The aim:
1. Acquiring basic knowledge relating to the principles of criminal law.
2. Acquiring basic knowledge about the structure of crime and the principles of criminal liability in a comparative law context.
3. Acquiring basic knowledge about the temporal principles of application of criminal law.
4. Acquiring basic knowledge regarding guarantees in the field of substantive criminal law arising from the ECHR.

Acquired knowledge:
1. Student has knowledge about the place of criminal law in the legal system.
2. Student knows the basic principles of substantive criminal law and has knowledge of the rules for interpreting the provisions of substantive criminal law.
3. Student has knowledge about the structure of a crime and the principles of responsibility for a crime.
4. Student has basic knowledge of the temporal principles of application of criminal law.
5. Student has basic knowledge of guarantees in the field of substantive criminal law arising from the ECHR.

Acquired skills:
1.Student is able to identify a given act as a crime and determine its features.
2. Student is able to perform a criminal law analysis of the presented facts using legal provisions and court decisions.
3. Student is able to compare criminal law institutions from different legal systems and formulate proposals to improve them.

Acquired social skills:
1. Student is able to publicly present the results of his or her analysis of the problem.
2. Student understands the importance of changes taking place in criminal law and the mutual impact of different legal systems.
3. Student understands the importance of the foundations and goals of criminalization.

Course contents: 
1. Introduction to the subject. Basic information about criminal law.
2. Basic information about the ECHR and ECtHR.
3. The concept and structure of crime.
4. Principles of substantive criminal law.
5. Prohibition of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
6. Signs of the objective side (actus reus).
7. The right to freedom and personal security. Detention.
8. Characteristics of the subjective side (mens rea).
9. Circumstances excluding criminal liability.
10. The right to a fair trial (part 1).
11. Stage forms of committing a crime. Participation in an organized criminal group.
12. Forms of criminal cooperation.
13. The right to a fair trial (part 2).
14. The principle of nullum crimen sine lege – analysis of case law.
15. Summary classes.

Recommended reading: 
1. Principles of Criminal Law, A. Ashworth, Oxford University Press. Oxford 2009.
2. Simester and Sullivan’s Criminal Law. Theory and Doctrine, A. P. Simester, J. R. Spencer, G. R. Sullivan, G. J. Virgo, Hart Publishing. Oxford and Portland, Oregon 2010.
3. Principles of Criminal Law, W. R. LaFave, West, a Thomson Reuters business. Minnesota 2010.

Additional reading: 
1. Judiciaries within Europe. A Comparative Review, J. Bell, Cambridge University Press. Cambridge 2006.
2. Handbook of Polish Law, W. Dajczak, A. Szwarc, P. Wiliński (red.), Wydawnictwo Szkolne PWN. Warszawa 2011.
3. Criminal Law, W. R. LaFave, West, a Thomson Reuters business. Minnesota 2010.