Erasmus+ Students in Leipzig

The compulsory courses convey knowledge in the three core areas of law: Civil Law, Public Law and Criminal Law. This is divided into the basic course (Grundstudium) (first–third semester) and the advanced course (Hauptstudium) (from the fourth semester on).

• In the basic course students are required to pass seven written exams, a seminar paper and an exam in one of the basic subjects of law.
• The advanced course offers advanced tutorials in Civil Law, Public Law and Criminal Law Preparation for the First State Examination in Law also begins.

This compulsory part of the study programme ends with a state examination consisting of six written exams and an oral exam.

In addition to the compulsory courses, students choose a specialisation. Students may specialise in one of the following:

1. Fundamentals of Law
2. Government and Administration – Environment, Construction, Economy
3. International and European Private Law
4. European Law – International Law – Human Rights
5. Banking Law and Capital Market Law
6. Criminology
7. Media Law
8. Legal Advice – Shaping of Law – Law Enforcement
9. Corporate Law
10. Labour Law
11. Fiscal Law

This part of the study programme ends with an examination conducted by the University. It consists of a seminar and a written exam.

In Germany, the grades for law students range from 0 to 18 points:

Some lecturers use the standard German grading scale to evaluate international students:

It is also possible to use the bachelor’s grading system, where the grades move in increments of 0.3:

The lecturers give lectures on the respective topic. Student participation depends on the lecturer. It is recommended to be present at the first lecture in order to receive the password for the online material, if any, and the reading list. Unlike regular students at Leipzig University, who generally do not write exams in lectures, international students are required to contact their lecturers at the beginning of the semester and inquire about exam possibilities. The lecturers will then schedule either an oral or a written examination. In general, students who regularly attend lectures and who pass an exam at the end will receive 5 ECTS credits for 2 teaching hours (SWS) per week. Lecturers are obliged to issue a certificate of academic achievement at the end of the semester.

In addition to the regular lectures, advanced tutorials are offered for students in higher semesters. Their purpose is the acquisition of certificates for completing a seminar paper and passing an exam in the respective field of law, which are admission requirements for the examination. The lecturers discuss solutions to challenging legal cases. These tutorials require in-depth knowledge of German law and the way in which cases are usually solved in Germany. Erasmus+ students should think carefully about whether attending such tutorials is worthwhile. You do not have to register in advance for the tutorials or for the exams or seminar papers.

Working groups (AGs) are a supplement to the lectures held in the first semesters. Under the guidance of research assistants, a group of between five and 30 students practise solving legal cases. ECTS credits are not available for AGs.

Leipzig University offers its own, non-commercial revision course, called LEO (Leipziger Examensoffensive). The course prepares students for the compulsory examination – the final state examination for regular students in Leipzig. The revision course covers all of the subject material from the first six semesters. Sessions take place in lecture halls with about 150 students. The content is presented either on an abstract level or with the help of cases, which the students help to solve. Examinations cannot be taken in these courses.

Seminars are only offered for the specialisations and address specific legal aspects. They are usually announced on the Faculty of Law website. Usually, registration takes place at the end of the previous semester. For this reason, the seminars are often already fully booked by the time international students arrive in Leipzig. However, it may well be that some places are leftover shortly before the beginning of a seminar. You are welcome to email the contact person for the specialisation you’re interested in and ask whether you can take part as an Erasmus+ student.

In seminars, students write a seminar paper of about 25 pages on a given topic. At the end of the semester, they then hold a 30-minute presentation on the topic of their seminar paper. They receive a grade for the paper and the presentation.

The general rule is: if you attend regularly and take an examination at the end of the course, you will receive 2.5 ECTS credits for courses equivalent to 1 weekly teaching hour (SWS).

For courses equivalent to 2 semester hours per week you will receive 5 ECTS credits, for courses equivalent to 3 semester hours per week 7.5 ECTS credits, and so on. Please speak to the relevant professor to find out if and how many ECTS credits are available for a seminar.

This term (Semesterwochenstunde in German) refers to the amount of time taken up by a course across one semester. A lecture with 2 SWS, for example, is scheduled for 2 hours a week for the entire lecture period. The course catalogue tells you how many SWS each course is worth.

If you decide to attend a course, you will need to briefly introduce yourself to the lecturer. Please tell them after the first or second session that you are an Erasmus+ student. Don’t forget to mention credits. In order to receive the 2.5 credits per weekly teaching hour, you will need to attend regularly and pass an examination. Ask the lecturer whether you will have to take an oral or a written examination and arrange a date for your examination. At the end of the semester you will receive a certificate stating your name, the credits you have received, and the German grade.