LL.M Program in Chinese Law（2018）
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program in Chinese Law
An Overview of the LL.M. Program
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program in Chinese Law is a Graduate Law program offered by Peking University Law School，focusing on Chinese civil and commercial law. The language of instruction is English.
Peking University is a pre-eminent university in China, well-known for her long history, rich culture, distinguished alumni, enlightened education policies and exciting campus life. Established in 1904, the law school has become a leading institution for legal education and a potent force for legal development in China. The Law school frequently cooperates with the government, law firms and the business community in the development of cutting-edge legal, social and commercial policies. The Law School also has many international connections and partnership programs with leading universities and legal institutions. PKU Law School is ranked 20th globally at QS 2017 for law, 3rd in Asia.
With China's rapid economic growth and growing presence on the world stage, the knowledge of Chinese law has become an essential resource for international students and legal professionals engaged with China. Peking University Law School established the LL.M. Program in Chinese Law to address the needs of the international community seeking a comprehensive and systematic understanding of Chinese law from a first-class legal institution.
This program provides intensive instruction in Chinese law. Leading faculty members will offer Chinese law courses specifically designed for international students. The teaching will be comprised of both lectures and small-group seminars. In addition, Peking University regularly attracts top scholars and practitioners in Chinese law and students will have first-hand access to such distinguished presenters. There are also optional subjects in non-law areas such as politics, economy and society to facilitate students’ understanding of China's culture. Moreover, courses on Mandarin Chinese are available for the improvement of language skill and adaption to local residence.
The LL.M. Program offers students opportunities to visit top law firms and other legal institutions, such as the Supreme Court of China, the Intellectual Property Court, and the law enforcement authorities in China, with a hope to avail them with a better comprehension of the Chinese legal system and its cultural underpinnings. The program office also offers assistance to students in seeking internship opportunities at top law firms. Through the program, students can establish a solid foundation for their career development relating to China.
This degree is an equivalent of Master of Laws degree currently offered to Chinese students. The study duration of the program is 1-2 year. No more than 30 students will be admitted into this program in the year of 2018. Academic faculty advisors will be assigned to each student for his or her study and degree thesis. Chinese student partners in Peking University Law School are also available to offer help.
Course List
Fall Semester
Chinese Civil Law 3 credits
Chinese Company Law 3 credits
Chinese Constitutional and Administrative Law 3 credits
Chinese Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure 3 credits
Chinese Judicial System 2 credits
Legal Chinese 2 credits
Elementary Chinese 2credits
Lecture Series on Contemporary China 2 credits
Fieldwork 1 credit
Spring Semester
Chinese Foreign Investment Law 3 credits
Chinese Intellectual Property Law 3 credits
Chinese Civil Procedure and Arbitration Law 3 credits
Chinese Contract Law 2 credits
Chinese Economic Law 3 credits
International Law as Applied in China: Theory and Practice 2 credits
Fieldwork 1 credit
Program Faculty
Bai Guimei
Professor; LL.M., Peking University; LL.M., Dalhousie University; Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; Visiting Scholar, Dalhousie University School of Law, University of Ottawa and New York University School of Law; Visiting Fellow, Lunds Universitet, Sweden; Lecturer of Summer Program held by Dept. of Continuing Education,University of Oxford and George Washington University Law School
Chen Ruoying
Associate Professor; LL.B., Peking University (1999); M.Juris, Oxford University (2000); LL.M (2005) and J.S.D. (2010), the University of Chicago Law School; John. M. Olin Fellow in the Law and Economics Program; Visiting Lecturer and Visiting Assistant Professor, The University of Chicago Law School
Chen Yifeng
Associate Professor; LL.B., Nanjing Normal University School of Law; LL.M., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University Law School; visiting scholar at University of Helsinki, Cambridge University
Deng Feng
Professor; LL.B., LL.M. and Ph.D. in Law, Renmin University of China; Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School
Fu Yulin
Professor; LL.B., Wuhan University; LL.M., Peking University; Ph.D. in Law, Renmin University of China; Post Doctoral Researcher, Peking University; Visiting scholar at Tuebingen University in Germany, Northeastern University, Université de Montréal in Canada and Yale University
Gao Wei
Associate Professor; LL.B., Wuhan University; LL.M., Heidelberg University; Dr.iur., University of Bern
Ge Yunsong
Professor; LL.B., Nanjing University; LL.M., Peking University; Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; LL.M., Yale University
Guo Li
Professor&Vice Dean of Peking University Law School. LL.B., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; LL.M., Harvard Law School; LL.M., Southern Methodist University School of Law; Visiting Professor, Cornell Law School; Visiting Scholar, Vanderbilt Law School; Research Fellow, German Humboldt Foundation
He Jian
Assistant Professor; LL.B., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; Ph.D. in Law, University Mannheim; Postdoctoral fellow, Renmin University
Hou Meng
Associate Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Zhongnan University of Politics and Law; Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; Research fellow, the City University of Hong Kong; Visiting Scholar, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Chicago University, New York University, the Supreme People’s Court of China.
