LL.M. Program

As economies all over the world increasingly shift from manufacturing products to creating ideas and knowledge, the need for specialized skills relating to intellectual property rights increases. However, until recently, education in the sector was seriously lagging behind, as IP was dealt with as a mere side topic in traditional legal studies.

The MIPLC has stepped into this gap and is now offering the first comprehensive LL.M. degree program in Europe devoted to intellectual property rights: "Intellectual Property and Competition Law." Participation in the program equips postgraduates with the knowledge and skills to deal with a variety of intellectual property issues in a global context at the most sophisticated level.

As all classes are held entirely in English, the program is suitable for applicants from all over the world. German skills are not required for enrollment.

Thanks to the program's international focus, students gain a truly global perspective on IP. Many classes are jointly taught by faculty members from Europe and the U.S., which ensures that most fields of law are treated from both the Civil Law and the Common Law point of view. MIPLC graduates can therefore comfortably operate in both legal systems. Furthermore, with a small but highly multinational student body, who not only meet in class but share a student office hall, intercultural communications are a daily part of life at MIPLC.

Our courses cover all areas of European and international intellectual property, competition, and media law, as well as topics from related fields, such as economics and business administration. Our program is thus more comprehensive than a one focused solely on teaching legal skills and knowledge.

Our teaching methods heavily emphasize problem-oriented learning and case studies. In addition, training in litigation and negotiation skills forms an integral part of our classes. Students have numerous opportunities to practice their newly acquired skills in simulated court cases, workshops, internships, and exams.

To ensure that students enjoy excellent working conditions, the MIPLC provides individual workplaces including high-speed internet access and desktop access to a number of legal databases. Students also have at their disposal the world's most comprehensive intellectual property library housed at the Max Planck Institute, as well as MIPLC's own library, which is exclusively accessible to MIPLC participants and stocked with a large selection of textbooks on all areas and topics covered in the course of the program.

To further support their studies, each student is assigned tutors for individual one-to-one tutorial sessions. The tutors, many of whom are MIPLC alumni, are highly qualified young members of the bar or researchers at the Max Planck Institute. The tutorials are one of the unique and innovative features of the LL.M. Program, and a core element of our efforts to provide education of unsurpassed quality.

In recognition of the successful completion of the one-year program, the University of Augsburg awards the degree of Master of Laws in Intellectual Property (LL.M. IP) on behalf of all four partners.

The MIPLC program is jointly administered by the four MIPLC partners. For further details on the program, please refer to the links listed below.