Programme & Schedule

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Application deadline:

Fall Semester (which starts each year in September): 31 May (31 March for applicants who require support with visa applications)

Spring Semester (which starts each year in February): 15 November (30 September for applicants who require support with visa applications)

Specialisations

Course descriptions

Courses open to the public

Otto Riese lecture series

General Programme

UNIL's postgraduate programme in law (LL.M. in International Business Law) takes an interdisciplinary, comparative and practice oriented approach to business law, enabling young lawyers to face the legal challenges in today’s global business environment.

The programme offers the highest quality of teaching in small group settings delivered by an international team of distinguished academics and practitioners. It proposes 5 specialisations (International Business Law and Innovation, International Business Law and Sports, International Business Disputes, International Business Transactions, and International Business Regulation) or a bespoke pick-and-choose programme in International Business Law which enables students to select courses according to their personal interests and needs. A variety of courses offered abroad complement the programme.

	The curriculum is taught on the basis of 60 ECTS credits.
	Most courses are blocked over either 2-3 days or a week.
	The programme is ideal for graduate students and young professionals wishing to specialise in international business law.
	The language of instruction is English.
	Start dates: September and February each year
	Price: 18’000 CHF, partial scholarships are available

Coursework may be spread over 3-4 months with most courses taught in two to three-day blocks (3 credits); four to six-day blocks (6 credits); or, over one semester (13-14 weeks). Tests and exams are administered immediately after each course and students may write the LL.M. thesis in their home country under the remote supervision of one of our instructors – all professors and renowned legal professionals.

If a student wishes to register for open courses in our Programme without obtaining the LL.M. degree, the student may obtain credit for these courses, which will be recognised and can be used at a later date toward the LL.M. degree.

COMPETENCES AND PERSPECTIVES

The UNIL LL.M. programme prepares lawyers from around the world for the legal challenges in a globalised economy. Through the acquisition of knowledge and competence and the contact with international legal practice, the graduates of this programme will be prepared to become highly-skilled experts and decision-makers in an international environment – in international law firms, courts, multi-national enterprises, international organisations and academia.

ABOUT UNIL

Ideally located at the shores of Lake Geneva and close to the centre of Lausanne, UNIL unites a dynamic community of nearly 15’000 students and 5’000 staff members with around 120 different nationalities, including the 2017 Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry. UNIL shares a campus with other institutions of worldwide reputation, the Institut Suisse de Droit Comparé (ISDC) and the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). It also hosts the Cantonal and University Library (BCUL), providing an ideal environment for focused learning and research.

With access to the lake, mountains and UNIL’s very own Grange de Dorigny, students enjoy unique sporting activities and a vibrant cultural scene. Lausanne is home to many sports federations and institutions, as well as to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). It is also close in proximity to Geneva and its international organisations and arbitration centre.

TOP TEN REASONS TO CHOOSE THE LL.M. IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAUSANNE

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utoring & Mentoring. By limiting our class size, we are able to offer tutoring and mentoring services to our LL.M. students in addition to career services. We set up individual meetings to discuss career goals, internships, and job opportunities and regularly provide support with CVs and letters of motivation.

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pen Courses. Many of our courses are open to the public, allowing those working outside of Lausanne to either complete the LL.M. while working or use the credits later to earn the LL.M. degree. These courses are offered as block courses at the end of the week.

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ublications. Our staff includes a native English speaker, who works closely with our faculty to support our LL.M. students with the planning, structure and publication of their LL.M. theses, some of which could be featured in a series that we have negotiated with a top tier publisher.

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L.M. Courses. Some of our LL.M. courses are open to students in other Programmes.

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aw Professors. Our instructors are all world renowned law professors with varied fields of study and research, and our LL.M. students can choose any of these professors as LL.M. thesis supervisors.

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erit Scholarships. We have negotiated an Agreement with The Spark of Hope Foundation, a registered Canadian and U.S. charity that supports bright, young women from the Global South; the Foundation awards partial tuition fee merit scholarships to two of our LL.M. students each year.

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niversity Rankings. In 2022, UNIL ranked among the top 200 universities in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

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ationwide Contests and Events. We actively encourage our students to participate in nationwide contests and regularly organize large concerts, plays, book launches and other social events where our students can build their social networks.

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nternational Conferences. Every year, we host a major international conference with the CEDIDAC and provide unique networking opportunities with sponsoring international organizations, law firms, and companies, as well as conference participants.

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ocation. We are located on the shores of Lake Geneva near the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, one of the largest law libraries on the continent, as well as several sports federations and international institutions, including the International Olympic Committee and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"I chose UNIL's LL.M. because it had a wide variety of different topics and subjects from which to choose, all of which were interesting and fascinating for me to continue my legal education. I chose UNIL because it is designed for those who wish to work while in school, and the Executive Director was extremely helpful with finding an internship with one of the largest Swiss companies which gave me practical experience that complemented what I learned in the courses. I highly recommend this program for those wishing to meet a diverse background of both students and professors, all of whom are helpful and do their best to get you where you want to be."

- Derek Heath

"The opportunities and support provided to me by the LL.M. Programme Directors and administration have been invaluable in building my profile and experience. Through the support offered in the LL.M. Programme, I was able to set up the university's first Sports Mooting team to compete in the Sports Law Arbitration Moot (run by LawInSport). I've also been given the opportunity to work with the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law on their Yearbook of Private International Law as a language editor - a role that would have been impossible without the support of the LL.M. Directors."

- Adam Killen

"After the successful completion of our very unique course "Practice of Philanthropy", I have been selected for an internship with Impact Philanthropy Advisors. During the internship I will learn about practical and complex legal issues related to philanthropic activities. Needless to say, this is the time, more than ever, when the world needs every helping hand possible and decluttering legal issues related to the philanthropy sector will definitely serve well. At Impact Philanthropy Advisors, I will be contributing to the development of a critical evaluation methodology whereby philanthropic projects can be assessed."

- Prathiba Karthikeyan