Model Master's program in Law: First graduates receive honors

“Committed teachers, small learning groups, and the integrated review course during the program: I think that's why we both passed the first state exam with honors. Law thrives on exchange and questioning,” saysSilas Fenimore Kißmer.

Born in the Sauerland region, he previously completed two bachelor's programs at Leuphana: ‘Law’ and “International Business Administration & Entrepreneurship.” He would like to work in the legal system later on, but first he wants to earn his doctorate: “Unlike in a traditional law program, we wrote academic theses for our bachelor's and master's degrees and learned a lot about research methods during our studies. I feel well prepared for a doctorate.” But it wasn't just the academic part of the program that impressed him: “The four semesters were intense in terms of content, but we always supported each other as students.”

In his master's thesis, Jonas Hahn discussed a possible ban on the AfD and successfully published his findings in collaboration with a student-oriented publishing house. He even received a bestseller award for his work: “Now I would like to do a PhD in constitutional law,” says the 25-year-old. After graduating from high school, he came to Leuphana because of its unique study model: “I have a wide range of interests and found it exciting to be able to study political science as a minor alongside my major in law,” says the Hamburg native. He can imagine working as an administrative judge or as a legal advisor in a parliament after completing his doctorate and second state examination. “The opportunity to combine subjects at Leuphana allowed me to hone my own profile early on,” explains Jonas Hahn.

The master's program is a model course with an innovative academic profile and represents the first further development of the law curriculum from the perspective of bachelor's and master's programs. Leuphana thus offers an independent master's program in law that, together with the Leuphana Bachelor's degree in law (LL.B.) – or another bachelor's degree in law – can lead to the first state examination in law. After the first two semesters, students write their master's thesis. The second year of study then provides intensive preparation for the state examination.

Students deepen their knowledge of civil and public law as well as criminal law, which are prerequisites for the state law examination. Innovative teaching and learning concepts and work in small groups create the conditions for optimal preparation for the state examination. Exam preparation in the form of review and consolidation courses is integrated into the two-year program. With its focus on “law in context,” the model program goes beyond a classical dogmatic perspective on jurisprudence by presenting relevant content from civil, public, and criminal law against the backdrop of current social challenges and transformations. This focus area will be further diversified starting in the winter semester of 2026.