The Insper Law undergraduate program has reached an essential milestone in its trajectory: the highest grade (5) in the recognition assessment by the Ministry of Education (MEC). The achievement, officially announced in early March 2025, confirms the academic excellence of the undergraduate program and attests to the solidity of a pedagogical project carefully designed to meet the contemporary challenges of legal education.

 

The recognition assessment is a mandatory step for all higher education programs in Brazil, occurring when the program has completed approximately 75% of its total workload. The review conducted by MEC is extensive and thorough, considering factors such as the infrastructure of the institution, the qualification of the faculty, the planning and execution of the curriculum, and the consistency of the pedagogical project.

 

“The MEC grade is an essential validation for educational institutions and a relevant source of information for students and society. Achieving the highest grade both at the opening and recognition stages of the program is a great source of pride for all of us,” says Professor Maria Carolina Foss, Program Director of the undergraduate program in Law at Insper.

 

The program had already received the highest grade during the MEC authorization visit under the academic coordination of Professor Rafael Bellem de Lima when it was created in 2021. Now, with the first cohort approaching graduation at the end of 2025, the recognition consolidates the quality of education and reinforces the school's commitment to academic innovation.

 

 

Training for the future of Law

 

From the outset, the pedagogical project of the Insper program was built based on extensive research with law firms, companies, justice system institutions, and civil society organizations. The school's aim is to train professionals capable of navigating with confidence through different areas of Law and acting with leadership in a constantly changing market.

 

“Our curriculum is multidisciplinary and integrated. For example, we have courses in data science, microeconomics, accounting, and other areas that are not normally part of the traditional Law curriculum,” explains Maria Carolina. “Today's professional needs to be prepared to deal with complex and interdisciplinary issues. From the beginning, choices were made with the competencies students will need in 2030, 2040 in mind.”

 

The program focuses on training professionals capable of understanding and evaluating the social and economic consequences of legal norms, as well as formulating creative legislative, contractual, and organizational solutions. Throughout the ten-semester undergraduate program, students are trained to discuss the reasons underpinning the norms, reflecting on concrete societal problems.

 

The minimum workload per semester is 400 hours, with the first eight semesters being full-time. During the first six semesters, students complete the required courses. From the seventh semester onward, they have access to elective courses and can undertake supervised internships and develop the Final Project (TCC).

 

 

Learning to learn, always

 

Another highlight of the Insper Law undergraduate program is the emphasis on teaching-learning methodologies that promote intellectual autonomy. The program is structured so that students develop strong analytical and empirical skills, improve their argumentative, oral, and written abilities, and, above all, learn to learn continuously.

 

“Insper bets on academic excellence, solid cultural education, and the pluralism of its students’ training and activities,” emphasizes Maria Carolina. “We are clear that learning happens in the student, and we direct our efforts to enable them to be the protagonist of their development.”

 

Additionally, students can enrich their education through joint activities with other undergraduate programs at the school, such as Business Administration, Economics, Engineering and Computer Science. Insper also offers the option of double degrees with Business Administration and Economics, which broadens the professional opportunities for future graduates.

 

 

Practical legal experience from the beginning of the undergraduate program

 

Practical experience is one of the pillars of the program and, at Insper, it is conducted integrated with academic training, with active participation from the school itself at all stages. “At Insper, we make sure that practical teaching is present from the freshman year, with activities guided by our professors and developed in partnership with market organizations,” explains Professor Ivar Hartmann, who coordinates the Legal Practice Clinics for undergraduates.

 

Students participate in clinics throughout the program, in addition to a Legal Practice Project that functions as a pre-internship, conducted in the final years. In these activities, they work in small groups to solve real problems presented by various clients, such as law firms, public bodies, companies, and banks. All of this under the supervision of experienced tutors.

 

“The experience allows students to develop essential skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and practical application of knowledge acquired in the classroom,” highlights Ivar. “In addition, we have specific clinics, such as one focused on data applied to Law, where students even develop legal software.”

 

The Legal Practice Project, in turn, occurs in the junior and senior year, when the students already have a solid knowledge base and engage in more complex activities, many of which are carried out in person with the course partners.

 

Another central aspect of Insper's proposal lies in the profile of the faculty. Unlike most Law undergraduate programs in the country, which have professors for whom teaching is a secondary activity, Insper's programs have a faculty comprised, for the most part, of full-time professors. “This means that they are professionals who really have time to think about the limits and frontiers of their area, keeping the course always updated,” explains Ivar.

 

 

Forming legal leaders and entrepreneurs

 

Beyond techniques and content, Insper's vision for the undergraduate program in Law is to train professionals prepared to lead and innovate. “I believe that, in 20 or 30 years, we will be recognized as the Law school that forms legal entrepreneurs,” projects Ivar Hartmann. “People who create new avenues, innovate, and disrupt the legal market.”

 

The school bets on an education that does not just prepare future lawyers or professionals for public exams — although these careers are also among the possibilities for students. The focus is on forming professionals capable of navigating different contexts, from corporate law to public management, from public defenders to civil society organizations, and, of course, entrepreneurship.

 

For Maria Carolina Foss, the MEC's recognition crowns a collective effort and reaffirms Insper's commitment to legal education of excellence and social impact. “The program was built and has been implemented with great care, maintaining a balance between innovation and academic rigor, always with a strong connection to the market and the demands of society,” she concludes.