Bachelor Program “Business Law“
(Bachelor of Laws)
Content:
1. Overview 2
2. Why study Business Law? 2
3. Program Structure and Contents 3
4. Curriculum 4
5. Modules in the “Business Law” Program 7
6. Examination and Final Degree 10
7. Admission, Admission Requirements and Tuition Fees 10
8. Accreditation 10 9. Alumni-Organization 10
10. Advisory Board 11
1. Overview
Students admitted each term: 50
Program start: winter and summer term
Application deadline: July 15 for winter term
January 15 for summer term
Program length: 6 resp. 7 semesters
Degree: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
Accreditation: FIBAA
2. Why study Business Law? Aims and Objectives
Business and management in the 21st century is considerably affected by highly competitive markets, structural changes, new technologies and media, sophisticated customer needs, changing social values as well as complex legal frameworks.
With "Business Law", the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (CUAS) offers a program tailored to these needs:
The Bachelor program “Business Law“consisting of six semesters is designed to qualify students for demanding positions in business and administration. The program allows stu-dents to gain solid specialized knowledge. Furthermore stustu-dents will be able to work suc-cessfully in the fields of law and business administration on a national and international level.
The program focuses on training that prepares the students to work in positions that are marked by a close link of law and business administration. It accounts for the fact that more and more legal and business knowledge is required in economic practice.
The program’s focus is the conveyance of problem solving and of methodical and professional skills needed on the job market to meet the operative and strategic requirements of modern commercial enterprises. Furthermore intercultural competences (Business and Legal English) as well as multidisciplinary qualifications (drafting of contracts, negotiation techniques, conflict- und legal management) are trained. Students will be enabled to analyse professional and leading tasks, to develop practice oriented solutions, and to act interdisciplinarily.
Important prerequisites for succcessful studies are excellent German language skills as well as skills of logical thinking. Furthermore, students will be required to acquire familiarity with new issues.
Internships before or during the studies are highly appreciated and recommended, as they offer a great opportunity to get to know business law in practice at the interface between law and management functions.
Hands-on Approach
Since the program in “Business Law” follows a hands-on approach, scientific methods and findings are chosen and used primarily from the perspective of their application. The hand-on approach is guaranteed through the instructors’ lhand-ong-term practical experience and numerous cooperations with business companies.
Students gain insights into practice-relevant, up-to-date legal and economic issues through numerous guest lectureres from companies, associations, courts, administrations as well as legal and business organizations. In addition to that they receive an impression of decision-makers from different fields of law and business.
Work experience/Internship Semester
Students are given a further opportunity for the intregration of theory and practice with practical activities at home and abroad. Students who have gained a minimum of 60 credit points may apply for a voluntary internship semester. If the application is approved, the program will prolongate to 7 semesters and a compensation of 30 credit points will be granted after successful completion of the intership semester. Furthermore, students may study a semester or a year abroad. CUAS cooperates with a high number of foreign universities.
Career Opportunities
The Bachelor program is a vocational course of study leading to a Bachelor's degree that can be positioned higher than vocational schools, colleges, and universities of cooperative education. It provides students with the specialized knowledge, effective methods, and soft skills needed to independently work at the interfaces between law and management. Therefore, the program prepares students for the demands on independent business law-yers and qualifies them for entry level positions in all relevant fields and for their further career. Soft skills such as the ability to work in teams, presentation techniques, communi-cation skills as well as intercultural competence complete the personal profile of the graduates in “Business Law”.
The Career Service offers comprehensive services for students and graduates of Cologne University of Applied Sciences with the aim of providing support through targeted coun-selling, information and event offerings for aligning one's personal situation with the re-quirements of the job market. Further information on the Carrer Serivce can be found here: http://www.verwaltung.fh-koeln.de/dezernat3/sg34/cc/service/index.xml.content.html
3. Program Structure and Contents
The Bachelor Program „Business Law“ is organized in modules and consists of six semesters. Each module consitutes a complete learning unit. The modules are organized along subject lines. While starting with the basics in business administration and law, students increasingly specialize in the course of their studies. The hands-on approach is maintained throughout the whole program and deepened during specialization.
Due to the module structure of the subjects and exams, students are able to successively check their learning progress.
The chronoligical structure of modules and bachelor thesis is recommended and allows for an appropriate study progress. The organization of exams guarantees that all necessary module exams will take place at the time stipulated in the examinations regulation. The modules’ titles indicate the contents of the exams.
The curriculum of the “Business Law“ program constitutes a complete system that provides application-oriented fundamental knowledge. The first four semesters are designed to apprise the students with the basics in business administration and law. Therefore, lectures in the core subjects are offered, e.g. Introduction to Law, Private Business Law, HRM and Labor Law, Choice of Legal Form and European Law, Corporate Law and Taxation, Competition Law, Anti-Trust Law, Law of Legal Proceedings, Bankruptcy Law and Business Criminal Law, Public and Administrative Law, International Private Law as well as specialized major subjects.
