Building Law in the Life Cycle of Buildings (Master)

Brief overview
Requirements and enrolment
Detailed information about the degree programme

Brief overview

Degree	Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Department	Department of Civil Engineering
Site	Münster
Special type of study	executive possible, self-improvement, part-time
Intake	Winter semester
Standard period of study	4 semesters
Language of Instruction	German
Semester fee	Students in franchise programmes can apply to be enrolled, and will have to pay a semester fee of €335.20 (winter semester 2023/24) in addition to the tuition fees.
Tuition fee	This programme requires payment of a fee. Please contact our cooperation partner to find out the programme fee.
Characteristics	This programme is run in cooperation with BWI-Bau – Institut der Bauwirtschaft.

Requirements and enrolment

Admissions restrictions	No local entrance restrictions
Pre-study placement	No
Additional entrance requirements	First professional degree: The requirement for entry to the programme or for the continuation of studies is an undergraduate degree (with a normal programme length of at least seven semesters or 210 credits) in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Specialist Engineering, Facility Management, Law, Business Administration and Economics, or a related subject. You can make up for any missing credits by demonstrating that you have achieved particularly qualifying successes in your professional activities after completing your undergraduate degree. In addition, you also have until the start of the third semester to make up for any missing credits by demonstrating completion of alignment modules from Master’s programmes offered at Münster University of Applied Sciences or any other university. The Examination Committee will decide whether modules can be accepted. In exceptional cases, graduates of related subjects may be admitted subject to conditions. Language requirements: Applicants who did not acquire their study qualification at a German-speaking institution must demonstrate that they have knowledge of German at level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), for example by proving that they have passed the TestDaF (Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache) with an average score of ‘4’, or must furnish equivalent proof. Occupation: You must demonstrate that you have had relevant work experience since completing your undergraduate degree. As a rule, you should have had at least one year’s experience working on a full-time basis. Aptitute test
Enrolment	Please apply directly to BWI-Bau. For further information about how to apply, please follow the link below. Once you have been accepted to BWI-Bau, enrol online at Münster University of Applied Sciences.

Access to higher education for applicants with qualifications in vocational education

Detailed description of the degree programme

Planning, construction and operation – industry-specific features must be considered when drafting and executing contracts throughout the entire life cycle of buildings. Added to this are specific legal issues, such as in the case of discrepancies between planning law and execution law; in contracts based on different legal sources; or in follow-up management.

The more complex a construction project is, the more detailed construction contracts have to be. This results in an increasing need for legal support. Our part-time degree programme while working, entitled Building Law in the Life Cycle of Buildings, will prepare you well for this task.

Objectives

During this programme, you will develop the specialist and methodological skills required to deal comprehensively with building law issues and solution finding, taking a practical approach. The programme has an interdisciplinary character, combining knowledge from the areas of construction, law and economics. After obtaining your degree, you will be conversant with all areas of law relevant to the life cycle of buildings.

Occupational fields

As a specialist in the area of building law, you may find work as an arbitrator, developer or senior manager in a construction company or engineering company, or as a consultant for a project developer. You will have excellent career prospects: there is a great demand for specialists, particularly in building law.

Content and course sequence

Our Master’s programme is directed at a number of professional groups. The programme is designed to take into account your individual starting conditions.

The programme is four semesters in duration:

The first semester is dedicated to giving all students a strong foundation to build on the programme. Depending on your own previous academic education, you will take modules in areas such as technology, economics and law.

In the second semester, you will deal with building law and construction management. You will address legal issues that occur in the construction process and over the life cycle of buildings.

In the third semester, you will apply your specialist knowledge to a project and tackle building law topics on the basis of a specific construction project.

In the fourth and final semester, you will independently explore a practical topic within your Master’s thesis.

One of the main advantages of this programme is that you can earn a high-quality Master’s degree while remaining employed – though you may have to reduce your working hours. This is made possible by the high proportion of independent project work and the use of multiple e-learning elements. Teaching takes place at Münster University of Applied Sciences on one weekend a month (Fridays and Saturdays). A week of mandatory attendance is also scheduled for exams.

Why choose us

The teaching staff involved in this degree programme have a wide range of professional experience, acting in the capacity of judges, lawyers, company representatives, experts, consultants, and so on.
Topics addressed on the programme are always up-to-date, guaranteeing a strong practical emphasis.
The course content is carefully selected, optimally interweaving content from the fields of law and construction.
The interdisciplinary nature of the programme, bringing together students from three subject areas, encourages an appreciation of all those involved in construction, which you will benefit from in your future career.