Investment and Trade Master of Laws in International Law (LL.M)
The Master’s Program in International Law, with special reference to Investments, Trade and Arbitration, is open to lawyers and graduates of juridical sciences worldwide.
The Master’s Program in International Law, with special reference to Investments, Trade and Arbitration, is open to lawyers and graduates of juridical sciences worldwide.
The LL.M. program is accredited according to German Law until by .
The program is organized on a yearly basis and begins each April. From April to December, courses are taught in Santiago de Chile. Between December and February, students are expected to prepare a draft of their Master’s thesis. In March, students have their stay abroad in Heidelberg at the Faculty of Law of Heidelberg University and at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. During this period, students attend courses and seminars, complete their master’s theses, and take their final oral examinations. In addition, an academic program of officially guided visits to international institutions within and outside Germany is organized.
Upon successful completion of the integrated one-month academic stay in Heidelberg and fulfillment of all other program requirements, the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law is awarded by Heidelberg University*. Holders of the LL.M. in International Law are eligible to apply for doctoral studies at Heidelberg University.
The standard period for the Master’s degree program is two semesters (one year in total). This includes the time required to complete the Master’s thesis and to take the Master’s final oral exam.
*Through a credit-transfer process, on the basis of the existing cooperation in Law Studies, graduates may, upon request, also obtain the degree of Magíster en Derecho Internacional, Inversiones y Comercio from the University of Chile. Heidelberg University and the University of Chile confers their respective degrees in accordance with their own internal regulations.
Structure and Organization
The program is offered on a yearly basis and is divided into 7 modules. The first five modules take place in Santiago de Chile, at the Heidelberg Center Latin America. The curriculum includes a three-month period (module 6) for the preparation of the master’s thesis. A final one-month stay takes place in Heidelberg at the Faculty of Law and the Max-Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. During this time, students attend courses, complete their theses and take their final oral examinations. Exceptionally, the defense of the master’s thesis may be held in Santiago de Chile.
The LL.M. program follows a modular structure. Courses are conducted either in Spanish or in English, and are taught in presence. In exceptional circumstances, the program can be offered totally or partially online. Participants can also take courses on German as a foreign language free of charge at the HCLA.
Table
Santiago de Chile, Heidelberg Center Latin America | Santiago de Chile, Heidelberg Center Latin America | Santiago de Chile, Heidelberg Center Latin America | Santiago de Chile, Heidelberg Center Latin America | Santiago de Chile, Heidelberg Center Latin America | Self-learning, individual consultations | Heidelberg University |
Curricular courses | Curricular courses | Curricular courses | Curricular courses | Curricular courses | Thesis elaboration |
|
Objectives
The program aims mainly at offering comprehensive analysis and a broader theoretical and practical understanding of current and prospective trends in the field of international law in an era of globalisation.
The LL.M. examines and places emphasis on the following fields related to international law:
- Impact of globalisation on the sources and subjects of international law
- Recent developments in international economic law, environmental protection, and state responsibility
- Relevant contemporary challenges faced by the international community in recent years
- Regulation of international trade, investment law, and the settlement of international disputes
- International arbitration and dispute-resolution procedures before the World Trade Organization and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an awareness of the sources of international law and how those sources are created, understand the relationship between the various sources and how those sources are utilized by international lawyers.
- Demonstrate a sound understanding of the basic principles of international law.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of how international legal principles are implemented into, and interact with, domestic law.
- Discuss the basic principles of international law with special references to questions of international commercial law, international investment law and international arbitration in theory and apply them in a case-related manner.
Graduate Profile
The LL.M. provides conceptual and practical tools to strengthen the professional skills of graduates, which qualify for positions in international organizations, governmental agencies in international economics trade and foreign investment, legal advice in the negotiation and implementation of international agreements, as well as in the field of external relations. Graduates are also trained to perform advisory activities on international investment, both in the private sector or in NGOs, as well as to perform international litigation and arbitration.
Video
Learn about the prestigious Heidelberg University, the oldest university in Germany, and about the HCLA, its cooperations in Chile and Latin America and the LL.M. program in International Law. Students and professors comment on their experiences and the singularities of this high-level international program.
Graduate Profile
The LL.M. provides conceptual and practical tools to strengthen the professional skills of graduates, which qualify for positions in international organizations, governmental agencies in international economics trade and foreign investment, legal advice in the negotiation and implementation of international agreements, as well as in the field of external relations. Graduates are also trained to perform advisory activities on international investment, both in the private sector, international law firms or in NGOs, as well as to perform international litigation and arbitration.
The program has three prestigious scholarship systems:
- German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD):
TB1 – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD):
Tuition fee support and monthly allowance for a period of 11 months (April to February).
TB2 – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD):
Travel allowance for the stay in Heidelberg, and partial coverage of expenses during such stay.
The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) main function is to promote cooperation between German and international universities and research centers in different fields of study, teaching, research and outreach. Each year, the DAAD awards grants for transnational training programs (Translationale Bildung, TNB), through which the winning institutions (German universities) receive funds exclusively for scholarships for foreign students of academic excellence. Heidelberg University’s LL.M. in International Law has been successful in these applications since 2008.
- HCLA-Scholarships: tuition fee reduction for qualified cases.
- Scholarship "Women in International Law": The program offers a scholarship of 50% reduction of the total fee for a female applicant with stands out for her academic excellence and professional achievements.
Selection committee: The admission committee will be appointed by the Rector for a period of three years. The committee will consist of the managing director of the HCLA, the Heidelberg University head of the degree program, the Universidad de Chile head of the degree program, the dean of the Faculty of Law or an appointed member of the Faculty of Law at Heidelberg University and one additional lecturer of the HCLA. The committee will be jointly chaired by the dean of the Faculty of Law at Heidelberg University or the appointed member of the Faculty of Law and the head of the degree program Master in International Law, Investment and Trade at Universidad de Chile.
Participants may also independently apply for external funding programs or scholarships. To that purpose, the LL.M. coordination at the HCLA supports participants issuing any documentation needed in relation to their participation in the program.
“Having access to an opportunity like this, with this level of academic achievement, and in Chile, is truly a privilege.”
Carolina Escandón
The period in Heidelberg is extremely exciting. Students have the opportunity to be at the Max Planck and Heidelberg University’s Law School studying international law in a multicultural city with students from all over the world.
Maria Gabriela De Abreu. LL.M. graduate 2017-2018