Additionally, core subjects in the fields of business aministration, e.g. Introduction to Business Administration and Financial Mathematics, Introduction to Accounting, Micro- and Macroeconomics, Finance and Investment Management as well as Taxation have to be taken.
Futhermore, a broad range of multidisciplinary lectures with focus on soft skills and intercultural competence are offered, e.g. Legal and Business English, Drafting Contracts, Negotiation, Conflict and Legal Management. Nowadays, multidisciplinary knowledge is of particular importance notably with regard to positions in business law.
In the field of Major Subjects (semester 5+6), students can choose classes according to their individual career goals and interests. They choose two of the following four Major Subjects:
-Taxation/Auditing
- International Private Law - HRM and Labor Law - Financial Services Law
During the last semester, the students will also write a final thesis (Bachelor thesis), which is meant to prove that they are able to solve an practice-oriented task independently within a certain time frame, taking into account details relating to the relevant field as well as scientific tools and methods. It is recommended to write the thesis in cooperation with companies, as they may become potential employers.
The Bachelor program supports and expands the students’ knowledge of international economic relations and their intercultural competence. Due to the international focus of numerous courses, e.g. mandatory courses in Business English and Legal English, students are encouraged to broaden their horizon and expand their language skills.
Furthermore, students are enrouraged to take additional language courses such as Business Spanish and Business French and/or to spend a semster abroad.
CH CP CH CP CH CP CH CP CH CP CH CP
BL1.1.
Introduction to Law (law ethics,
constitution, fundamental rights) 1 4 6 BL1.2. HRM and Labor Law 1 4 6 BL1.3. Private Business Law 1 4 6 BL2.1.Choice of Legal Form and European
Law 1 4 6
BL2.2. Public Business Law 1 4 6
BL3.1.Focus Civil Law incl. Commercial,
Family and Inheritance Law 1 4 6
BL3.2. Competition and Anti-Trust Law, Law of
Legal Proceedings 1 4 6
BL4.1.Bankruptcy Law and Business Criminal
Law 1 4 6
BL4.2. International Business Law 1 4 6
BL4.3.
Focus Private Law, esp. Corporate Law 1 4 6
BA.1. Introduction to Business Administration
and Financial Mathematics 1 4 6 BA.2. Micro- and Macroeconomics 1 4 6
BA.3. Taxation 1 4 6
BA.4. Corporate Law and Taxation 1 4 6 BA.5. Introduction to Accounting 1 4 6
BA.6. Financial Reporting 1 4 6
BA.7. Finance and Investment Management 1 4 6
Q.1. Drafting Contracts, Negotiation, Conflict
and Legal Management 1 4 6
FL.1. Business English 1) 1 4 6 FL.2. Legal English 1) 1 4 6 I. Major 1 4 2x4 2x6 2x4 2x6 II. Major 2 4 3x4 3x6 1x4 1x6 BT. Bachelor-Thesis 12 112 20 20 20 20 20 12 180 30 30 30 30 30 30 Q. Multidisciplinary Qualifications MS. Major Subjects Sem.5 Sem.6 BL. Business Law
Module description ME Sem.1 Sem.2 Sem.3
BA. Business Administration
Sem.4 Module-code Bachelor-Thesis Σ Contact Hours Σ Credit Points
Module-
code Module description Sem. Law
Financial Reporting Manage-ment & Con- trolling General Manage-ment Taxation/ Auditing HRM Vocational Training Information Management Investment and Finance SP1. Taxation/ Auditing SP1.1. Business- and Annual
Accounts Auditing 5 x x SP1.2. Business Accounting Law and IT in Tax Consultancy 5 x x compulsory optional subject (2 of 3) SP1.W3 Taxation of Companies; AO; FGO 6 x x
SP1.W4 International Tax Law; Optimised Gift- and Inheritence Tax
6 x
x
SP1.W5 Specific tax issues 6
SP2. International Business Law
SP2.1. Public International Law 5 x
SP2.2. Private International Law
(ITL, IPL, CISG)
5 x
SP2.3. European Public Busi-ness Law 6 x
SP2.4.
International Bank-ruptcy and Foreign Trade Law
6 x
SP3. Human Resource Management (HRM) and Labor Law
SP3.1. Human Resource Management 1 5 x x SP3.2. Human Resource Management 2 5 x x SP3.3. Labour Law 6 x x compulsory optional subject (1 of 3) SP3.W4. HR-Controlling 6 x
SP3.W5. HR-Software & -Projects 6 x
SP3.W6.
