What we offer you

The MBL-FU is a postgraduate master program in law (LL.M.). It lasts for one academic year. You will obtain in-depth, specialized knowledge on cutting-edge questions of International and European Competition and Regulatory Law.

Our lecturers are high-ranking legal and economic academics as well as practitioners from all around the world – from officials of the European Commission and national authorities to attorneys from international law firms and multinational companies. Their classes cover a wide range of topics, from foundational theoretical and economic questions to all aspects of European and International competition law, to intellectual property and other crucial issues driving important sectors of today’s economy (digital platforms, telecommunications, energy, climate).

You will cover eight modules and write a master thesis. Each module consists of in-class lectures, seminars and tutorials. They take place on Fridays and Saturdays and occasionally on Thursdays at the Department of Law. Online study and work components complement and build upon these lectures.

Freie Universität Berlin (FU) is one of eleven “Universities of Excellence” in Germany. Its network of libraries holds approximately 8 million media units, thereby providing you with the necessary resources for any academic endeavor. FU is one of the largest universities in Germany: 30,600 students are enrolled in over 150 degree programs. Its 15 departments and central institutes are spread out through the university campus. The university has over 100 partnerships with scholarly institutions around the world. 15 percent of its student body come from abroad.

You will find the current course schedule in our download section. If you have any additional questions, you might want to check our FAQ.

First Term

Module 1: European Union Law, and International Trade Law (5 credit points)

You will become familiar with the European Union, its institutions, and sources of law. You will learn about the development of the EU’s internal market and the role which economic freedoms played in this development. In addition, you will learn about the nuances of the EU’s external relations, its common commercial and investment policies and the international legal framework of trade, investment and competition.

Module 2: Economics – The Foundations (10 credit points)

The module is dedicated to economic principles and processes. You will learn about economic efficiency, welfare allocation, models of perfect competition, oligopolies and the application of game theory in economics, Cournot and Bertrand competition models, market power and market definition, cartels, horizontal and vertical agreements, mergers and unilateral abusive conducts.

Module 3: European Competition Law (10 credit points)

You will study intensively the terms, definitions, and rules on which European competition law is based. You will learn how to apply the rules on horizontal and vertical restraints, on unilateral abusive conducts, and on merger control, and will become familiar with the peculiarities of public and private enforcement of competition law.

Module 4: Advanced Competition Law (5 credit points)

The module is dedicated to advanced aspects of EU competition law as well as to comparative and international competition law. You will study the rules governing state intervention in the internal market, especially concerning subsidies, state aid and public procurement, and will compare US antitrust law and EU competition law. In addition, you will learn about competition law and its enforcement in selected countries of the Global South.

Second Term

Module 5: Intellectual Property (5 credit points)

You will learn about the intersection between competition law, innovation, and intellectual property. To do so, you will study intensively the international and European Union legal framework for copyrights, patents, and trademarks.

Module 6: Regulatory Law – The Foundations (5 credit points)

You will learn about the legal and economic foundations of infrastructure regulation and will get insights into the Digital Economy, including the role of online platforms.

Module 7: Regulatory Law – Telecommunications (5 credit points; compulsory elective)

This module is a compulsory elective, dedicated to the legal and technical aspects of telecommunications law. You will study the regulatory framework for telecommunications as well as regulatory remedies and institutions, network neutrality, data protection, media and internet regulation.

Module 8: Regulatory Law – Energy Law (5 credit points; compulsory elective)

This module is a compulsory elective, dedicated to the legal and technical aspects of energy law. You will learn about international energy trade, energy contracts, the liberalization and the rules governing the “European internal energy market”, unbundling schemes, promotion of renewable sources in the EU and internationally, and investment protection in the energy sector.

MBL at a glance

Target group	Lawyers and economists with a strong interest in competition and regulatory law
Contents	International and European competition law and their economic foundations; regulatory law in the digital economy, the telecommunication und energy sectors
Lecturers	Professors from law and economics departments; practitioners from public authorities and international law firms
Structure	Classes on Fridays and Saturdays (and Thursdays sometimes); E-learning exercises
Language	English
Class size	30-32 students
Duration	One academic year, starting in October
Degree	University degree "Master of Business Law (MBL)"
Admission requirements	University degree (240 ECTS), preferably in legal studies Work experience of a year or more English language proficiency of at least B2, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
Application deadline	February 28 of each year
Tuition	9,500.00 EUR plus semester fees and contributions

You find a PDF-version of this chart at our download section.