Englisch 
Deutsch 
Who this German-taught LL.M. suits and what you need to get in
This Master of Laws is aimed at graduates who already hold a first degree in law and want to deepen their expertise while studying remotely. It fits if you are, for example, a junior legal counsel or compliance specialist in a company seeking advanced knowledge in classic fields plus law of digitalisation; a professional from public administration with an LL.B. wanting to qualify for higher-level legal roles; or an international LL.B. graduate planning a career in the German/EU legal environment and looking for a recognised, low-cost public-university master’s.
Admission requirements
Language of instruction and study materials are in German. Formal admission generally requires a first degree in law and sufficient German proficiency for academic study.
- Eligible first degree: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from FernUniversität in Hagen; an integrated Bachelor of Laws earned within a German law programme leading to the First State Examination; or a legal degree with at least 180 ECTS, of which a minimum of 90 ECTS in law.
- Graduates of universities of applied sciences for public administration (LL.B.) can be admitted if the degree comprises at least 180 ECTS with 90 ECTS in legal subjects; content is reviewed case by case.
- International applicants: an LL.B. or equivalent legal degree comparable to at least 180 ECTS with substantial legal content (≥90 ECTS). Equivalence is assessed individually based on official documentation.
- Exclusion: no enrolment if you have definitively failed a required examination in this or a closely related programme at a German higher education institution.
- Language requirements: this programme is taught in German. You must demonstrate advanced German suitable for university-level study. At German universities, proof is typically provided via established tests (e.g. DSH, TestDaF, telc C1 Hochschule, Goethe-Zertifikat). Check which proofs are accepted at enrolment time.
- No admission via professional experience alone: a completed legal first degree is mandatory for master’s entry.
Personal requirements
Success in a remote, German-taught LL.M. depends on strong self-management. You should bring consistent weekly study time, reliable planning across six-month semesters, and the perseverance to work through statutes, case law and academic texts independently. For a full-time pace, plan roughly 15–25 hours per week; in part-time mode, around 8–15 hours can be realistic alongside a job. Solid academic German is essential to read study units, write essays and sit exams; if German is not your first language, allow extra time for reading and writing. A stable study setup (quiet space, dependable internet, calendar discipline) and the habit of breaking down modules into weekly milestones will make the difference between keeping up and falling behind.
Remote law study rewards methodical work: outline judgements, practise structured legal argumentation, and engage with discussion forums or mentor sessions when offered. If you can sustain steady progress through long texts, meet deadlines without external pressure, and balance work and study over multiple semesters, you are well prepared for this programme.
What will you study in the Law Science (LL.M.) at the University of Hagen?
This Master of Laws is taught in German. You need strong, academic-level German to follow lectures, complete assignments and sit exams; the university requires proof of language proficiency during admission. It is a Fernstudium (distance learning) with no daily campus attendance.
You build a broad, advanced legal profile: classical core fields, current topics such as the law of digitalisation, and academic research skills. The programme concludes with a master’s thesis and a colloquium (oral defence). The University of Hagen is a public university; this is a full academic degree, not a short course.
Foundations and core legal fields – You revisit and deepen central doctrinal areas, typically across civil law, public law and economic/enterprise law. Concrete modules often include topics like contract and tort, constitutional/administrative law, and company or competition law.
Law of digital transformation – A distinctive thread focuses on digitalisation: data protection and privacy, IT and platform regulation, emerging technology and AI governance. You work with case analyses addressing how classical legal concepts adapt to digital economies.
Methodology and academic skills – Legal methods, interpretation techniques, argumentation and research design are trained systematically. You practise scholarly writing via term papers, then complete the master’s thesis, followed by a colloquium that tests your ability to present and defend legal reasoning.
International and European perspectives – Depending on your choices, you can integrate international or EU dimensions, for example in European private law, international economic law or cross-border compliance. Study centres abroad make it easier to stay connected to the programme from outside Germany.
Electives: You shape your profile with Wahlmodule (electives) drawn from areas such as data protection, international business law, European private law, legal history or legal theory. Electives can include options that bring in international experience or perspectives. The degree closes with a master’s thesis and an academic colloquium.
Glossary: Fernstudium means distance learning; a Fachhochschule is a university of applied sciences (the University of Hagen is a research university, not a Fachhochschule). The ZFU is the German state authority that approves many distance-learning courses; academic degree programmes at public universities do not typically list a ZFU number.
How does the Law Science (LL.M.) distance programme work?
