Course selection

Choosing courses

Level of law courses: Ba, Ba/Ma, Ma

The Law Faculty offers law courses at bachelor level, at bachelor/master level (first phase master level), and at master level (master level courses form part of our English-taught LLM programmes)

• Bachelor level courses(Ba): these have either 5 ects or 10 ects
• Ba/Ma or ‘first phase’ master level courses: these have 6 ects
• Master level courses (Ma): these have 6 ects

Course selection for incoming exchange students 2023-24

For the (provisional) exchange course list and course descriptions click here. For course descriptions click on the course name (please be aware some of the course descriptions are still from 2022-2023, minor changes might occur).

Bachelor students 3rd yr (from European partners) can choose:

• level Ba + Ba/Ma
• max 1 Ma-level course per semester (permission from International Office!)

Master students can choose:

• level Ba + Ba/Ma + Ma-level (entry requirements!)
• seminars = Master-level and requires C1 English level; only if places left; for advanced law students; ask permission from International Office)

IMPORTANT: Exchange students (all categories/countries) who take Master level courses without permission from the International Office will be excluded from the respective exams (in fact, their exam registration will be blocked).

Third year law students from Europe

Exchange students coming from one of our European partner universities who spend (part of) their third year of law studies in Groningen, are expected to choose from:

• Bachelor level courses(Ba);
• Ba/Ma or ‘first phase’ master level courses;
• one additional Master level course (Ma) with special permission.

Below is the (draft) list of these Ba/Ma courses which are also open to third year law students, provided they meet the course requirements and have sufficient English proficiency.

• Dutch Law in a Comparative Perspective
• Contemplating Democracy and the Rule of Law
• The Legal Heritage of Europe
• Social Security Law
• Introduction to Criminology
• Seminar European Private Law (permission from the International Office is required)

Upon special request, and only if students meet the specific requirements for such a course and have at least C1 proficiency in English, third year exchange students may also choose 1 Master level (Ma) course per semester, with a maximum of two Master courses per academic year.

For law courses at Master level, these and all other exchange students must have explicit permission from the Exchange coordinators incoming students (Astrid van Dort and Berenice Domínguez).

Before arrival in Groningen: Choosing your courses

Students can check the provisional course offer via the schedule of the courses. To see the dates of the semesters, lecture periods, exam periods, holidays etc. please check the academic calendar.

To choose your courses (and get approval) you must follow the procedure for the so- called Learning Agreement (study plan) in Mobility Online - You used this system for your application as well and will use it throughout your exchange. For more information pleasze read the instructions in the brochure you can download from Mobility Online.

After arrival in Groningen: Finalizing your course selection

Final permission for courses

After arrival in Groningen students have to confirm their courses and receive final permission for these courses from the Groningen-Law exchange coordinator. This is done during group sessions in which students can discuss their study plan; these sessions take place in the week before the lecture start. More information will follow.

Only after approval, students can actually participate in the courses and exams. Depending on your level of English proficiency and previous legal education, it may be necessary to change the previously signed learning agreement or your course enrolment.

Changes in learning agreement/study plan

When students want to change their courses, e.g. because of a time clash, or level of the course, or changed interest, etc. they should always inform the International Office and their home university of changes in their study programme. Students must again arrange permission for the new courses, and must amend their learning agreement/study plan.

Non-law courses

In principle it is not possible for law exchange students to follow non-law courses at other faculties of the University of Groningen. An exception can be made if students are doing a double degree at home, e.g. Law and Business, or Law and Arts. Prior permission is required from the International Office of the Faculty of Law, the home university and the International Office of the Faculty offering the non-law course. Students should always first ask their law exchange coordinator (International Office Law) who will then contact the other faculty. When approved, the registration for such non-law courses is only possible through the International Office of the Faculty of Law.