Jin Jinping
Associate Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University Law School; Visiting scholar at UMKC, Yale Law School and University of Michigan Law School; Post Doctor, China Academy of Social Science; Vice Director of the Center for Real Estate Law and Assistant Director of the Center for Nonprofit Organizations Law at Peking University Law School
Jiang Su
Associate Professor; LL.M., Ph.D. in Law, Postdoctoral Researcher, Peking University Law School; Visiting Scholar, Berkeley Law, University of California; Postdoctoral Researcher, Max-Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, Freiburg, Germany
Ling Bin
Professor; LL.B., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University Law School; LL.M., Yale Law School
Liu Zhewei
Associate Professor; LL.B., Beijing Normal University; LL.M., Peking University; Ph.D. in law, Peking University; Postdoctoral Researcher, Tsinghua University Law School. Visiting Scholar at UCLA Law School
Lou Jianbo
Associate Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Peking University; Ph.D. in Law, Queen Mary College, University of London; Senior Lecturer in Chinese Commercial Law, University of Cambridge; Visiting Researcher at Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary, University of London
Peng Chun
Assistant Professor; LL.B., Peking University; Mjur DPhil in Law, University of Oxford; Postdoctoral fellow, Peking University
Song Ying
Associate Professor; LL.M. Ph.D in Law, Peking University; LL.M., European University Institute
Tang Yingmao
Associate Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Peking University; LL.M., JSD, Yale University; International Associate, Shearman & Sterling LLP; In-house Counsel, China International Capital Corporation Limited; Associate, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Xu Defeng
Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Peking University; Magister, University of Munich; Doctor of Law, Peking University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Renmin University of China; Ph.D. in Law, University of Munich
Yang Ming
Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Doctor of Law, Renmin University of China; Postdoctoral Fellow, Peking University; Visiting Scholar, University of California Berkeley
Research areas: Intellectual property law, competition law
Yan Tian
Assistant professor; LL.B., LL.M., Peking University; LL.M., J.S.D., Yale Law School
Yi Ping
Associate Professor; LL.B., LL.M., Peking University, LL.M., Ph.D., Tokyo University
Zhang Qi
Professor; LL.B., Jilin University; LL.M., Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; Senior Visiting Scholar, Yale Law School; Visiting Scholar, HOKKAIDO University School of Law, Heidelberg University Law School and Harvard Law School; Executive Director of the Institute of Comparative Law and Legal Sociology, Peking University
Zhang Qianfan
Professor; LL.B., University of Maryland; Ph.D. in Law, Peking University; Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School; Visiting Researcher at Heidelberg University Law School; Executive Director of the Institute of Comparative Law and Legal Sociology, Peking University
Quote from Program Alumni
Shinsuke Yakura (LL.M., 2008)
Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
I had studied in the U.S., U.K., as well as Japan before came to Peking University. With the wonderful track record of making a difference and engaging with the world, PKU Law School didn’t disappoint me. Many of the teachers there have lived and studied overseas, so they had a good understanding of what I wanted to get out of my time at Beijing. They were also very helpful and generous with their time. Moreover, classmates from many different countries and backgrounds formed a diverse and cosmopolitan study body within a supportive environment. One of the many advantages I gained during my time there was the new friendships and professional contacts I made.