Knowledge Manage-ment and Organisa-tional Learning
6 x
SP4. Financial Services Law SP4.1. Introduction to
Bank-ing 5 x x
SP4.2. Legal Aspects of
Corpo-rate Financing 5 x
SP4.3. Legal Framework for Banking 6 x
5. Modules in the “Business Law” Program Semester 1
Introduction to Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This module covers the basics of law, notably law ethics, constitution, fundamental rights, constitutional law, system of government (state structures, constitutional bodies, political parties, constitutional rules governing public finances, legislative procedures) as well as legal working techniques (basis for a claim, claim structure, opinion and judgment).
HRM and Labor Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This module gives an overview of targets, tasks, and methods of HRM as well as legal sources and basics of labor law. Students will understand the interdependency of labor law and HRM.
Private Business Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
Students will gain an overview about the basic principles of civil law, especially regarding the following topics:
• Types of persons (individual, legal entity, consumer, entrepreneur, tradesmen) • Representation
• Conclusion of a contract • General terms and conditions • Types of contracts
• Rights and obligations resulting of a contract • Execution of a contract
• Impairment of performance regarding the execution of a contract • Unjustified enrichment
• Tortuous acts and absolute liability
Introduction to Business Administration and Financial Mathematics (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS
Credits)
Students will be familiarized with the basics of business administration that are of general importance and with the methods of financial mathematics.
Micro- and Macroeconomics (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
Students will gain knowledge of the basics concepts of microeconomics. This means stu-dents are supposed to gain an understanding of the attitude and the decisions of consum-ers, manufacturers and other participants of the market in different types of the market (pure competition, monopoly, oligopoly). Based on this knowledge students will be quali-fied to explain problems and results of the market development.
Furthermore students will gain knowledge of the basic concepts of macroeconomics. Thus, students will become familiar with the basic concepts used in order to explain macroeco-nomic developments, e.g. growth, unemployment and inflation.
Semester 2
Choice of Legal Form and European Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This module covers the legal forms of organizations in consideration of civil law, tax law and European law. Students will be introduced to European institutions and bodies, the European single market and the European competition law.
Public Business Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This course provides students with the fundamentals of public and administrative law, no-tably the procedures in public administration as well as the rules and legal proceedings of administrative courts.
Corporate Law and Taxation (4 Contact Hours / 6 ECTS Credits)
This module apprises students of the different legal forms of organizations, property law, law of credit and security as well as of the fundamentals of sales and trade tax.
Taxation (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This module focuses on the taxation of enterprises and its members. Students will be en-abled to assess fiscal consequences of economic actions. The course also covers income tax, corporate tax, trade tax, and sales tax.
Introduction to Accounting (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
Students learn about the functions of accounting and will be able to apply these instru-ments to business issues. Furthermore students gain an overview about the basic princi-ples of management accounting (cost and activity accounting) and financial reporting (fi-nancial accounting and year-end closing).
Semester 3
Focus Private Law incl. Commercial, Family and Inheritance Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS
Credits)
This course examines commercial law including its relation to civil law. It then proceeds with an overview on family and inheritance law including their relation to private law.
Competition and Anti-Trust Law, Law of Legal Proceedings (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This course focuses on the legal regulations that are relevant in terms of competition among companies. Consideration is given to industrial property rights.
Topics covered include law enforcement, the law of civil proceeding as well as the trial´s procedure.
Drafting Contracts, Negotiation, Conflict and Legal Management (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS
Credits)
This module concentrates on strategies and methods for a successful negotiation as well as techniques for mediating and resolving disputes. Students discuss strategies for drafting contracts and agreements, and will be able to prove the legitimacy of contract clauses.
Financial Reporting (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
Students are exposed to the fundamental principles of accounting, the entries and assess-ment of annual audits.
Business English(4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
The course is designed to improve the students' communicative competence in the for-eign language in terms of conversation and writing. It also covers civilization and culture of English speaking countries and apprises the students of the respective business language.
Semester 4
Bankruptcy Law and Business Criminal Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This course will cover different kinds of enforcement, the functions and instruments of bankruptcy law including the procedure. Furthermore students will be able to be aware of the indictable risks of entrepreneurial acting and to make an estimate of the conse-quences.
International Business Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of international private law, notably: Pub-lic international law as a basis for international business law; Private international law; Spe-cial part of the law of obligations; International law of civil procedure; German-American legal relations; International commercial arbitration jurisdiction; Particular legal fields from an international point of view; International Organisations and Contractual systems.
Main Subject: Private Law, esp. Corporate Law (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
A repetition and consolidation of company law is carried out. Simultaneously the sofar treated, entrepreneurially relevant legal fields are linked and deepened. At the same time questions of group law, questions of reorganization tax law, as well as questions of enter-prise purchasing and legal succession concerning enterenter-prises are discussed.
