Humboldt Master of Laws

Key In­for­ma­tion

Photo: S. Klenke

Discover all the facts about our programme at a glance – its structure, entry requirements and opportunities for specialisation

De­gree

    • Master of Laws [LL.M.]

Stan­dard Pe­ri­od

    • 2 Semesters [60 ECTS credits]

Study Type

      • Postgraduate
      • full-time

Teach­ing Lan­guage

    • English

Se­mes­ter Start

    • Winter semester [October]

Ad­mis­sion Re­quire­ments

      • Professional degree [240 ECTS credits]
      • Applicants holding a 180-ECTS bachelor's degree are also welcome to apply. The Master's degree obtained will be fully valid, but applicants should be aware that having fewer than 300 ECTS in total may limit access to certain follow-up qualifications (e.g., PhD admission, regulated professions and careers in public-sectors).
      • (applicable from degree) Knowledge in non-German law [120 ECTS credits]
      • Practical work experience of at least one year, completed after obtaining the degree and before the application period.
      • English language skills [B2]

Ap­pli­ca­tion

      • Application opens 1 December 2025
      • Application closes 28 February 2026

Foundations

Course modules introduce students to the fundamental principles of European and German law, reflecting the multi-level structure of the European and German legal system in its international context and comparing it to other legal systems. The acquired basic knowledge is deepened in the core areas of private, public and criminal law and complemented by courses on legal theory and research approaches.

Specialisations

    • Jus­tice & Se­cu­ri­ty

      The module is concerned with current global challenges to justice and security, such as war, terrorism, climate change, societies in transition and authoritarian rule. It explores the existing legal frameworks and also asks how the law can respond to these current challenges. In addition to more theoretical and doctrinal perspectives, the module incorporates historical angles and practitioner views.

    • In­no­va­tion & Trans­for­ma­tion

      The module is dedicated to the legal framework of innovation in times of global challenges. The lectures and seminars address the different fields of technology law, intellectual property, data protection and other areas of law in their function as a factor of technical and social transformation.

    • Law & So­ci­ety

      The module is concerned with current legal challenges in the context of law and society as a field of interdisciplinary legal studies. Doctrinal legal research is complemented by social sciences, critically reflecting the opaque separation of knowledge by different academic disciplines. By this interdisciplinary approach, functions and interdependencies of law are examined in an integrative and methodologically reflected way.

    • Gen­er­al

      The module allows students to combine courses from the various specialisations and take an individual selection of in-depth courses.

Curriculum

The course catalogue is available on the platform AGNES by selecting Course Catalogue > Juristische Fakultät > Humboldt Master of Laws (LL.M.).

Further information on the various modules can be found in the Study and Examinations Regulations.

    • Core Curriculum

      • Introduction to European and German Law
      • Legal reasoning and legal theory
      • Academic writing and jurisprudence
      • Research perspectives

    • Specialisations

      • Justice & Security
      • Law & Society
      • Innovation & Transformation
      • General

    • Master's thesis

      15,000 words

      • 15,000 € tuition fee for the full programme plus a student union contribution which includes a Germany-wide public transport ticket (approximately 355 € per semester).
      • Scholarships and (partial) tuition fee waivers are planned to be available on a competitive basis. However, the availability of tuition fee waivers will only become clear in August or September each year. If they are available, they will be offered in very limited numbers. Applicants are encouraged to explore external funding opportunities to support their studies.
      • Estimated cost of living in Berlin (10 months): 10,000 € to 15,000 € (but of course depending on individual needs)