Programme Structure

Here you will find an overview of the six standard semesters of the Bachelor’s programme, including the examinations to be taken in each section and a brief description of the semester. You can find an example of the programme structure in the study plan.

If, in addition to the LL.B., you are also aiming to take the First State Examination in Law (‘1. Staatsexamen’), you can also structure your Bachelor’s programme to prepare you for subsequent law studies. The option of studying both programmes in parallel is explained in more detail under ‘Admission requirements and application’. For further information or if you have any questions regarding your individual study plan, please feel free to contact us.

Please note: The curriculum is not a mandatory requirement, but rather a recommendation. It is possible to tailor the order in which courses are taken – subject to any admission requirements for the individual courses (see in particular the module descriptions in the examination regulations).

Semester Overview

  • 1st Semester

    Courses to be taken: 

    • German-language modules
      • Introduction and General Provisions of the Civil Code
      • Roman Basics of European Private Rights
    • English-language modules 
      • Common Law Legal System
      • Introduction to Common Law Constitutionalism
    • English language course
      • English for Law Students

    In private law, the programme begins with the legal foundations and the general part of the BGB. Students thus acquire fundamental knowledge of the structure of a private law system.  In addition, the foundations of common law private law as well as German and European private law are taught. A general introduction to the common law legal system serves as a foundation for understanding the approach that differs from the German system, in particular the greater focus on case law. This is supplemented by the core module on the Roman basics of European private rights. In public law, students learn the fundamentals of common law constitutional law as a basis for their subsequent in-depth study of the common law.

  • 2nd semester

    Courses to be taken:

    • German-language modules
      • German and European Constitutional Law I
      • European Constitutional History
    • English-language modules
      • Public International Law
      • Common Law of Tort
      • Common Law of Contract
      • Constitutional Law (US or UK)
    • English language course
      • Conversation and Presentation Skills for Lawyers

    In private law, building on the first semester, students acquire more advanced knowledge of private law in the common law system. In public law, students examine the fundamentals of the German and European ‘state organisation’, i.e. the principles, structure and procedures of the Federal Republic of Germany and the EU. Particular emphasis is placed on the innovative linking of national and European issues, which enables a direct comparison and the identification of common structures right from the beginning of the course, thereby promising a deeper understanding of the various systems. This is complemented by the module ‘European Constitutional History’, in which students examine the common roots of European constitutions in greater detail. Building on the foundations of common law constitutionalism, the English-language modules cover the fundamentals of international law and constitutional law in the UK or the USA.

  • 3rd semester

    Courses to be taken: 

    • German-language modules
      • Law of Obligations
      • Introduction to Comparative Private Law
    • English-language module
      • Independent Legal Research
    • English language course
      • Legal Research and Writing

    In the third semester, students focus primarily on private law. Building on the general provisions of the German Civil Code (BGB), the general rules governing contractual obligations are taught. The law of sales, which forms part of the special section of the law of obligations, serves as an example of the application of the provisions of the general part of the law of obligations. Building on the basic knowledge of the various legal systems acquired during the first two semesters, students are introduced to the methods of comparative civil law. In addition, the ‘Independent Legal Research’ module is designed to promote independent research-based learning, either in practice-oriented formats or in academically oriented projects.

  • 4th semester

    Courses to be taken:

    • German-language modules
      • German and European Constitutional Law II
      • Comparative Constitutional Law
      • European Criminal Law or International Criminal Law
    • English-language module
      • Compulsory elective module: Structures of International and Comparative Law
    • English language course
      • Legal Translation

    In the fourth semester, the focus is on public law. Students deepen their knowledge of German and European constitutional law, with particular emphasis on the innovative interlinking of national and European issues. This enables a direct comparison and the identification of common structures, thereby promising a deeper understanding of the various European systems of fundamental rights. Furthermore, students are introduced to the methodological foundations of comparative constitutional law.

    In addition, students can choose between two key areas of international criminal law: European criminal law and international criminal law. This equips students to deal with transnational aspects of criminal law cases. In the lecture on ‘European Criminal Law’, students examine the significance of the European integration process for criminal law. ‘International criminal law’ focuses on criminal liability at the supranational level, with students examining both its development and current challenges.
     
    In the compulsory elective module ‘Structures of International and Comparative Law’, the fundamental knowledge of international and foreign law acquired in the first three semesters is consolidated. Students may choose from a range of lectures according to their interests, which are provided to them in a list. In this first compulsory elective module, courses may be taught in either German or a foreign language. These include, for example: International Civil Procedure Law, Droit des obligations français, Derecho constitucional, US Criminal Procedure Law.

  • 5th semester

    Courses to be taken:

    • Compulsory semester abroad
      • Elective courses on foreign or international law
    • Internship abroad (with preparatory course)

    1. Semester abroad

    The compulsory semester abroad serves to consolidate and deepen the knowledge acquired during the first four semesters and may be undertaken at universities in English-speaking or other foreign-language countries. The coursework to be completed by students abroad must relate to the various subject areas of the LL.B. in public law, private law or international law.

    2. Internship

    In addition, the compulsory internship abroad allows students to apply the theoretical skills they have already acquired in common law and international law in practice. The internship can be completed in both English-speaking and other foreign-language countries and must have a length of at least four weeks. A preparatory course prepares LL.B. students for working in a foreign country and in a foreign language. They also receive assistance with applying for internship placements and information about the specifics of applying for an internship in English-speaking countries.
    The internship abroad is an integral part of the Bachelor’s curriculum. It can be undertaken at any time and therefore does not necessarily have to take place immediately after the semester abroad (as recommended in the curriculum).

  • 6th semester

    Courses to be taken

    • Bachelor’s module with a comparative law or international law-related Bachelor’s thesis
    • Compulsory elective module: Current Issues in International and Comparative Law

    In the module ‘Current Issues in International and Comparative Law’, students examine current issues in international and foreign law as well as comparative law. Students may choose from a range of lectures according to their interests, which are provided to them in a list. In this second compulsory elective module, students may only attend lectures taught in a foreign language, such as International Human Rights Protection, International Competition Law and International Conflicts of Law in the US Legal System.