International and European Law

Programme structure
Below you will find the structure of the LLB programme in International and European Law. The first year of study is the same for all students. For the second and third years of study, students can choose to either continue on with the regular LLB programme, or choose to pursue a specialised track in Technology Law. There is a compulsory period of study abroad in the first semester of the third year for all students. You can view the schedule of courses as well as detailed descriptions of all courses in Ocasys.

Please note that all students must receive a positive Binding Study Advice to successfully move forward in the programme after the first year.

*Course names and schedules are occasionally subject to change.

Regular LLB Programme

Our LLB programme in International and European Law is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a professional career in an international legal environment; it gives students an academic training in law without merely taking a national legal system as a starting point by offering students a general understanding of what 'law' is and how it functions. The focus is therefore mainly on teaching public international law and European Union law.

Technology Law Track

In the LLB track in Technology Law, together with the general legal knowledge in International and European law, students cover a wide range of technology related legal topics. The track is designed in light of the understanding that technology operates across jurisdictions and, as a result, regulatory responses have to occur at the interface between domestic, regional and international law. This track is new as of the 2020-2021 academic year.

You can find course descriptions for the Technology Law track in Ocasys.

Please note: Schedules and course names are subject to change. Official course information and schedules for a specific academic year can be found in Ocasys.

The English language bachelor programme in International and European Law is a unique programme, and graduates will be set apart from graduates of other academic programmes, distinguishing them on the job market. Contrary to most bachelor programmes in International Relations or Political Science leading to a BA (Bachelor of Arts) title, the focus of this programme is on legal matters. Graduates will therefore first and foremost be legal experts, but experts with great international, economic, and social insight. The programme thus also results in the granting of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) title.

International perspective
Since the programme does not focus on one national legal system, it therefore is completely different from other national law programmes. It does not only have a more interdisciplinary component and greater focus on  European and international law, but also provides students with a different legal framework in which to approach legally pertinent scenarios beyond a national legal context. Also, the fact that the programme combines both public international law and European Union Law in one programme is rather unique in Continental Europe. On top of that, it contains a multidisciplinary component in every semester and it gives considerable and sustained weight to the development of English language communication and writing skills in every semester taught in Groningen.

Study abroad
All students must spend one semester abroad with one of our exchange partners, for example Universidad Austral (Argentina), Uppsala University (Sweden) or NUI Galway (Ireland), as part of the degree programme. This offers students a truly international experience in being able to not only study international law in one country (the Netherlands) different from their own, but also obtain extra international experience while studying abroad. Partners and possibilities regarding studying abroad can be found here and in our International Exchange Search Engine (IESE). You can read more about the exchange period from a student perspective in our student blog.

Access to LLM studies
The programme is fully accredited with the educational authorities in the Netherlands, and our LLB is widely accepted within other countries beyond the Netherlands for granting eligibility to apply for further LLM study. Our LLB graduates also automatically have direct access to our LLM programmes, meaning they can continue their legal studies in a specialised field here at Groningen (there are some course requirements for LLB graduates wanting to continue in our technology law related LLMs). This is relevant to mention as graduates from LLB programmes at Dutch universities of applied sciences are generally not eligible for LLM studies at research based universities within the Netherlands.

Specialised Technology Law track (optional)
The Technology Law track that students can choose to pursue during the 2nd and 3rd years of study in the LLB programme is designed in light of the understanding that technology operates across jurisdictions and, as a result, regulatory responses have to occur at the interface between domestic, regional and international law.

Graduates of the LLB programme in International and European Law will – even moreso if having completed an additional master programme - be qualified for careers in diplomacy, as civil servants for national ministries, the EU, the UN or other international organizations, in non-governmental organizations (such as Amnesty International or Greenpeace), in the international commercial sector (such as Unilever or Shell), or in academic teaching and research. Below you will see a distribution of the different arenas where past LLB students are currently working.

Many LLB graduates often continue on to specialise in a particular legal field by pursuing an LLM programme, either in Groningen or at other reputable universities. You can read about one of our LLB graduates who pursued an LLM after her studies in Portugal here, and you can read about the experiences of LLB graduates who pursued their LLM in Groningen in our student blog here. One of our graduates, that works as an Environmental Lawyer, was recently elected UG Alumnus of 2023.

Further, all students have access to the university Career Services which can help them in finding and preparing for internships and employment. You can read more about pursuiing an internship while studying in the LLB here.

Access to traditional legal professions

Please note that entry into traditional legal professions (advocate, attorney, barrister, judge, etc.) is not guaranteed upon completion of this programme as such entry depends on different national requirements per country.

In The Netherlands
In order to gain access to the bar or judiciary in the Netherlands, students need to have acquired the so-called 'effectus civilis' ('civiel effect'). This 'effectus civilis' can be obtained by participating in several Dutch law courses dealing with all main fields of law. The University of Groningen offers a shortened Bachelor of Laws programme (taught in Dutch) for students who would be interested in getting this 'effectus civilis' and who are currently enrolled in the LLB International and European Law.

Other Dutch Law faculties in the Netherlands might have different requirements. More information about the specific requirements for access to the Dutch bar can be found at the site of the Dutch Bar Association (the 'Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten'). Please keep in mind that all courses which will lead to the 'effectus civilis' will be offered in Dutch.

In Other Countries
Students wishing to pass the bar exam in other countries should consult the websites of the bar associations or judiciary of the specific country they seek to practice law in for specific details regarding eligibility.

You can read about the experience of previous students in the LLB programme here.

You will find information about applying to our LLB programme, admissions requirements, and application deadlines here.

Questions?

Prospective students
Prospective students interested in pursuing an LLB, pre-LLM or LLM at the Faculty of Law can fill out our information request form.

Applicants
If you have started an application to a degree programme and are applying with a non-Dutch educational qualification, please contact the Admissions Office if you have questions about your application. If you have applied to a degree programme with a Dutch educational qualification, please contact the International Office if you have questions about your application.

Current students
Current Faculty of Law students should contact the International Office if questions about their current studies or advise about admissibility to other Faculty of Law degree programmes.

Other inquiries
Persons interested in other education (non-degree) programmes/courses in English should contact the International Office.