Masters Program in Competition Law and Regulation (LL.M.)

Competition law and regulatory law are becoming ever more important for practicing lawyers. An increasing number of competition proceedings, such as the one brought against Google by the European Commission, testify to this development. If you aim for a position in the area of competition law or in a regulated sector (i.e., energy, telecommunications, media, or transport), you are required to have a plethora of additional skills that you lack when you have pursued a conventional degree program in law. The masters program in Competition Law and Regulation with its clear hands-on approach fills this gap.

To be able to apply competition law and regulatory law to real cases, you also need economic expertise. After all, knowing the applicable legal provisions is necessary, but not sufficient to successfully negotiate with engineers and economists.

That is why students will first attend courses in public law to lay the groundwork for further studies of regulatory law. At the same time, they will look more closely at competition law and economic methods. By choosing to specialize either in Digital Economy or Energy, they can develop their individual profile.

One of the programs key features is its practical orientation, which is ensured by a six-week mandatory internship and by a selection of courses that are taught by experts from the private sector. Students also gain insights into state-of-the-art research by attending interdisciplinary seminars and by writing their masters thesis on a topic they choose, possibly even in cooperation with a company or a public authority.

With their knowledge of two different fields, law and economics, graduates can choose from a variety of attractive options: They can find work in companies from the energy, telecommunications, media, and transport sectors, for example. They can also be employed by different authorities, such as the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency), the Bundeskartellamt (federal cartel office), or the European Commission. As officers or experts for specific topics in companies and authorities, they supervise competition and regulation proceedings, systematically follow up on legislative processes, and analyze competition and market developments.

Of course, they can also pursue a doctorate and opt for a career in science and research.

As the program combines theory and practice, students can reach out to potential employers while still at university. They can discuss different career opportunities with adjunct lecturers from companies and authorities, enabling them to find out about the jobs situation early on.