You study fully at a distance with structured modules, digital learning spaces and printed study booklets. Assessments mix written exams, term papers and the thesis with colloquium. Exams can usually be taken in Germany or at selected centres abroad; some modules offer online formats. No visa is required for a purely remote path.
Teaching language and certificates
The teaching language is German. All study materials, forums, exams and the thesis are in German. You must be able to read, write and argue at academic level; the university asks for proof of German proficiency during admission. If you do not work fluently in German, this programme is not a fit.
Learning format and study materials
As a distance programme, teaching combines self-paced study booklets (digital and, where offered, printed), Moodle-based learning rooms, online exercises and optional live mentor sessions. You enrol modules independently each semester and plan your workload around job and life. There are no daily on-campus classes.
Exams and where you can take them
Assessment formats include invigilated written exams, open-book exams, term papers and the master’s thesis with an oral colloquium. The University of Hagen maintains exam centres across Germany and a network of study centres abroad (for example Vienna or Budapest); some modules enable online proctoring. Availability of online or local options varies by module.
On-site sessions in Germany
Mandatory residencies are not a feature of this LL.M. Short on-site elements may occur when you choose a module with an in-person exam only; where an exam requires attendance, you sit it at a German or designated international centre. Many support events and mentor sessions are offered online and are optional.
Workload, time models and semester rhythm
The programme follows Germany’s semester rhythm with fixed start dates in April and October. You can study full-time or part-time by varying how many modules you take per semester. Any live online sessions run in Central European Time (CET/CEST). Your weekly workload scales with the number of modules you enrol.
ZFU note: the ZFU (state approval for distance learning) is generally relevant to private/non-degree distance courses. There is no separate ZFU admission number stated for this public-university LL.M.
What does the Law Science (LL.M.) cost?
Total tuition for a typical full-time path is about €1,600 in total, billed per semester based on the ECTS you register. You do not pay the full amount up front. Instead, fees are calculated each semester via a base fee plus a per-ECTS enrolment fee, so monthly outlay depends on how many modules you take.
Costs to plan for from abroad include travel to a nearby exam centre if you pick modules that require in-person exams, and any optional printed materials or postage. Payments are made per semester; international students can usually pay from abroad via standard bank transfer methods. Extending your studies part-time simply spreads the total over more semesters without increasing tuition materially, as charges mirror your actual ECTS enrolments.
What careers and recognition does the Law Science (LL.M.) offer?
You earn a public-university Master of Laws (LL.M.) under the Bologna framework with ECTS credits. As a German state-recognised degree from a public university, it is widely understood across Europe and valued internationally for legal, compliance and policy roles. For employers abroad, the key signals are: master’s level, ECTS-based, research-trained.
Typical career paths include:
- Legal counsel, contracts specialist or compliance/data protection roles in companies and tech-driven organisations
- Policy, regulatory affairs or legal officer roles in public administration, regulators, NGOs and international organisations
- Risk, governance and corporate legal operations in banking, insurance and multinational firms
- Academic track (research associate) or doctoral studies in legal fields
Important limitation: in Germany, admission to the regulated professions of judge, public prosecutor or fully qualified attorney requires the state route with First and Second State Examinations. An LL.M. strengthens your profile for in-house, regulatory and advisory roles but does not replace the state exams.
Who is the Law Science (LL.M.) right for – and who not?
This programme suits law graduates and legal professionals who want a flexible, research-strong master’s from a German public university, studied remotely and at modest cost. It fits people who can work independently in German and want to add digitalisation and international angles to their legal toolkit.
- You want an academic LL.M. from a state university with international ECTS recognition
- You need a distance format that you can combine with work and family, with exams available online or at regional centres
- You aim to deepen legal expertise, especially around digital law, compliance and EU/international perspectives
- You are comfortable studying in German and writing academic legal texts
- You prefer semester-based billing at low overall cost rather than high upfront tuition
There are also clear cases where this LL.M. is not a fit. Read these carefully to avoid costly missteps from abroad.
- You do not speak and write German at an academic level; the entire programme, exams and thesis are in German
- You need a qualification for regulated legal professions in Germany (judge, public prosecutor, fully qualified attorney); this requires the state exam route
- You cannot travel to an exam centre in Germany or at a designated partner location for modules that require on-site exams
- You require rolling, on-demand start dates; this programme starts only in April and October with fixed enrolment windows
Advisory Service
Have questions about Academic Programs Master of Laws? Ask your question here, even anonymously. An employee of the institution University of Hagen or the editorial team will answer you.