In addition to academic courses, the generic research and transferable skills also enhanced my future career opportunity. The internship I did at local law firms in Beijing prepared and benefited me a lot for the China related practice. The investment in both time and money that I made in doing the LL.M. at Peking University has already been repaid to me many times over. The LL.M. program has not only opened many professional doors for me, perhaps more importantly it has resulted in binding friendships and relationships that I truly value and which I am sure will continue to grow and deepen over the rest of my life.
Jane Jie Sun (LL.M., 2010)
CEO, Ctrip.com International, Ltd
Beijing is the political center of China, as well as a gateway to the world. It is an international city attracting transnational professionals while sending many of its best and brightest abroad. It is a vibrant territory where entrepreneurs link China with the rest of the world. It is definitely the ideal location to study Chinese Law. I enjoyed the LL.M. program at Peking University Law School since it laid a really solid foundation on Chinese Law and gave me the tools I needed to succeed. The LL.M. program gave me the opportunity to meet extremely talented people from different backgrounds. The diverse range of courses taught by truly passionate and highly skilled professors also allowed me to develop both a practical and business oriented view of the law.
In today’s global economy, understanding and appreciating other legal systems is essential. I gained a comprehensive overview of the law with a notable focus on China and international business market. As a result, it enabled me to be a good bridge between China and the rest of the world. I appreciate the passion and enthusiasm of the professors, staffs and students. Peking University Law School has equipped me well for being a CFO and CEO of Ctrip. I hope all the students will find that the LL.M program strengthens their understanding of the legal system in China, which represents the fastest growing economy in the world.
Gavin Denton (LL.M., 2011)
Founder & Arbitrator, Arbitration Chambers Hong Kong
Taking the LL.M. at Peking University was one of the most important decisions I ever made in terms of my personal life and my career. While I had to give up full-time work for a year and invest time in writing my thesis, that investment it is already starting to pay huge dividends in terms of my practice as an international arbitrator. There are very few western trained lawyers with any genuine understanding of Chinese law, history and culture and by spending two years in China, I was fortunate enough to begin to gain an understanding of China's past and to learn about the development of law and the increasingly important role that law will play in shaping China’s future.
As an international arbitrator dealing mainly with Chinese related disputes, the LL.M. has been invaluable both in terms of providing me with a solid foundation in Chinese law, but also in developing a network of leading Chinese academics and practitioners that I can call upon to discuss issues of Chinese law when I need to. Besides the obvious academic benefits of the LL.M. program, spending time in Beijing provided me with the opportunity to learn more about China’s history, culture and its people. Trying to develop an understanding of Chinese law without the necessary context provided by these other fundamental aspects of Chinese society would be almost impossible. And such context can really only be understood and appreciated by spending time in China. To those of you considering doing the LL.M. at Peking University, I wholeheartedly recommend the course to you and wish you all much success in the future.
Jordan Gifford-Moore（Exchange Student, 2014）
2017 Rhodes Scholar
I had an incredible time at PKU Law School. The Professors have a deep knowledge of the legal system and the body of international students were able to provide interesting comparative perspectives from their home countries. I was also grateful for the chance to learn from the local PKU law students, who were all very welcoming and interesting to meet with. I learned a great deal about the practical aspects of Chinese law, including administrative, civil, constitutional, and corporate law. At the same time, I made many lifelong friends among the local PKU student body and my international student classmates of the LL.M. Program.
Also, one of my favourite aspects of attending PKU was the global nature of the university. I found that PKU acted as a hub for international speakers, conferences, events, ideas, and opportunities. Being such a highly regarded institution, PKU is able to provide a genuinely unique experience for its students, which I am very grateful to have enjoyed.
The Cohort of Students
Our students come from diverse backgrounds. 132 students from 39 countries have already graduated and obtained the degree for Master of Laws since 2006.
Credit and Thesis Requirements
Students are required to enrol in a minimum of 36 credits including all compulsory courses and pass all course examinations.
