and the limits of freedom of expression and public use of information;
5. To know the applicable legal regime concerning Data Protection, with emphasis on the new rights, guarantees and legal entities, thereby understanding the impact of this Regulation for Information Science.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Public Law: fundamental notions

1.1. The distinction between Public Law and Private Law

1.2. Theory of the State: focus on the functions of the State

1.3. The Public Law Legal Relationship

1.4. Public Organization Theory: the Portuguese Public Administration

1. European Union Law: basic concepts


2. Information Law and Information Society: basic concepts


3. Portuguese law and access to procedural and administrative information


4. Privacy, Data Protection and the Law

5.1. Basic concepts

5.2. The national dimension of data protection

Mandatory literature

Isa António; Manual Teórico-Prático de Direito Administrativo, Almedina, 2021. ISBN: 9789724097886
Filipa Urbano Calvão, Catarina Santos Botelho, Manuel Fontaine Campos; Introdução ao Direito Público (5ª Edição - Reimpressão 2022), Almedina, 2022

Complementary Bibliography

PAIS, Sofia Oliveira; Direito da União Europeia – legislação e jurisprudência fundamentais, Quid Iuris editora, 2016
A. Barreto Menezes Cordeiro; Direito da Proteção de Dados- À luz do RGPD e da Lei n.º 58/2019, Almedina, 2020
Mário Aroso de Almeida; Teoria Geral do Direito Administrativo, 2022. ISBN: 9789894003052
Sofia Oliveira PAIS; Estudos de Direito da União Europeia, Almedina, 2022

Teaching methods and learning activities

1. Lectures, with discussion of ideas and the expression of well-founded opinion, using didactic materials collected in the media, including social networks/social media.


2. Analysis of legislation and jurisprudence.


3. Critical analysis and legal resolution of cases (practical exercises).


4. Presentation and discussion of group projects in class.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	50,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	121,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Concerning that provided for in Article 9 of the FLUP Evaluation Regulations, it is emphasized that the present UC is not conditional on obtaining frequency.

Calculation formula of final grade

Calculation Formula:Weekly Learning Diary (10%)+Group Project (40%)+Final Test (50%) = 100%

NB: the non-completion of any of the components, or conclusion that does not comply with the requirements defined respectively, results in the attribution of zero values with reference to the respective component.

Examinations or Special Assignments

N/A

Internship work/project

N/A

Classification improvement

Is ruled by Article 12 of the "Regulamento de Avaliação da FLUP".

Observations

The modality that results from the provisions of article 4, paragraph 1, al. c): (a) to students who are recognized with ENEE status; and, (b) to other students as long as they fulfill the necessary requirements and express this intention to the UC professor on a date compatible with the FLUP schedule