Joint master's degree in Business Law with Université Catholique de Lille (Paris campus)
LL.M. Business Law: Franco-German and European joint degree
In winter semester 2019–20, the University of Passau introduced a German-French master's programme in cooperation with the renowned private Université Catholique de Lille. The programme is taught in three languages – German, English and French – in Passau and Paris and specialises in business law.
Features
- Master's degree (LL.M.) from the Université Catholique de Lille
- Two semesters are spent in Paris (Issy-les-Moulineaux)
- Duration: four semesters (undergraduates) or two semesters, if you have completed the First State Examination for Jurists (Erste Juristische Prüfung)
- Part-time programme: work for law firms and companies as part of the study programme
- Focus on German, French and European commercial law
- Lessons taught in three languages: German, English and French
- Tuition fees are paid in full by employers during your studies
- After graduating from this programme you will have the formal admission requirements for the French bar exam (examen du barreau).
About the programme
German students will usually begin the programme after completing the First State Examination for Jurists (Staatsexamen) and spend one academic year studying at the Université Catholique de Lille on its Paris campus (Issy-les-Moulineaux), attending courses taught in three languages. There, they will split their time between attending taught courses and working at companies or law firms working on Franco-German or wider European legal matters.
As an alternative entry route, students who are in their fourth year of study in Passau and have passed the intermediate examination (Zwischenprüfung) can attend courses on German, French and European business law, taught in three languages, together with their French fellow students in Passau and complete compulsory internships at companies or law firms for five months during the semester break. Doing so enables them to proceed with the subsequent academic year in Paris without having completed the State Examination.
Degree awarded
- Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Franco-German and European Business Law (awarded by Université Catholique de Lille in cooperation with Université Toulouse 1 Capitole)
- Certificate of achievement for the academic year in Passau if no German State Examination has been successfully attempted
Curriculum and programme structure
1st SEMESTER | HOURS | ECTS CREDITS |
Introductory Module | ||
Commercial law | 24h | 5 |
Europe et relations franco-allemandes (Europe and Franco-German relations) | 24h | 3.5 |
European Law Module (2 subjects of your choice = 7.5 ECTS credits) | ||
VHB: European trade and investment policy & external trade law | 24h | 5 |
European Business Law | 24h | 5 |
EU Antitrust Law | 12h | 2.5 |
International Law Module (1 subject of your choice) | ||
Law of International Commercial Transactions I & II: Basic Principles of Conflict of Laws and CISG * | 24h | 5 |
European and international monetary law * | 24h | 5 |
National Law Module (1 subject of your choice) | ||
Droit des contrats (French contract law) | 24h | 5 |
VHB: Economic administrative law and economic constitutional law * | 24h | 5 |
Labour law (individual labour law) | 24h | 5 |
Partnership law and the fundamentals of GmbH law | 36h | 5 |
Capital markets law | 36h | 5 |
Unfair competition law | 24h | 5 |
Languages (2 of your choice) | ||
Legal German terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 2 |
Legal French terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 2 |
Legal English | 16h | 2 |
Work experience in a company | ||
Semester 1 overall |
| 30 |
2nd SEMESTER | HOURS | ECTS CREDITS |
Introductory Module | ||
Law of corporations with European legal implications | 48h | 5 |
European Law Module (1 or 2 subjects of your choice = 7.5 ECTS credits) | ||
Droit européen des affaires (European business law) | 24h | 2.5 |
Consolidation of the law of partnerships and corporations with European legal references | 24h | 5 |
EU state aid law | 12 h | 2.5 |
European and International Law | 24h | 5 |
International Law Module (1 or 2 subjects of your choice = 5 ECTS credits) | ||
World Trade Law | 24h | 5 |
International and European tax law | 24h | 5 |
Law relating to international commercial transactions III: Special types of transactions * | 12h | 2.5 |
International private commercial law | 12 h | 2.5 |
European and international monetary law * | 24h | 5 |
National Law Module (1 or 2 subjects of your choice = 5 ECTS credits) | ||
VHB: Economic administrative law and economic constitutional law * | 24h | 5 |
Commercial law proceedings | 12h | 2.5 |
Alternative dispute resolution | 12h | 2.5 |
Antitrust law | 36h | 5 |
Commercial criminal law | 24h | 5 |
Languages (2 of your choice) | ||
Legal German terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 2 |
Legal French terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 2 |
Legal English | 16h | 2 |
Work experience in a company | ||
Evaluation/professionalisation |
| 3.5 |
Semester 2 overall |
| 30 |
* If the course is taken in the first semester, it must be continued in the second semester
1st SEMESTER | HOURS | ECTS CREDITS |
Introductory Module | ||
Droit européen de la concurrence + TD (European Fair Trading Law) | 24h | 4 |
Droit des sûretés (French credit security law) | 24h | 4 |
Droit des obligations (French law of obligations) | 24h | 4 |
Europe et relations franco-allemandes (Europe and Franco-German relations) | 14h | 2 |
European Law Module | ||
Contentieux européen des affaires (European commercial procedural law) | 18h | 3 |
Droit social européen (European social law) | 18h | 3 |
Franco-German Comparative Law Module | ||
Droit pénal des affaires comparé (comparative economic criminal law) | 18h | 2 |
Contentieux des affaires (commercial procedural law) | 18h | 2 |
Company law – Droit des sociétés français | 18h | 2 |
