PATRIA CHEQFChurch Higher Education
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International Standard of Church Higher Education Draft 0.9 20 September 2026 For consultation

Part IV · No. 11

The degree certifies academic competence. Any office, mandate or ordination is a separate act.

Law·Level 7 · Second Cycle·Church Degree · suffix C

LL.M.C.

Master of Laws — Church Degree

Advanced specialisation in civil/comparative law, particularly the law of religious organisations, freedom of conscience, and nonprofit law.

CHEQF Level7
Qualification typeSecond cycle, academic/professional
Admission requirementsLL.B.C., another Level 6 law degree, or another recognised relevant qualification.
Normative volume60–120 EAC; 90–120 EAC is recommended for a full research-oriented programme.

Content · Outcomes

Content is what is taught. Outcomes are what is verified.

What the programme must contain

  1. advanced legal research
  2. comparative/public law
  3. religious freedom
  4. nonprofit and charity law
  5. church–state relations
  6. specialization seminars

What the graduate must demonstrate

  1. conducts advanced comparative legal research
  2. analyses complex regulatory conflicts across jurisdictions
  3. prepares expert legal opinions and policy analysis
  4. understands the limits of Church autonomy and the requirements of civil law
  5. communicates legal risks professionally to organisational leadership.

Final · Progression

Final capstone work and dissertations may not be transferred from elsewhere.

How the programme closes

An LL.M. thesis or substantial legal research project.

Where it leads

Access to PhD.C. in law/religious freedom or other approved doctoral programmes.

Status

Black is what the degree certifies. This is what it does not.

LL.M.C. does not automatically confer a professional licence to practise law.

“This is an ecclesiastical academic qualification awarded within the Church system of higher education. It is not represented as a state-awarded or state-accredited academic degree unless such recognition has been separately granted by the competent authority of the relevant jurisdiction.”

Recommended status statement on every diploma, Article 17

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