Commercial and Company Law
The LL.M. programme Commercial and Company Law provides you with a thorough insight into the legal aspects of doing business in an international setting.
Application deadline
non-EEA
1 July 2025
Application deadline
EEA
1 August 2025
Application deadline
Dutch students
20 August 2025
Starting date
1 September 2025
Why choose Commercial and Company Law?
A choice for Commercial and Company Law at Erasmus University in Rotterdam is a choice for our practice-oriented education and the environment. Below you can read the main reasons why other Commercial and Company Law students preceded you.
A thorough insight into the legal aspects of doing business in an international setting
Study in one of the leading commercial centres and largest ports of Europe
A unique combination of specialist courses in the field of company and commercial law
Get educated by our excellent teaching staff
The master in numbers
Visit our Master Open Day!
Get to know Erasmus University Rotterdam during our (fully hybrid) Master Open Day on Saturday 22 November 2025 from 10:00 to 16:00 (local time) and realise your ambitions! Find out which master programme suits you best, ask all your questions to students, lecturers and alumni or attend practical sessions on making your study choice. Furthermore, explore our multifunctional campus during a campustour and modern metropolis Rotterdam on a bus tour!
Programme overview
The two main pillars of the programme are company law and commercial law.
1. Company law
The company law pillar focuses on the main topics of corporate governance. Issues such as the functioning of the board of directors, shareholder rights and cross-border voting and some aspects of European labour law will be comprehensively discussed. Attention is also given to the EC-directives on the freedom of establishment, national and cross-border mergers, take over bids, representation, supranational companies and the Societas Europaea.
2. Commercial law
The commercial law pillar consists of courses detailing the risks of international trade, how these risks can be allocated (e.g. by utilizing documents of title) and how they may be averted or minimised. Its focus is the individual contracts on which the cooperation between the multitude of businesses involved in an international sale of goods transaction is based, as well as the legal foundations of these transactions. Such contracts include contracts of insurance, financing and payment, transport, storage and logistics.
At the beginning of the programme, you receive an introduction to commercial and company law. You learn how to do independent legal research and how to report your findings through presentations and papers during a 15 EC Research & Writing Skills course. Attendance of the lectures and workgroups is mandatory. Successful completion of this course is a precondition to being admitted to the master thesis.
Block 1:
- Research & Writing Skills Commercial and Company Law
Block 2:
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Corporate Governance
Block 3:
- Company Law and Restructuring
Block 4:
- Commercial Law
- Free elective
Block 5:
- Carriage of Goods
- Extra Elective: Capita Selecta Trademark Law
- Master’s thesis
On our programme page you can read more in depth information about the specific courses.
You have the opportunity to apply for international moot competitions. Joining this competition means that the student gets 5 EC, personal coaching, learns to work in a team and gets the opportunity to represent the Erasmus University abroad. You have various opportunities to receive a special certificate for extracurricular activities like being an Associate Member of the TTLA or Board Member of the Study trip committee.
For more information, please visit the general education website of Commercial and Company Law.
Studying in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a city full of surprises. Without tips from a Rotterdam native, it’s hard to find the best spots. We will help you on your way. Read more about student city Rotterdam, see tips for finding the nicest study spots on campus and which student associations there are to enrich your student life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer some recurring questions. Is your question not listed here? Then please contact us!
- For questions about the program, please contact the master’s coordinator at mastercl@law.eur.nl
- For all admission related questions, please contact Andre van der Schee at informationdesk.llm@law.eur.nl
You can find all the information regarding admission requirements on our admission page.
Graduates will find employment in law firms or law courts, in the academic and business world or in various other sectors of the economy where issues related to business companies and commercial relations play an important part. As a graduate you will have extensive knowledge in commercial and company Law, you will have the skills to do business in an international setting and you will be able to apply different perspectives
This LL.M. programme is a specialisation of the LL.M. in Commercial Law. As a result, you select Commercial Law in the application process. You will find all the relevant information on how that works on the application page.
- Voor studenten die de Bachelor Rechtsgeleerdheid bij ESL hebben afgerond geldt dat ze met deze master Civiel Effect behalen.
- Heb je Bachelor Rechtsgeleerdheid gevolgd bij een ander faculteit in Nederland, dan raden we je aan om contact op te nemen met de studieadviseur. Het is afhankelijk van de vakken die je in de bachelor hebt gevolgd of je Civiel Effect kan behalen