The LL.M. Program German - French Business Law at the University of Cologne
The master's program starts each winter semester at the University of Cologne. Within the one-year master's program, students take both compulsory modules in German and French business law. In addition, the elective modules offer the opportunity for specialization. Students can choose a focus in tax law, financial services law, competition law, labor law as well as in public business law. The compulsory modules in German business law are the same as for state examination candidates. The compulsory modules in French business law are held by professors mainly from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne at the University of Cologne. In addition, lectures are also held in part by professors from other French universities. An important part of the LL.M. program is the master's thesis in French. It is closely supervised by professors from both the German and French side. Furthermore, the practical part is of essential importance. An eight-week mandatory internship in a primarily French business law firm provides LL.M. students with important experience in order to seamlessly enter the business world after the master's program with a special professional qualification in legal consulting as well as corporate law.
Study content of the LL.M. German - French Business Law
From the compulsory module P1 German Business Law and P2 French Business Law 4 examinations each have to be passed. From an elective module W1-W5 2 written examinations must be passed. In addition, the compulsory modules P4 and P5 provide for an eight-week internship and a master's thesis including a thesis seminar.
All elective and compulsory modules for the German-French LL.M. program are listed below:
(Compulsory module)
A total of 4 examinations must be passed from the compulsory module P1 German Commercial Law
Partnership law, capital company law, group and takeover law, company purchase, current jurisdiction of the BGH in GmbH and stock corporation law, antitrust law, antitrust law in practice (anti-competitive agreements), competition law, law of industrial financing, reorganization law, legal issues of company valuation, contract design from a notarial perspective, consumer law, general terms and conditions, European business law, European corporate and insolvency law, international business law II, international private law, specialization in international private law, international procedural law, international arbitration, comparative law, introduction to business administration, business plans, business criminal law, insolvency law, introduction to accounting, accounting law
From the compulsory module P2 French Business Law, a total of 4 written examinations must be passed.
Droit public des affaires, Droit des sociétés, Droit des marchés financiers, Droit du marché, Droit du travail, Droit comparé des affaires, y compris le droit fiscal
(Tax law)
In the elective module Tax Law the following lectures can be chosen:
Basic course in tax law, inheritance and gift tax law (with valuation law), income tax law, company and group tax law, balance sheet tax law, tax balance sheet law/audit, indirect tax law, criminal tax law, corporate tax law, international tax law, international balance sheet law, European tax law.
(Financial Services)
In the elective module Financial Services the following lectures can be chosen:
Banking Law, Credit Protection Law, Introduction to Capital Market Law, Insurance Contract Law, Insurance Company Law.
(Competition Law)
In the elective module Competition Law the following lectures can be chosen:
Industrial Property Law, Supreme Court Case Law on Industrial Property and Copyright Law, Merger Control Law, Antitrust Law, Copyright Law, Unfair Competition Law, Trademark Law, License Agreement Law.
(Labor Law)
The following lectures can be selected in the elective module Labor Law:
In-depth study of individual labor law, law of coalitions, collective bargaining and labor disputes, co-determination law, social law, labor and social court proceedings, labor law in the church and cultural sector, special areas of labor law, European labor and social law.
(Public Economic Law)
In the elective module Public Business Law the following lectures can be chosen:
Public Business Law I, Public Business Law II, International Business Law I (International Business Law), Public International Law I, Public International Law II, Public International Criminal Law, Deepening European Law, International Investment Law, Precedents on International Investment Law, Structuring and Financing of Foreign Investments, The New European Investment Protection Policy, Public Procurement Law, Environmental Law, Sports Law.