National Law Module (Droit international privé + 1 subject of your choice) | ||
Droit international privé (French Private International Law) | 24h | 1 |
International arbitration * | 16h | 1 |
Droit de la concurrence (French Fair Trading Law) | 16h | 1 |
Languages (2 of your choice) | ||
Legal German terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 1 |
Legal French terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 1 |
Legal English | 16h | 1 |
Work experience in a company | ||
Semester 1 overall |
| 30 |
2nd SEMESTER | HOURS | ECTS CREDITS |
Introductory Module | ||
Law of obligations | 24h | 4 |
Droit des sûretés (French credit security law) | 24h | 4 |
European Law Module | ||
Contentieux européen des affaires (European commercial procedural law) | 18h | 3 |
Applicabilité du droit privé européen (Applicability of European private law) | 18h | 3 |
Droit international et européen des fusions-acquisitions (International and European law on mergers and acquisitions) | 18h | 3 |
Franco-German Comparative Law Module (2 subjects of your choice) | ||
Propriété intellectuelle comparée (Comparative intellectual property law) | 18h | 2 |
Droit fiscal des affaires comparé (Comparative business tax law) | 18h | 2 |
International arbitration (International arbitration) | 18h | 2 |
National Law Module (2 subjects of your choice) | ||
International arbitration * | 16h | 1 |
Credit insurance law | 16h | 1 |
Procédures collectives (French insolvency law) | 16h | 1 |
Languages (2 of your choice) | ||
Legal German terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 1 |
Legal French terminology and expression (as a foreign language) | 16h | 1 |
Legal English | 16h | 1 |
Work experience in a company | ||
Evaluation/professionalisation |
| 5 |
Semester 2 overall |
| 30 |
* If the course is taken in the first semester, it must be continued in the second semester
Students after the First Examination in Law study part-time on the Paris campus (Issy-les-Moulineaux) of the Université Catholique de Lille, i.e. they have half a week's tuition each and work in companies for the other half of the week.
Students who have not completed the First Legal Examination complete the first two semesters together with their French fellow students at the University of Passau. During the semester break, they complete compulsory internships of a total duration of five months as part of the course of studies.
Tuition Fees and student finance
Tuition fees at the Université Catholique de Lille are paid in full by the companies and law firms, who additionally pay the student an additional salary during the year in Paris.
Furthermore, Erasmus+ funding (as well as other scholarship programmes) is available in principle, provided the student is still enrolled at the University of Passau (i.e. only before completing the First State Examination for Jurists).
Career prospects
Those graduating from this master's programme set themselves apart by their in-depth knowledge of German, French and European business law, proven mastery of German, English and French legal terminology and legal professional experience in Germany and France. This makes them particularly attractive for law firms, companies, international organisations and non-governmental organisations with contacts to or offices in Germany or France. The entire programme is completed part-time and therefore ensures early integration into the labour market. Graduates also meet the formal admission requirements for the French bar exam (examen du barreau). Furthermore, students are supported in their professional integration by the careers centres of both law faculties in Germany and France. In all, the programme opens up excellent career prospects for graduates, especially in Franco-German business and legal relations.
Eligibility and application process
The programme starts in winter semester (October) each year. The application deadline for students for whom Passau is the home university is 15 January.
There are 10 places available per year.
You qualify for the programme if:
- you have passed the First State Examination for Jurists (Staatsexamen) (this will allow you to take the one-year programme) or
- you have a passed your intermediate legal examination (Zwischenprüfung) at the University of Passau and/or you have a Licence en Droit or a Bachelor of Laws or equivalent (this will allow you to take the two-year programme), and
- you have German, French and English language skills (at least at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
You submit your application via the application portal of the International Office:
Your applicaiton should include:
- a letter of motivation in English (1–2 A4 pages in length),
- a curriculum vitae
- two certificates of enrolment in the law undergraduate programme
- proof of language proficiency in German, English and French (at least level B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages; languages indicated on your Abitur certificate fulfil this requirement)
- your HISQIS excerpt and
- proof that you have passed the intermediate legal examination, the First State Examination for Jurists, or a Licence en Droit.
Students who have been offered a place by our partner university, Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, must apply by 30 August to the International Office of the University of Passau for admission as an exchange student.
Ms Stefanie Dallmeier is your contact person for administrative matters and Professor Thomas Riehm for questions regarding the content of your studies.
Ms Stefanie Dallmeier
Room VW 108
Innstrasse 41
Phone: +49 851 509 1161
stefanie.dallmeier@uni-passau.de
Professor Thomas Riehm
Room JUR 310
Innstrasse 39
Phone: +49 851 509 2240
lehrstuhl.riehm@uni-passau.de
Further details on the programme can be found in the infosheet from the Academic Advice Service (German) and on the website of Université Catholique de Lille.
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