In order to obtain the LL.M. degree, students must complete the master’s thesis relating to Chinese law and pass the thesis defence. A master’s thesis shall be 12,000 words or more, and be written in Chinese or English. A thesis that is written in English shall include a summary in Chinese of about 8,000 Chinese characters.
After approved by the Peking University Degree Committee, the students can receive the LL.M. Program’s graduation certificate and the degree certificate for the Master of Laws.
Tuition
The tuition for this program is RMB 160,000.
Students should pay RMB 160,000 in the fall semester before registration. The tuition should be paid in full in RMB.
Room and Board
Students should pay for their own accommodation and living expenses. Peking University Law School could assist the students to arrange their accommodation managed by Peking University.
Scholarship
Merit-based scholarships are available (ranging from thousands of RMB to that covering tuition plus stipend):
1. Scholarship for Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (YES-China)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship
3. Beijing Government Scholarship
4. PKU Law International Student Scholarship
Timetable (Drawn in accordance with the Academic Calendar of the year 2017-2018, subject to some minor changes for the year 2018-2019）
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Registration for LLM Students |
1 Sept.-2 Sept. |
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Orientation Week for LLM Students |
4 Sept.-10 Sept. |
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Classes begin |
11 Sept. |
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Mid-Autumn Day & National Day Holidays |
1 - 7 Oct. |
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Dissertation Advisor Determination Deadline* |
15 Oct. |
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Dissertation Proposal Submission Deadline* |
12 Nov. |
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Exam Period |
19-21 Dec. |
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Winter Vacation |
22 Dec.- 25 Feb. |
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Spring Semester |
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Classes begin |
26 Feb. |
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Deadline for Submitting Dissertation for Anonymous Review* |
15 Mar. |
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PKU Sports Day |
20 -22 Apr. |
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Labor Day vacation |
1 May |
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Exam Period |
29 May -2 Jun. |
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Oral Defence for Degree Thesis* |
6 Jun. |
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Graduation Ceremony of Law school* |
In late June |
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Graduation Ceremony of PKU* |
5 Jul. |
*For one year program students.
Entrance Requirements
This program is open only to non-Chinese-nationals and permanent residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, under the age of 40 on the date of application.
Applicants must have (1) a first law degree (J.D., LL.B. or the equivalent) from a law school, or (2) a Bachelor’s degree plus substantial law-related working experience.
All applicants who are not native English speakers or who did not have a postsecondary education entirely conducted in English language must take the TOEFL or IELTS examination. The Program requires a minimum score of 90 in TOEFL IBT, or 6.5 in IELTS with 6.5 in IELTS writing.
A health certificate is required before registration.
Application
Application Materials
An applicant should submit the following materials. All documents should be written in English or accompanied by a notarized English translation.
(1) Peking University Application Form (Master and Ph.D. Programs), which must be filled and submitted online via the following link
- Non-Chinese-nationals: www.studyatpku.com.
- Permanent residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan: https://admission.pku.edu.cn/waiwang/index/bmxxlb.jsp
You should also print out a hard copy and stick your photo and send it to us by mail, together with other materials.
(2) An official certificate of your highest education (For degrees to be expected upon application to this program, you should provide an official letter stating the expected graduation date) and higher education after secondary school;
(3) Official transcripts of postsecondary school training (original);
(4) Two letters of recommendation, at least one by your professor from the academy (e.g.: could have two from professors or one from a professor and the other from your boss or someone who knows you well, originals with letterhead paper and authentic signature);
(5) A personal statement (about 800 words);
(6) A Resume or CV (with coloured photo, stating your level of Chinese and may attach proof);
(7) One photocopy of results of TOEFL or IELTS examination; and
(8) One photocopy of valid passport (Passport type must be ordinary);
(*None of the above application documents will be returned)
Deadline for Application
The deadline for application is Mar.31, 2018. All hard copy application materials should reach the program office before the deadline.
Admission Decisions
Official admission letters will be sent out by the end of June, 2018.
Contact Us
Website: en.law.pku.edu.cn
E-mail Address: llmpku@pku.edu.cn
Fax: (8610) 62756224
Mailing Address:
Office of the LL.M. Program in Chinese Law
Room107, Peking University Law School
Beijing, 100871
People’s Republic of China