Law - LLM without Thesis​

Program Overview

About the Program

In today’s world, where there is a growing need to adopt legal approaches to cope with local as well as global issues, resolving legal controversies require a multi-dimensional perspective based on a conception of different legal disciplines; hence, the lawyer profile who is able to add to the development of society, economy, politics and the legal profession has been changing. With this respect, Koç University Institute of Social Sciences targets to contribute to the molding of this new lawyer profile, with an understanding based on reliable academic research, as well as practicing experience. We also offer non-thesis programs as well as thesis programs. The program with thesis is composed of 3 core courses followed by 4 elective courses and is concluded with a thesis. The non-thesis program is composed of 10 courses and a final paper.

About LLM Programs

Fundamental characteristics of the Koç University LL.M. Programs of Public Law and Private Law, which have been established in conformity with the legislation of higher education, are as follows:

  • Worldwide reputed professors (and lecturers), who are distinguished as to their publications, research, and practice of legal profession.
  • LLM programs in Public or Private Law are offered in English, in a modular format with a duration of 1 year (Non-Thesis option) or 2 years (Thesis option) in our main campus in Istanbul.
  • Up-to-date courses structured on well-established and absorbed legal knowledge.
  • Research and learning of different legal disciplines based on multi-dimensional perspectives.
  • An atmosphere stimulating academic and vocational progress, whereby legal issues comprising comparative and international aspects are thoroughly examined.
  • An integrated program with workshops, seminars and other activities parallel to the curriculum.
  • Various options devoted to candidates with high competence of scientific research and to those who would like to differentiate from others in the legal profession.
  • Regular and effective academic consultancy.
  • Advanced research opportunities with regard to academic publications and instructions in particular, provided by Suna Kıraç Library.
  • Privilege of being the part of a qualified group of graduate students, elected through adopting effective scaling and evaluation criteria.
  • Academic collaboration with the leading law schools abroad.

Who Should Aplly?

  • Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in law.
  • Students must attend the program on campus. We do not offer distant learning.

Application Deadline

Early Application DeadlineMarch 31, 2023

Regular Application DeadlineJune 23, 2023

To ensure that our international applicants receive the best assistance possible, we kindly invite you to direct your queries to our dedicated email address at study@ku.edu.tr.

For Turkish applicants, please feel free to reach out to our Law School Executive Director, Esra Ozcan, at esraozcan@ku.edu.tr. She will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about our LLM programs and the application process.

We strive to provide a seamless and stress-free application experience for all our prospective students. Therefore, we encourage you to reach out to us for any information or guidance you may need. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

From Our Graduates

From Our Faculty

With a genuine focus on global studies of law, outstanding research track of eminent faculty members and full impact in professional practice, our LLM programs trigger a new approach of advanced legal studies not only for Türkiye, but also for studying in Türkiye. Koç University LLM courses in public and private law have a wide range of curriculum including most demanding and less-discussed comparative and international topics of different legal disciplines. Taking into account legal developments at regional, local and international level, we offer both deepening in well-established legal disciplines and micro studies of law. Our varied LLM curricula is bilingual (English-Turkish). It intertwines local and global scholarship and expertise of law. Koç University LLM programs are dedicated to effective lecturing, real sense of legal research, global seminars, workshops, intensive consulting as well as co-curricular activities offering different types of career opportunities in legal leadership. With our competitive scholarships we aim at fostering high quality academic candidates and establishing a research hub of legal studies through academic LLM. Prospective students may also pursue a professional LLM track with a practical focus.

Prof. Dr. Bertil Emrah Oder
Dean of Law School
Prof. Dr. Zeynep Derya Tarman
Faculty, Private Law

The evaluation will be pursued, grounded upon the undergraduate GPA, as well as the oral exam score of the candidate.

Transcripts

A minimum 2.50 GPA is required.

We strongly encourage applicants to submit a scanned image of the transcript at the time of application, which can speed processing; however, a final, official transcript will be required of all admitted students during registration. Applicants who have attended international institutions must submit transcripts or certified attestations of study, with certified English translations. Once translated, the original transcript and the certified translations are to be sent to the Graduate School admission office.

TOEFL/YDS/YÖKDİL

All native applicants and international applicants whose native language is not English must ensure that the Graduate School receives their official score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Language Proficiency Information/Minimum Scores

TOEFL (IBT): 80/120

YDS: 87 (For Turkish Applicants, please click for more information)

Equivalent test scores from The Council of Higher Education Foreign Language Examination (YÖKDİL) will also be accepted for applications made in accordance with these additional terms.

Oral Exam

Students must complete minimum of 10 courses and obtain 30 credits to complete the program

Required Courses

LL.M. Program in Private Law

  • International and European Contract Law
  • Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in International Private Law
  • Intellectual Property in a Global Perspective

 

LL.M. Program in Public Law

  • Comparative Constitutional Law: Rights, Institutions and Judicial Review
  • European Human Rights Law
  • Transnational and European Criminal Law and Procedure

 

Common Elective Courses*

  • Global Competition Law
  • International Transport Law
  • Capital Market Law
  • International Tax Law
  • World Trade Organization (WTO) Law and Trade
  • Public Procurement Law
  • Telecommunications Law
  • United Nations (UN) Human Rights Protection System
  • International Financial Institutions and Development Law
  • Public-Private Partnership: Legal Infrastructure
  • Privatization Law