Revolution in law studies: Konstanz starts new bachelor's degree program!

Revolution in law studies: Konstanz starts new bachelor's degree program!

From the winter semester of 2025/26, a new integrated bachelor's degree program called “German Law” will be introduced at the University of Konstanz. This is the result of numerous reforms in law studies that are intended to pave the way for more flexibility for students. The Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) aims to offer students psychological relief by allowing them to obtain a degree before taking the state examination. This step comes at a time when the pressure on law students in Germany remains high and many suffer from exam anxiety. According to reports from jurios.de The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Art granted approval for the new course of study in December 2024.

The integrated bachelor's degree will not only increase motivation to learn, but also open up more alternative career paths. Students currently in more traditional models are characterized by intense learning and high pressure. Therefore, the option of opting out is also offered for those who want to concentrate exclusively on the state examination.[ uni-konstanz.de ]

Psychological relief during your studies

The introduction of the LL.B. is also accompanied by an adjustment to the examination regulations. This takes into account the different requirements placed on law students. A five-year model experiment that allowed all universities in the country to introduce the integrated bachelor's degree made Konstanz the first university in the region to offer students a broader career perspective.[ jurios.de ]

In recent years, many law students have found the challenge of studying overwhelming. The volume of memorization and high demands meant that only around 20% of students were satisfied with their training. A third of the students fail the state exam in the first attempt, although more than 90% ultimately pass.[ deutschlandfunk.de ]

Future of law studies

The “Konstanz model” stipulates that law students must be enrolled in the LL.B. course and also take the state examination. It is important to emphasize that there is no additional burden for the students, as existing courses and coursework are counted toward the bachelor's degree. This innovative approach could fundamentally reform legal education, which has changed little in the last 150 years.[ uni-konstanz.de ]

The introduction of the LL.B. in Konstanz sets standards that could have an impact beyond the city's borders. Other universities in Baden-Württemberg, including Tübingen, Heidelberg and Freiburg, have so far rejected the introduction of bachelor's degrees. In view of growing demand, surveys show that over 70% of students support a reform towards an integrated bachelor's degree. This shows a clear desire for modern training models that counteract stressful and traditional approaches.