Programme & Schedule

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Application deadline:

Fall Semester (which starts each year in September): 31 March

Spring Semester (which starts each year in February): 30 September

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

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.

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.

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.

"It is my first time taking a course related to Sports, namely Sports Arbitration, and really, I am feeling so lucky that I chose this LL.M. Programme."

- Biondina Hulaj

"In the LL.M. of International Business Law, I deepened and expanded my knowledge in the field of International Trade Law and means of international conflict resolution, attended additional seminars on the influence of technology on Law, benefited from the facilities, bibliographic material, academic provision of first quality teachers and administrative staff. All of this allowed me to expand my circle of friends and employment opportunities worldwide."

- Pamela Torres Rodriguez

"After a deep search during several months within different universities in Switzerland, I decided to apply to University of Lausanne since it offers a very wide and complete programme that exceeded my initial expectations. The programme is taught by the best academics and professors in their fields and several of the courses are practice-oriented, helping the students to apply all the learning during the classes. As a full-time employee in Zürich, I was looking for a programme that enables me to manage job and studies at the same time; I can confirm that UNIL is this place. Most of the courses take place on Thursdays and Fridays allowing me to choose the courses in which I was most interested in order to match my professional career with my studies. I highly recommend this programme to move forward in your career."

- Mayte Ares Mejuto

"The Programme offered by the UNIL’s LL.M. is rich, varied, interactive and ingrained in practice. The international perspective present in each course is enriching and allows students to form an insightful opinion in every area of law. The supervision and teaching by Professors and the career support from the Programme Manager provide for optimal learning. I was fortunate to be able to use the Programme's network to secure an offer from an international law firm."

- Mickael Guerra

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Contact

llm@unil.ch

Schedule

Spring 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

LL.M. Quick Guide

*Please note that our website is updated regularly and may not reflect dated information contained in our promotional flyer, which is updated every few years.

Executive Director

Dr. Shaheeza Lalani

Executive Director

LL.M. International Business Law

UNIL – Internef 312

CH - 1015 Lausanne

Tel: +41 (0) 21 692 27 90

Office hours, by appointment only: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays