Master of Laws (LL.M.)

Read more about the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program
Brochure on the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program (only available in German)

The program has a modular structure. It consists of one mandatory module in Law as well as one elective module in Law and one in Business Administration/Economics respectively. In the third semester, students can choose to study abroad at one of our partner universities. Instead, they can also choose to attend lectures in English (in the fields of business and economic law and/or business administration and economics) or participate in courses that teach key competences. A master’s thesis is required to complete the program.

The program is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on a curriculum that not only teaches the basics of business and economic law while maintaining a level that corresponds to a master’s degree, but that is also tailored to the requirements of the labor market. During your studies, you can focus either on Tax and Accounting or on Human Resources, allowing you to develop an individual profile. Both areas are always explored from both a legal and a business perspective.

As you can can either opt to integrate a semester abroad into your studies or take the international elective module, you will also look at your subject through an intercultural lens.

The Master of Laws program is one of the few two-year master's programs in Law taught full-time at the university level in Germany. With the Department of Law’s focus on business and economic law in research and teaching and the Business School’s outstanding courses, the University of Mannheim offers students with a bachelor’s degree in Law excellent opportunities to acquire additional qualifications.

By selecting labor and tax law as the program’s focus subjects, the Department of Law has responded to private sector demand for specialized employees. In the past few years, demand for lawyers with additional qualifications in business administration and economics or business economists with sound legal knowledge has significantly increased. Previous graduates’ successful careers testify to this development.

The University of Mannheim, which has one of the most beautiful campuses in Germany, provides excellent study conditions. The Department of Law has, once again, been ranked highly in the latest CHE University Ranking. It did especially well with regards to teaching, and received top grades in eleven of the 19 categories, including “overall study situation”, “organization of studies”, “teacher support”, and “career orientation” (take a look at the rankings).

Graduates of the Master of Laws program can choose between many different professions and are particularly sought after for positions that combine law with business administration.

If they specialize in Tax and Accounting, they are particularly qualified to work as tax advisors or auditors.

If they specialize in Human Resources, jobs with staff-related activities are a perfect fit for them. They often work in HR departments or as human resources officers.

Students of the Master of Laws program should:

Students, particularly those specializing in “Tax and Accounting”, should enjoy mathematics as this is part of the courses in Business Administration.

Module catalog
The module catalog, which is only available in German, gives you an overview of the courses and their content.

Studying abroad
The Department of Law has a large and comprehensive network of partner universities around the world, and can advise you on planning a period of study abroad. The ideal point in time to spend a semester abroad is the third semester. If you want to spend more than one semester abroad, it is also possible to integrate a longer period of study abroad into your program. Please contact the international coordinators at the Department of Law for further advice. Even though spending a semester abroad is optional, it is taken into account in the regular degree plan.

Internships
According to the examination regulations, students don’t have to do an internship during their studies. However, we recommend you to complete an internship during the semester break. The Department of Law helps you find suitable companies through the Career Network of the University of Mannheim and by publishing internships related to the program on the website of the Department of Law. It is possible to write your master's thesis while interning with a company. Your thesis supervisor will be from the University of Mannheim; he or she will, however, cooperate with your supervisor at the respective company.

Sample course schedule
This is how your course schedule for the four semesters could look (only available in German).

Students who wish to earn a doctorate from the University of Mannheim must have completed their master’s program with a final grade that meets the admission requirements. They must also find a supervisor. For comprehensive information on pursuing a doctoral degree, please see the regulations and procedures governing the doctoral dissertation (only available in German).

Applicants need to have a bachelor’s degree in Law to be admitted to the Master of Laws. A degree in a different field is sufficient if it requires students to obtain at least 16 ECTS credits in law subjects and if it is recognized as equivalent by the admissions committee.

Selection
We take a variety of criteria into account in our selection process:

• the final grade achieved in your first degree or the final grade you are currently expected to achieve,
• letter of motivation,
• any relevant work experience, stays abroad, awards, or voluntary work,
• any outstanding academic achievements.

Language requirements
You must have a good command of English. We accept the following as proof of language proficiency:

• the successful completion of a program of study at a higher education institution with English as the language of instruction and examination and a duration of at least one year,
• a higher education entrance qualification from a school with English as the language of instruction after at least one year of school,
• a certificate of the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT) with a score of at least 90 points,
• a certificate of the International English Language Testing System – Academic Test (IELTS) with an overall band score of at least 6.5,
• an equivalent result of a test recognized as comparable. The admissions committee shall decide on the comparability of the test individually.

In addition, you must also prove your proficiency in German on C1 level.

Conditional admission
If you have not yet completed your bachelor’s program by the application deadline, you may still be admitted to the master’s program as long as you provide proof that you have obtained at least 135 ECTS credits. In this case, your admission to the program is subject to receipt of your degree certificate by the first exam registration period in the master's program (refer to selection statutes).

Selection statutes
You can find the exact requirements for the program in the selection statutes, which are only available in German.