Faculty of Law University of Cologne

Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät (Universität zu Köln)

University of Cologne

The Cologne Faculty of Law is one of the largest and most traditional in Germany. Teaching and research are broadly diversified: from the basics of law to cutting-edge legal areas. The faculty's best-known trademarks are its practical focus and its international orientation.

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The Cologne Faculty of Law, as one of the most traditional and largest in Germany, was already a special feature when it was founded in 1388, as it was the first faculty to teach Roman law alongside canonical (ecclesiastical) law right from the start.

Teaching and research still cover a wide spectrum today: from the basics of law to all socially relevant areas.

Research

The Faculty of Law is characterized by its distinctive institute structure, which enables modern and intensive research in almost all areas of law. In particular, it cultivates six research fields that are interrelated through numerous cross-sectional questions:

• Digitalization
• Human rights
• Internationalization
• Business law
• Basics of law
• State and citizens

A consistent characteristic of the entire research is that it not only illuminates national law issues, but also always comparative legal and international references. The faculty ensures both basic and practice-related research and always seeks exchange with other disciplines and social actors. She recognizes early on trends that are of great social relevance and contain the legal challenges of the future. The Faculty of Law promotes and accompanies the application and further development of law not only in legal practice, but also to a large extent in politics and society.

Teaching

The teaching at the Faculty of Law is essentially based on the training goal of the so-called uniform lawyer, which is set in Germany for the typical legal professions in judges, civil service, lawyers and higher administrative service. This applies not only to the classic law course with a first examination, but to the entire range of courses offered by the faculty.

The faculty is convinced that the skills required of uniform lawyers for in-depth academic work and for the independent development of new developments as well as for critical thinking and responsible action in a free, democratic and social constitutional state are also crucial for professional work outside of typical legal activities success of our students. The same applies to the faculty's goal of preparing students for the increasingly important international dimension of law.

The faculty is reinforced in these assumptions by experience, which has shown that Cologne graduates have favorable career opportunities. Many companies and large law firms find their young legal talent among the faculty's former students.

Internationality

For over half a century, the research and teaching of the Cologne faculty has been characterized by a particularly international orientation. The faculty recognized the relevance of this topic early on and has consistently devoted itself to it ever since.

Not only 16 internationally oriented institutes and legal research facilities at the faculty, but also research at all other chairs and institutes take into account the international and comparative legal references of legal issues. The research benefits from numerous collaborations with renowned foreign partner universities and covers the entire range of international, supra- and transnational law.

These framework conditions particularly benefit students who are interested in cross-border activities. You can acquire a double degree in seven binational study programs in two countries each. In addition, the faculty maintains over 60 partnerships on three continents, which lead to around 600 study places for stays abroad during your studies every year. Relevant focus areas or certificate programs accompanying your studies qualify students on site.

The fact that the faculty will continue to strive to support and help shape the progressive internationalization of law in the future and would like to prepare its young lawyers for this in the best possible way was recently confirmed by establishing the English-language "Master of Laws in European Legal Perspectives".