Englisch 
Deutsch Who this LL.B. in Commercial Law suits — and what you need to get in
This programme fits you if you want to combine legal reasoning with business decisions while studying part-time. Typical profiles include: professionals working with contracts or compliance in companies who need formal legal-business skills; HR, finance or operations staff who increasingly handle employment law, policies and negotiations; trainees and apprentices in Germany (e.g. office management, banking) aiming to add an academic LL.B. (180 ECTS) to accelerate their career.
Admission requirements
Teaching language is German. You need a recognised university entrance qualification and to be engaged alongside your studies. In detail:
- With school-leaving certificate: general or subject-specific higher education entrance (e.g. Abitur/Fachabitur) or an equivalent international school certificate that qualifies for university study in Germany. Official recognition and certified translations may be required.
- Admission without Abitur: possible with a completed vocational training plus at least three years of subsequent professional experience, or with an advanced vocational qualification (e.g. Fachwirt, Meister).
- Concurrent practical engagement: you are currently employed (full-time or part-time) or enrolled in an apprenticeship, internship, trainee programme or voluntary service. If you are not currently employed, the university can advise on available pathways.
- International/foreign qualifications: degrees, diplomas and school certificates from abroad can be assessed for equivalence; submit full documentation and translations as requested. Recognition procedures may take time—apply early.
- Language proficiency for German-taught study: you must demonstrate sufficient German to follow lectures, complete assessments and participate in seminars. The university specifies accepted proofs; prepare formal evidence before enrolment.
The degree is officially accredited and offered in working-professional modes (evening and weekend on-campus or as Digital Live study), allowing you to combine study and work from within Germany or while based abroad if your time zone and live session times align.
Personal requirements
Success in part-time, German-taught law studies depends less on prior legal knowledge and more on habits you can build:
- Self-organisation and persistence: plan fixed weekly study blocks and protect them consistently.
- Realistic time budgeting: expect roughly 12–15 hours per week during teaching periods for classes, case reading and assignments; workload peaks before exams and when writing papers.
- Communication skills in German: comfortable reading statutes and commentaries, writing structured arguments, and discussing cases in German.
- Work–study integration: apply course content to your job or training; coordinate with your employer for exam days and intense phases.
- Digital readiness: stable internet, quiet workspace, and confidence with common online learning tools for live sessions and assessments.
If you can allocate steady time, keep deadlines, and engage proactively with lecturers and peers, you will be well placed to complete the programme on schedule and translate commercial law skills into your role.
What will you study in the Commercial law (LL.B.) at FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management?
This programme is taught in German (Deutsch). You need advanced academic German to follow lectures, pass exams and write your thesis; proof of German proficiency is required during admission. You earn 180 ECTS credits over 7 semesters in a practice-oriented Fernstudium (distance learning) at a German Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences).
You build a solid legal backbone for business. Core private law topics include contract law (drafting, review, risk allocation), company and commercial law (legal forms, directors’ duties, liability), and compliance and employment law for internal rules, risk controls and workplace regulation.
You connect law with finance. You cover accounting and balance-sheet law, corporate finance and investment, and the legal angles of restructuring and turnaround management in crisis situations. This combination helps you read financial statements legally and structure transactions securely.
You train for negotiations and communication. Dedicated modules in negotiation and presentation strengthen the soft skills expected in in-house legal teams, HR and consulting. You learn to argue clearly, present cases and manage stakeholder interests within organisations.
You add digital capabilities. The curriculum introduces Legal Tech and digitalisation in legal workflows: document automation, data protection touchpoints, and the impact of AI tools on corporate legal practice. This prepares you for technology-enabled legal operations.
Electives and profiling: you can specialise in areas such as Employment Law & Compliance or Legal Tech, replacing selected modules to tailor your profile. Optional international Summer Academies at partner universities allow short study stays abroad with credit transfer. Your studies conclude with a bachelor’s thesis (LL.B.).
Note on terminology: Fernstudium means distance learning with digital delivery; a Fachhochschule focuses on applied teaching; the ZFU is the German authority that approves distance-learning courses outside the university sector.
How does the Commercial law distance programme work?
You study part-time alongside a job or apprenticeship in two formats: Campus-Studium+ with on-site evenings/weekends at one of FOM’s German centres plus digital units, or the Digital Live format with lectures streamed live from FOM Studios. The standard duration is 7 semesters with intakes in March and September.
Teaching language and language proof
The teaching language is German. Course materials, exams and the thesis are in German. Applicants need high-level German proficiency; the university states accepted proofs during application. This is not an English-taught programme.
