Customs, Taxation and International Trade Law

This is a one-year, postgraduate course at the Faculty of Law of Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. It aims to familiarise students with the German legal tradition and to give them a basic working knowledge of German law through the study of its principles and their application.
The standard length of the course is two semesters. Within this period, students must successfully complete four modules with a total of 60 ECTS credits.
At the beginning of their studies, students choose an area of law (civil law, criminal law, or public law) as the focus of their studies. The chosen area of law will be reflected in the lectures of module II. The choice will also influence the topic of the Master's thesis and the final oral examination.
During the programme of study, students will be overseen by a tutor, who may be any professor or qualified research assistant at the Faculty of Law.

Educational organisation

Module I (Basismodul/Foundation Module): 14 ECTS credits

• Lecture: Deutsches Recht für ausländische Studierende (German Law for International Students) (3 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Methodik des deutschen Rechts (Methodology of German Law) (1 ECTS credit)
• Language course: Juristischer Fachsprachkurs (Legal German) (4 ECTS credits)
• Seminar: Propädeutisches Seminar (Propaedeutic Seminar) (6 ECTS credits)

Module II (Erweiterungsmodul/Extension Module): 22 ECTS credits
Students choose one of the following areas of law:

• Civil Law
• Public Law
• Criminal Law

Students attend:

Civil law:

• Lecture & tutorial: Grundlinien und Allgemeiner Teil des BGB (Basics and General Part of the German Civil Code) (8.5 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Allgemeines und Besonderes Schuldrecht (Law of Obligations) (9 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Wahlfach (elective course in Civil Law) (4.5 ECTS credits)

Public law:

• Lecture & tutorial: Staatsrecht I - Grundrechte (Fundamental Rights) (7 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Verwaltungsrecht Allgemeiner Teil und Verwaltungsprozessrecht (General Administrative Law and Law of Administrative Court Procedure) (9 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Wahlfach (elective course in Public Law) (6 ECTS credits)

Criminal Law:

• Lecture & tutorial: Strafrecht I (Criminal Law I = Doctrine of the Offence) (8.5 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Strafrecht II (Criminal Law II) (7.5 ECTS credits)
• Lecture: Strafrecht III (Criminal Law III) (6 ECTS credits)

Module III (Profilmodul/Profile Module): 6 ECTS credits
Students choose one of the following specialisations:

• Economics and Business
• Employment and Social Law
• Information, Telecommunication and Media law
• International Law / European Law / International Private Law
• Law-shaping and Dispute Resolution
• State and Administration
• Criminology
• Tax Law

Students attend:

• Two lectures: two Wahlfächer (two elective lectures from the chosen specialisation) (2 x 3 ECTS credits)

Module IV (Abschlussmodul/Completion Module): 18 ECTS credits

• Thesis: Masterarbeit (Master's Thesis) (15 ECTS credits)
• Oral examination: Mündliche Prüfung (Final Oral Exam) (3 ECTS credits)

Study abroad unit(s)

None

Forms of assessment

• Lectures: written examination
• Tutorial: no examination
• Language course: written examination
• Seminar: paper and oral presentation

Course objectives

The Faculty of Law awards the degree Master of Laws (LLM) after the oral examination concluding the Master's programme.

Language requirements

Applicants must provide proof of their German skills: TestDaF 4x4 or DSH-2

Required DSH / TestDaF

Yes

Academic requirements

Admission requirements for the Master of German Law are:

1. Successful completion of a course of study in law at a foreign university

• with a standard length of at least eight semesters (corresponding to 240 ECTS credits)

OR

• with a standard length of at least six semesters (corresponding to 180 ECTS credits) and additional 60 ECTS credits resulting from preparatory studies, Master's degree studies or from equivalent accredited courses

2. Sufficient command of the German language (this must generally be proven by means of a language certificate, for example, a DSH-2 certificate)

Enrolment fees

Social semester fee of 240 EUR per semester, including a semester ticket covering public transport for the greater Münster area and the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia

Costs of living

Approx. 700 EUR per month to cover accommodation, insurance, and personal expenses

Arrival support

The Office of the Dean ("Dekanat") at the Faculty of Law at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster offers an orientation programme for new students.