Energy and Climate Law

The Energy and Climate Law LLM is a one year long, full-time programme. The language of instruction and examination in the programme is English. The academic year in Groningen runs from the first week of September to the end of August and is divided into two semesters of two blocks each. Each lecture block is followed by periods of examinations.

Programme structure
Below you will find the structure of our LLM programme Energy and Climate Law. You can find full course descriptions in Ocasys. As you see, this programme combines courses on energy, climate, and sustainability issues. Important legal skills are trained in several courses, for instance by writing and presenting papers, providing peer feedback, and doing an internship (ie. Law in Practice). We also offer a double degree option with George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. (USA), for applicants to this LLM programme.

*Course names and schedules are occasionally subject to change.

If you'd like to know more about the Energy and Climate Law LLM programme, you are welcome to particpate in our free online webclass, and/or join one of our Masters Week presentations for the programme. You can also watch a recording of our most recent (online) masters week presentation here.

The Energy and Climate Law programme is taught in the middle of the "Energy Valley" of the Netherlands, an award-winning European Hydrogen Valley, which gives ample opportunity for students to learn from leading experts who both work in the energy law sector and teach in our programme. Some courses include the opportunity for visits with energy experts and policy making institutions in Brussels. You can also see what graduates have to say what they like about the programme here. Further, we also offer a double degree option with George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. (USA), for applicants to this LLM programme.

The Faculty is also home to the Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability (GCELS), the only research centre for energy law in the Netherlands. Beyond being a research centre, GCELS is a community of dedicated and passionate energy and climate law researchers, and students have access to unique community support through the GCELS PhD-LLM Study Group.

Starting in September 2024, responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, will be utilized by lecturers in some courses. For further information, contact Prof. Edwin Woerdman. You can also read about how courses in the programme relate to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) here.

If you'd like to know more about the Energy and Climate Law LLM programme, you are welcome to particpate in our free online webclass, and/or join one of our Masters Week presentations for the programme. You can also watch a recording of our most recent (online) masters week presentation here, or read testimonials from previous students here.

The Energy and Climate Law programme is designed to equip its graduates for a career as in-house lawyer in an energy company, but it is also suitable for those who are interested in a career working as an energy expert for major law firms. Likewise, a career as an energy lawyer in governmental institutions and ministries, inter- and non-governmental organizations and academic institutions would be very likely. To see if this LLM will qualify you for "civiel effect" in the Netherlands, please read here (in Dutch).

Below you will see a distribution of the different arenas where past students are currently working. And here you can read about the career paths of our Faculty international graduates, for example a graduate of this programme who became a Corporate and Legal Affairs Advisor, and another who works as an Associate Lawyer. If you are considering pursuing doctoral research after completing the LLM, please have a look at the Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability. You can also see what graduates have to say about the programme in general here.

Further, all students have access to the university Career Services which can help them in finding and preparing for internships and employment.

If you'd like to know more about the Energy and Climate Law LLM programme, you are welcome to particpate in our free online webclass, and/or join one of our Masters Week presentations for the programme. You can also watch a recording of our most recent (online) masters week presentation here, or read testimonials from previous students here.

You can read about the experiences of previous students below:

• Eirini Galatsanou, Greece
• Daria Draganova, Bulgaria
• Gabriele Simakauskaite, Lithuania
• Ilze Zoldnere, Latvia
• Linda Frattini, Italy
• Patrícia Kóčová, Slovakia

You will find information about applying to our LLM programmes, including admissions requirements and application deadlines, here.

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 admissibility to other Faculty of Law degree programmes.