LLM in Compliance

Full Time and Part Time Programs

In an increasingly complex regulatory environment, local, national, and international regulations and standards concerning corporate finances, human resources, environmental impact, competition, and taxation represent a constant challenge for businesses. The requirements are constantly evolving, leaving companies exposed to sanctions that entail significant financial and reputational losses.

National and multinational companies have created internal compliance organizations charged with monitoring regulatory developments, identifying risks, designing and implementing prevention mechanisms, overcoming compliance difficulties, and advising on internal rules and controls. Law firms and business advisors have developed compliance practices intended to support the national and multinational companies. Besides, many specialized entities are now offering their services to companies that choose to outsource compliance procedures.

In this context, the Fribourg Law Faculty has created a unique LLM in regulatory compliance enabling you to acquire the necessary capabilities to become a successful practitioner in the field. In addition to a solid theoretical basis, the program provides you with practical insight, allowing you to practice immediately following your studies.

  • Who is eligible for the Fribourg Law LLM Program?

    The LLM program in Compliance was designed to meet the needs of  experienced lawyers and recent law graduates of proven ability.

    The program is also open to university graduates with degrees in disciplines other than law whose professional experience has prepared them for the study of regulatory compliance.

  • What will you learn?

    The core curriculum of the Fribourg Law LLM in Compliance offers students numerous options for putting together individualized study modules suited to their own specific needs and interests. Modules can include any combination of curriculum units chosen from a wide variety of offerings:

    • an introductory course on compliance and compliance systems;
    • graduate level courses on the main areas of compliance law, including the regulatory regimes governing taxation, antitrust issues, labor relations, banking, environmental production, trade and commerce, customs clearance, corruption and money laundering,  and risk management;
    • specialized courses on law and business in the world's fastest growing economies – in  Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America; 
    • legal clinics and moot courts
    • business negotiation training, legal drafting and other skills-oriented courses and seminars.

     

    Successful completion of each unit allows students to earn the number of ECTS credits corresponding to the investment of time and effort demanded.

     

    Units may require between 6 and 16 hours of classroom time, spread over intervals ranging from one day to a maximum of two weeks. For a listing of the curriculum units and the ECTS credits to be earned for each unit, please consult the program structure using the link at the bottom of this page.

     

    Enhance the value of your LLM by choosing supplementary courses units!

  • Your Career Options

    The LLM in Compliance will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities. Potential employers include:

    • compliance and legal departments of business ranging from small and midsize enterprises to major multinational corporations in diverse industries, including international trade, banking and financial services, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, and others;
    • law firms;
    • national and international regulatory agencies;
    • international organizations and non-governmental organizations.
  • Features of Full Time & Part Time Programs

    The academic year has a duration of approximately ten months, divided into two semesters.

    The fall semester runs from mid-September to mid-December.

    The spring semester runs from mid-February to mid-June.

    Besides the inter-semester breaks, there are several official holidays during the semesters, notably Easter (the exact date varies every year).

    Exam sessions take place at the end of each semester.

    Full-Time

    The Full-Time LLM program has a duration of two semesters.

    Classes take place Monday to Friday with an average class-time of four hours per day.

    Part-Time

    The Part-Time has a flexible duration of two to four semesters. Each course takes place once a year. Students may choose to follow a lecture in their first year or the second year of their Part-Time LLM. If they wish, they can complete the Part-Time LLM in just one year.

    This program is specially designed for candidates who are full-time employees or wish- for different reasons - to have a flexible program.

    Classes take place Friday afternoon and Saturday.

    Common features

    All courses take place in English.

    To receive their degree, students must complete curriculum units to earn a minimum of 60 ECTS credits, including:

    • 50 ECTS credits for coursework;
    • 10 ECTS for the preparation of a master’s thesis or internship.

    Students may choose to start the LLM in Fall or Spring.

