Study Law and Administration Abroad

Around 81 million people live in Germany. So that the coexistence of so many individuals does not end in chaos, a functioning legal system is necessary. In Germany, this consists of three pillars:

• The legislature describes legislative power, i.e. the parliaments that pass laws and regulations on the basis of the Basic Law.
• The judiciary is the judiciary that is embodied in Germany by independent courts.
• The executive describes the executive power, that is, those bodies that ensure that the prevailing law is observed. This includes the police, but also tax and financial authorities, social services or the federal ministries.

Do you want to contribute to the continued functioning of this legal system ? Then you should play through in your thoughts whether you can study in law and administration.

Legal and administrative disciplines: an overview

In order to be able to work as a judge, lawyer, prosecutor or notary in the civil service, for example, an eight-semester law degree and a subsequent legal clerkship of two years are necessary.

Specialized legal Bachelor's and Master's degree courses do not, like traditional law studies, train you to become a "fully qualified lawyer". However, if you are aiming for a career as a commercial lawyer, for example, you would be well advised to do this.

Administrative science

Degree courses in the field of administrative science are less well known. They train for activities in public administration and cover legal, sociological, political and economic content.

In view of the increasing European networking, the number of courses in this area has increased significantly in recent years. They prepare students specifically for international activities, for example at the EU or other international organizations.

Forensic science

There are other degree programs within the executive branch: degree programs in the field of forensics provide training in how to reconstruct, analyze and investigate crimes. This field of activity includes professions in forensic medicine, forensic psychiatry and psychology, IT forensics and forensic criminal engineering.

In Germany, the number of specialized forensic courses is relatively small. The usual way in Germany in this field of activity is to study medicine, computer science, linguistics or physics. In the course of this, the students specialize in forensic content.

What do I have to bring with me for my studies?

Did you enjoy social science subjects such as politics, history or sociology at school ? Or can you get excited about economics ? Then you already have an important prerequisite for studying law or administration.

Depending on the course, other skills and interests are important:

• Prospective lawyers need a good memory
• Forensic doctors should be interested in scientific and medical content
• Commercial lawyers should be interested in political and economic world affairs

In later professional life, characteristics such as reliability, ability to abstract and accuracy are required. A good power of expression and a high degree of assertiveness is a plus.

Career opportunities for graduates

Graduates of law and administration courses work primarily in civil service at all levels of the legal system. Lawyers can become judges, prosecutors, lawyers or notaries. Administrative scientists work in the higher or higher civil service, whereas forensics work for crime departments.

Activities outside the civil service are also conceivable. For example, lawyers have the opportunity to work in the legal departments of large commercial companies. Fields of activity in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry are open. Administrative scientists have opportunities for a career abroad, with the EU or international organizations.

Advantages of studying abroad in the field of law and administration

In the area of ​​law and administration, it is worth taking the step abroad during your studies. Experience abroad is often a crucial recruitment criterion, especially for lawyers who want to work in large law firms. The same applies to administrators who want to work at EU level.

Anyone studying abroad gains valuable insight into other legal systems, which is becoming increasingly important due to increasing internationalization. In addition, one or more semesters abroad signal flexibility and train intercultural skills and foreign language skills.