Finance and Investment Management (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
This course examines selected topics from finance and investment management and cov-ers the methods of decision-making.
Legal English (4 Contact Hours/ 6 ECTS Credits)
The course is designed to improve the students' communicative competence in the for-eign language in terms of conversation and writing. It focuses on specific parts of Anglo-American Law and apprises the students of English for legal purposes.
Multidisciplinary Qualifications:
Drafting contracts, negotiation, conflict and legal management, see semester 3 Business English, see semester 3
Legal English, see semester 4 Semester 5 and 6
Depending on their professional interests, students choose two out of four of the following major subjects:
• Taxation/ Auditing
• International Private Law
• HRM and Labor Law
• Financial Services Law
The major subjects consist of 16 contact hours, which are composed of 4 modules of 4 con-tact hours, respectively. Each module will be awarded with 6 ECTS.
For more details on the modules’ topics and contents, please check the Faculty of Econom-ics and Business Administration’s course calendar:
http://www.f04.fh-koeln.de/studium/vorlesungsverzeichnis/wirtschaftsrecht/
6. Examination and Final Degree
Module exams of the study program “Business Law“ are taken on completion of the respective module.
The modalities of examination are documented in the curriculum and in the examination regulations. Every module will be concluded by an individual exam, which can be a written or oral exam as well as another form of assessment (e.g. projects, presentations, papers, internship reports) or a combination of these. Presentations will be held in the lectures, giving the students the opportunity to train their communication and presentation skills. The program will be concluded by a bachelor thesis. The core of this concluding module are the skills needed to write an academic paper on practice-relevant topics. Students will work on legal issues, taking into consideration legal details as well as up-to-date economic and legal research findings. The bachelor thesis is designed to act as interface between science and practice. To support this approach experienced practitioners may be involved in the supervision of the bachelor thesis.
7. Admission, Admission Requirements and Tuition Fees
Essential requirement for the application is the degree “Fachhochschulreife” or an equiva-lent. Furthermore, German language competence (DSH, level 2 is mandatory, level 3 is rec-ommended) needs to be proved, if secondary schooling diploma has not been obtained from a German institution (for more information on the necessary command of German, please check with our International Office).
Regarding the process of application, you will find further information on the following website: http://www.international-office.fh-koeln.de/english/study/entire/u/01722.php
Application deadlines are January 15 for the summer term and July 15 for the winter term. Contributions in the amout of about € 217 per semester have to be made including social contribution, students' union executive committee and costs for students´ ticket for public transportation.
Please obtain more information on the admission procedure on the University’s website:
http://www.fh-koeln.de/studieninfos/
The staff members of the students secretariat of Cologne University of Applied Sciences provide information on application and admission and can be contacted either personally or via e-mail and phone (see 11.).
8. Accreditation
The Bachelor Program in Business Law has been successfully accredited by the FIBBA.
In 2004 graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration founded the alumni association „ProFHessional – Das Alumni-Netzwerk der FH Köln e.V.“. This alumni association organizes general meetings, offers information and regularly invites students and graduates to cultural events and meetings.
For further information see:
www.f04.fh-koeln.de/personen/alumni or www.profhessional.de.
10. Advisory Board
CUAS’s Faculty of Economics and Business Administration has constituted an international board of advisors, which consists of national and international leaders, recognized for outstanding achievements in their professions and in their communities (USA, Japan, China, Russia).
The International Board of Adivsors main tasks are to evaluate the programs and activities of the faculty and to provide feedback. Furthermore, it supports students by providing internships and employment opportunities and by recruiting foreign guest lecturers to expand and intensify the faculty’s internationalisation.
11. Contact
General questions concerning application and admission requirements: Maria Pakou, Edith Saum,
Phone: +49 221 8275-3407 or +49 221 8275-3480
studieninfos@zv.fh-koeln.de
Specific questions regarding the content of the program: Maria Pakou, Edith Saum
Phone: + 49 221 8275-3407 or +49 221 8275-3480
Maria.Pakou@fh-koeln.de; Edith.Saum@fh-koeln.de
Program coordinator: Julia Gries
Phone: +49 221 8275-3650 (Tuesday – Friday)
Julia.Gries@fh-koeln.de
Program director:
Prof. Dr. Volker Mayer
Phone: +49 221 8275-3658
Street Address:
Cologne University of Applied Sciences Faculty 04 / Institute of Business Studies Claudiusstraße 1
50678 Cologne Germany
Mailing Address:
Cologne University of Applied Sciences Faculty 04 / Institute of Business Studies Gustav-Heinemann-Ufer 54
50968 Cologne
