LL.M. IP Curriculum

Our LL.M. program starts every October and takes one year to complete.

The academic year at MIPLC consists of two semesters of study and is concluded by the preparation of the Master's Thesis. The program is completed by the graduation ceremony during which the diplomas are awarded and graduates celebrate their achievements with their classmates and families.

The MIPLC program comprises three types of courses, organized in modules:

• Participation in the optional Introductory Courses is strongly recommended to all students, especially where unfamiliar topics are covered.
• The Basic Courses Module is mandatory for all students.
• A variety of specialized Elective Modules allows students to focus their studies according to their interests. Due to the students' varied interests, class size in the Elective Courses is usually very small.

Please view our detailed Module and Course List for information about course content.

During the second semester, students start to work on their Master’s Thesis, the topic of which they may choose freely to correspond to personal interests and career goals. Each student is assigned a thesis supervisor with whom they can discuss issues that come up in the course of their research. The final thesis, due about six weeks after the completion of the summer term, should run to about 55-75 pages.

The thesis is a central component of the LL.M. program. Its preparation is an excellent opportunity to explore a particular topic in great depth and on a highly sophisticated level.

The class schedule is complemented by study visits to the European Patent Office, including an oral appeal hearing, and guest lectures held by renowned IP experts.

Between the first and second semester, students may complete an optional internship.

Throughout the year, selected participants will have the opportunity to attend the annual EIPIN conferences (held in the hometowns of the participating institutions, i.e. Munich, Alicante, London, and Strasbourg). These conferences are a forum to actively contribute to joint research activities and to meet students from the other EIPIN member institutions.

Each year, the MIPLC organizes an optional study visit to Washington, D.C. This trip includes visits to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as lectures.

After the first semester, students may complete an optional four-week internship that is organized by the MIPLC. The MIPLC has an extensive network of internship sponsors including (patent) law firms, companies, IP institutions, and others. The internship is an excellent opportunity to apply new knowledge to "real-life" IP and to meet potential future employers.

As the internship is an optional activity, participating students will not receive any credits.