Master's degrees in law

Presentation

The Faculty of Law offers five Master's degrees that follow on directly from the Bachelor's degree in Law. Students can thus continue their general basic training and choose more specific areas of study according to their interests and career plans.

Master's degrees can be started in either the autumn or spring semester of each year.

Master of Law, Economic Law, Right of public action, Civil and criminal law and International and European law

MASTER OF LAW^*:

The Master of Law follows the Bachelor programme to complete students' basic legal training. Graduates can therefore enter the job market directly. Thanks to the range of available electives and the dissertation, students may have the opportunity to gain general knowledge in various legal fields.

THEMATIC MASTER'S PROGRAMMES^*:

Economic law: focuses on topics relating to business, finance, taxation and competition.
Civil and criminal law: focuses on topics relating to family law, inheritance, legal responsibility, offences and criminal justice.
Public law: focuses on topics relating to the public interest, public services, the social sector and the environment.
International and European law: focuses on topics relating to peace and cooperation, international organisations, the European Union, trade and individuals within the international community.

^**This programme is available in a bilingual format (Geneva/Basel).

Bilingual Master of Laws

is a joint programme with the Law Faculty of the AV短视频 of Basel. It combines language skills and legal knowledge and enables students to obtain a degree from two Swiss universities. Students enrol either in Geneva or Basel and take courses at both universities (min. 30 ECTS credits from each).

Bilingual curriculum is available in the following programmes:

MASTER OF LAW (FREIES MASTERSTUDIUM)

THEMATIC PROGRAMMES:

International and European law (Transnationales Recht)
Public right of action (Verwaltungsrecht)
Civil and criminal law (Generalis)
Economic law (Wirtschaftsrecht)

Interdisciplinary Masters

THE MASTER IN CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

is built around an innovative and interdisciplinary curriculum that relies upon the theoretical and practical knowledge that has been developed in the area of children's rights, and active student participation is a key aspect of the programme. Classes are held from Monday to Thursday midday. The multidisciplinary profiles of the faculty members (law, psychology, sociology, education sciences), their active involvement in various academic and professional networks, and the programme's close ties with the International Institute for Children's Rights (IDE) in Sion all contribute to the dynamism of this Master's programme.

THE INTERFACULTY CENTRE FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
The AV短视频's Centre for Children's Rights Studies is an academic entity, located in Sion, specialised in interdisciplinary studies on children's rights. Through our research, teaching and outreach activities, we aim to better understand questions that affect children as a social group and the child as a social actor and subject of rights. The interdisciplinary approach of children's rights studies seeks to stimulate both theoretical and practical conversations in response to the growing complexity of societal problems.

THE MASTER IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

is offered through AV短视频's Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE). ISE pool distinct disciplinary expertise and backgrounds from various faculties, including the Faculty of Science, the Geneva School of Social Sciences, the Geneva School of Economics and Management, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Medicine.

This Master program aims at interdisciplinary teaching and research within current dynamic and fast growing environmental fields such as climate, energy, water biodiversity, environmental governance, ecological transition and health.

Bridging these fields is the cornerstone of the curriculum offered to students - committing themselves to environmental careers or to fundamental research - an interdisciplinary approach to environmental sciences based on natural sciences and economic as well as social sciences.

Ultimately the master's program, enable the students to professionally navigate within complex and interdisciplinary environmental context far beyond the usual sectorial approach. This broad understanding of fields in natural sciences and economic and social sciences entailed in environmental management is a unique academic offering in Switzerland.

AVAILABLE SPECIALISATION MODULES:

Biodiversity ecosystems and society
Climatic impacts
Ecological Transition and Society
Energy
Water sciences

COMPLEMENTARY TRAINING:

As a complement to the Master's in Environmental Science, students have the option of taking the Complementary Certificate in Geomatics (30 credits). The certificate is designed to provide students with training centred on new simulation technologies which use spatial referencing, in a practical, interdisciplinary setting. ().

Applications

Deadline for Fall Semester for candidates that hold a foreign bachelor's degree: 28 February (30 April for candidates that hold a Swiss bachelor's degree at the start of the next academic year AND, according to their nationality, are not subject to a visa for entry into Switzerland for more than 90 days, and regardless of their current place of residence, or for candidates holding a Swiss residence permit that is valid beyond 30 April.)

Deadline for Spring Semester: to be checked on the website of the Admissions Office

For admission to Master's programmes in law following the award of a Bachelor's degree within the faculty/interruption of studies: registration is open from 3 March to 31 July 2025 using the Master's in Law/Interruption of Studies registration form available on the following page:

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