Learning format and study materials
In Campus-Studium+ you attend scheduled classes at a local FOM centre and complement them with digital sessions. In the Digital Live route, you join live-streamed lectures, participate in discussions and group work, and access an online library and learning platform. Expect a structured, cohort-based timetable rather than fully self-paced study.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Assessments combine written exams, coursework, presentations and the bachelor’s thesis. Campus-Studium+ students sit assessments at their chosen German centre. Digital Live students follow the same syllabus with live exams and submissions scheduled to the cohort timetable; the assessment infrastructure is centred on FOM locations in Germany. If you live abroad, plan for the possibility that some exams may require presence in Germany.
On-site sessions in Germany
Campus-Studium+ includes regular on-site evenings or Saturday classes at a German centre (e.g. Berlin, Bonn, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart). Digital Live focuses on online teaching; occasional optional campus events may be offered. Mandatory on-site teaching days depend on your chosen format.
Workload, time models and live times
The programme is designed for working professionals. Teaching typically takes place on weekday evenings and/or Saturdays, scheduled in the German time zone (CET/CEST). Weekly workload varies by semester; as a rule of thumb, expect around 15–20 hours per week including live sessions and independent study.
Regulatory note: university degree programmes do not list a ZFU admission number; no ZFU number is published for this course. A purely remote path in Digital Live does not require a visa, provided you do not relocate to Germany.
What does the Commercial law (LL.B.) cost?
Tuition is charged as 42 monthly instalments of €365, which equals €15,830 in total over the standard 3.5-year duration. A one-off examination fee of €500 is due at the end. This means a typical monthly study budget of €365 during active semesters, with most costs spread evenly across the programme.
If you receive credit for prior learning, your overall duration and total fees can be reduced proportionally. Up to two tuition-free leave semesters are possible if you need to pause. Fees are invoiced in euros; international students commonly pay via standard bank transfer.
There are no hidden add-ons in the core tuition. You should still plan for study materials, a laptop and potential travel to German exam centres if your chosen format or specific assessments require on-site attendance.
What careers and recognition does the Commercial law (LL.B.) offer?
You graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) worth 180 ECTS. The programme follows the Bologna framework, enabling recognition across Europe and facilitating admission to master’s degrees. FOM is a state-recognised university of applied sciences. The LL.B. in Wirtschaftsrecht is re-accredited for 2023–2030 under the university’s system accreditation, a quality assurance model accepted across the European Higher Education Area.
What this means internationally: ECTS credits signal workload and level; Bologna-aligned first-cycle degrees are widely understood by admission offices and employers. While the LL.B. in German Business Law is not a qualifying law degree for practising as an attorney in Germany (which requires the state examinations), it is a strong credential for legal-adjacent roles in companies and institutions.
Typical career paths include:
- In-house legal roles and contract management in corporates, SMEs and scale-ups
- Compliance, risk and internal control functions, including data protection coordination
- HR/people operations with a focus on employment law, policies and disputes
- Consulting and legal operations support in advisory firms and boutiques
- Financial services, insurance and real estate: legal support, documentation and governance
- Legal Tech and digitalisation projects in legal departments
Graduates often continue with specialised master’s programmes (e.g. business law, company law, compliance) to deepen expertise or prepare for leadership tracks.
Who is the Commercial law (LL.B.) right for – and who not?
This degree fits working professionals and apprentices who want a legally sound, business-focused qualification from a German university, taught with evening/weekend scheduling. It suits those aiming for corporate legal, compliance or HR roles and who are comfortable studying in German.
- You want a state-recognised, Bologna-aligned LL.B. (180 ECTS) from a German university of applied sciences
- You prefer live, structured teaching in the evening/weekend alongside full-time work
- You plan a career in in-house legal, compliance, contract or HR roles rather than courtroom practice
- You want the option to specialise (e.g. Employment Law & Compliance or Legal Tech) and to join short international summer programmes
- You are fluent in German and comfortable taking exams and writing your thesis in German
There are also clear cases where this course is not the right choice. Read the points below carefully if you live outside Germany or seek a specific legal qualification path.
- You need an English-taught programme; this LL.B. is delivered fully in German
- You aim to qualify as a fully licensed attorney in Germany; this requires the state examinations (Einheitsjurist track), which the LL.B. does not provide
- You require a 100% self-paced, asynchronous online degree; teaching here is live at fixed times in the CET/CEST time zone
- You cannot attend any on-site exams or sessions in Germany; depending on format and module, some assessments may require presence at an FOM centre
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