Bachelor's Information Day: Can Bethke – “Law holds the world together”

Can Bethke has always had a bit of law in him: “I like to question and argue. Law challenges me in a different way,” says the 26-year-old. So it's no surprise that he took law courses during his first degree. “I studied political science in Hamburg and also dealt with legal topics in my complementary studies. The content immediately grabbed me because I was fascinated by the normative foundations of political decisions. Law holds the world and society together at its core,” he sums up.

However, after studying politics, he still had many questions. “I then looked at study programs at various universities—and Leuphana's innovative study model convinced me. If everything goes well, after completing my Bachelor of Laws, I can either continue with a Master of Laws or take the First State Examination in Law.”

What he particularly appreciates at Leuphana is the close interaction with the teaching staff. “You can ask questions more directly than at a large university; it almost feels like mentoring,” he says. Nevertheless, hard work is essential. He emphasizes that everyday student life can be very demanding. Can Bethke prefers to study in the library. “It's excellent—we have extensive access to specialist literature, can rent private study rooms, and are close to the lecture halls.”

He has already shown that this commitment pays off. He found his participation in the Future Work competition organized by the commercial law firm Graf von Westphalen particularly exciting, where he and his team took second place. The task: to develop ideas for how law firms could work in the future. His group designed an AI tool that automatically checks and optimizes contract wording. “I've always wanted to develop solutions and create opportunities – this was the perfect opportunity,” he summarizes. 

Can Bethke and his team partner also impressed at the moot court at the Administrative Court of Lüneburg on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Lower Saxony's administrative jurisdiction: “Leuphana regularly offers extracurricular events and enables students to gain practical professional experience at an early stage. This allows us to apply the knowledge we have acquired in theory directly in practice.”

Even as a boy, he enjoyed helping others. “My hometown didn't have a children's disco. We pushed for one in the youth parliament,” recalls Can Bethke. 

He is also exploring new fields in his complementary studies. He even learned programming in a “Smart Home Basics” course. “It was something completely different and extremely practical,” he says.

He is also exploring new fields in his complementary studies. He even learned programming in a “Smart Home Basics” course. “That was something completely different and extremely practical,” he says.

For Can Bethke, studying at Leuphana not only opens up specialist knowledge, but also new perspectives: "At university, we look beyond the horizon. The study model with a major, minor, and complementary studies allows us to get to know different people and perspectives every day. As a lawyer, I need precisely these perspectives, and this degree program prepares me for them in the best possible way."