Business Law in an International Context

The programme comprises topics pertinent to corporate law taught in advanced modules specially structured to combine detailed theoretical analysis with an applied approach to current issues. In addition to exploring the areas of corporate law relevant to the work of companies active in the international arena, the programme offers the chance to specialise in either corporate finance or human resources. Selected students with the finance specialisation can be entered in the double degree programme with ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. The duration of the programme is then extended from three to four semesters. First semester Corporate Management and Governance deals in detail with selected issues of company law (international company law, cross-border company formation and the principles of good company management). International Contract Law and Contract Design comprises German and an international debt contract law, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods and questions of prospective conflict management (with a focus on contract design). Corporate Employment Law (taught in English) focuses on labour law issues in international companies including personnel decisions, CSR and equalities legislation. The seminar in Current Employment Law extends students’ understanding of labour management regulation, employee participation and collective bargaining law. The project and research module provides students with the opportunity to work together with companies to resolve practical problems or conduct research projects. Second semester Corporate Transactions (English-language, elective) focusses on mergers and acquisitions, initial public offering, securitisation, take-overs, leveraged buyouts and project financing. Restructuring and Risk Management focusses on risk management, insolvency law, capital measures in company law and restructuring loans. Contract Design in Labour Law concentrates on the design of employment contracts and working time and remuneration models. European Competition and Intellectual Property focuses on questions of competition control, public procurement law and the protection of intellectual property. Students can also specialise in Human Resources or Financing in the first two semesters: Human Resources: Students take one of the modules in Performance and Reward Management or Training and Development and drop one of the three modules not related to Labour Law in the second semester. Financing: Students take the module in Financial Instruments and Markets and drop the module in Labour Law in the first semester. Third semester The third semester is dedicated to the preparation and submission of the Master's thesis and the final oral exam (oral defence).