  • Tuition Fees

    Tuition fees for the LLM in Compliance amount to CHF 16,500.-, and are payable in installments, as follows:

    • Fall Semester Intakes

      Registration fee*: CHF 1’500.-

      1st installment: CHF 3’750.-
      Due date: September 1

      2nd installment: CHF 3’700.-
      Due date: December 1

      3rd instalment: CHF 3’700.-
      Due Date: March 1

      4th instalment: CHF 3’700.-
      Due date: June 1

    • Spring Semester Intakes

      Registration fee*: CHF 1’500.-
      1st installment: CHF 3'750.-
      Due date: February 1

      2nd installment: CHF 3'700.-
      Due date: May 1

      3rd installment: CHF 3'700.-
      Due date: August 1

      4th installment: CHF 3'700.-
      Due date: November 1

    *The registration fee counts toward the tuition fee and is due two weeks from the issuance of the admission letter.

    Professional reinsertion candidates

    Candidates undergoing professional reinsertion (following unemployment) or trainee lawyers in Switzerland may benefit from individual payment facilities. Please contact us for details.

    Application costs

    We do not require upfront payments for the treatment of application files.
    Successful candidates are required to pay an administrative expenses contribution of CHF 150.- to cover the costs of processing and mailing of the admission letters and other admission documents.

    The administrative expenses contribution counts toward the tuition fee but is not refundable.

    Registration fees

    A CHF 1500.- registration fee is due upon registration with the University at the end of your application process.

    The registration fee must be paid in full, including by scholarship students.

    The registration fee counts toward the tuition fee and is only refundable for extraordinary circumstances, duly documented.

     

  • Early Registration

    Discounts of up to 8% of the invoiced tuition fees apply for early payment of the registration and tuition fees:

    • Fall Semester Intakes
      Early Registration Discount
      • 3% of the invoiced tuition fee if the candidate pays the Registration fee before April 31
      Early Payment Discount
      • 5% of the invoiced tuition fee if the candidate pays in one installment before July 31
    • Spring Semester Intakes
      Early Registration Discount
      • 3% of the invoiced tuition fee if the candidate pays the Registration fee before October 31
      Early Payment Discount
      • 5% of the invoiced tuition fee if the candidate pays in one installment before January 31
  • Scholarships

    Excellence Scholarship Program

    Under the Excellence Scholarship Program, we provide twenty scholarships, each worth CHF 8500, for outstanding candidates.

     Scholarships are available to LLM candidates. Their award and amount depend on the academic excellence evidenced notably by:

    • results in a bachelor's and masters' degree;
    • professional and academic achievements.

    Regional Scholarship Program

    Our goal is to develop high-level skills while at the same time bridging cultural gaps between lawyers from different countries.

    Bringing students from every corner of the world is paramount to our endeavor. We have already covered more than 90 countries in the world and every year students from new countries join us.

    To achieve this goal, we have relied on the criteria set forth by the United Nations to build a comprehensive support scheme that accounts for the difference in living standards in the world.

    The Regional Scholarship is destined to applicants who are nationals of and reside in developing countries, least developed countries, or countries in transition.

    The Regional Scholarship amounts of CHF 8250.-.

    Click here to download the list of countries qualifying for Regional Scholarship.

    The number of grants is limited. The Regional Scholarship is not cumulable with the Excellence Scholarship.

    How to apply for a scholarship

    Scholarship aspirants must first apply to one of the Fribourg Law LLM Programs.

    They should then fill out the application form by clicking here

 REQUEST INFORMATION

Click to open the request information form 

APPLY HERE

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  • STUDENTS ABOUT US

    Regina Tenisheva (Russia)

    "I would like to distinguish a brilliant teaching staff invited to teach on the LLM program. The world wide known professors and leading practicing lawyers all over the world taught me to think freely, independently basing on new knowledge and using to a large extent my previous experience. In this regard I appreciate an approach of the program administration to accept students with the professional background once the teaching approach itself and proposed case studies supposed interaction of professionals.

    The LLM program gave me an invaluable experience of communication with people of different nationalities as far as I studied in a truly international group. We studied, celebrated birthdays, organized out-of-class activities and adapted to peculiarities of Swiss way of life together. We were different but united being involved in a new social environment."