With more than 4,000 students, the Faculty of Law of Charles University is the largest accredited law faculty in the Czech Republic. Many of its distinguished alumni hold prominent positions in the private and public sectors including the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Over the past decade, the faculty has developed a range of English-language courses for visiting students who attend summer schools in Prague, as well as the popular “Czech Legal System in European Context” course, which is delivered annually to EU students on the Erasmus exchange program, as well as a significant number of students from overseas universities.
The university's English-language LL.M. (Master of Laws) program, currently accepting applications for the new semester, builds on its success in the provision of English-language tuition for international students.
The three-semester master's qualification program is designed to appeal to a broad range of law school graduates whether they are still completing their undergraduate degree or are currently in the workplace, says Dr. David Kohout, Head of the International Office and LL.M. Programs Coordinator.
If you’re a lawyer working in the business sector, or pursuing a career in the health sector, or if you have ambitions to work in an international organization, agency or law firms that provide legal expertise on human rights or environmental issues, then this course will definitely be of interest to you.”
The LL.M. program offers students the opportunity to study in one of three diverse areas: Business Law, Environmental and Human Rights Law, and Health and Sports Law, covering topics as varied as intellectual property, doping regulations, and protection of minorities.
The hands-on teaching approach is focused on the application of practical skills and knowledge. Guest lecturers, including prominent international legal scholars, contribute to the courses.
Nikola Serafimov, a master's student from Macedonia says of the program, "For me, the idea of having professors who are experts in their field is a big draw as well as the way the program is focused on both the theoretical and practical sides of the law."
Students of the LL.M program have the opportunity to take part in case studies, moot courts, and clinics, as well as several excursions, including visits to the High Court in Prague, the Metropolitan Court in Prague, and the Arbitration Court attached to the Economic Chamber and Agricultural Chamber of the Czech Republic.
Other students, such as Luis Aldaca, a Mexican student studying human rights and environmental protection, praise the opportunity to study with fellow students from around the world at one of Europe's top universities while enjoying the affordability and of the Czech capital.
Not only the knowledge gained but also the exposure I have to so many students from around the world has made me a different person and given me real-life experience," he says.
The Law Faculty of Charles University was established in 1348 as one of four faculties of the newly established Charles University. The new Law Faculty building where students study today was built on the embankment of the Vltava River in the center of Prague in 1931. It was designed by the renowned Czech modern architect Jan Kotěra and built by architect Ladislav Machoň.
Legal education in the Czech Republic is considered to be highly prestigious as well as potentially career-making; a high number of graduates of Czech law schools find a job within six months after graduation. Many graduates of the Czech law schools often find jobs in Europe, outside of the Czech Republic, in EU organizations.
“Graduates of the LL.M. and Ph.D. programs at the Faculty of Law of Charles University have found jobs in NGOs, internationally active enterprises, and in academia,” said Dr. Kohout.
The LL.M. program runs for three semesters – two semesters of on-site study, followed by an additional semester of distance study allocated to the writing of a thesis and its defense.
The law faculty also offers a doctoral degree that can be taken either in the Czech or English languages. Serafimov says that the success of the LL.M. program has led him to consider continuing with doctoral studies.
The application deadline for the LL.M. program is September 17, 2021 (for applicants who do not need to apply for a visa in order to enter the Czech Republic or who already have a valid visa).
In addition to an application form, candidates will need to submit a letter of motivation, an apostilled copy of their undergraduate diploma, and two letters of recommendation from university professors.