University Minor Governance and Law

This minor programme in English is offered to students that are interested in law and the public sector. The minor provides students an introduction into the legal tools of government.

Why choose this minor?

Today’s society is faced with complex issues. Think of climate change, poverty and the power of the big tech companies. Governments try to tackle these issues by forming networks of relevant partners and by setting up policies to enforce a favourable influence on the development of the issues.

Legal frameworks provides a general context in which the government can do this, by restricting or enabling governments to act. Legislation also provides more tailored tools for governments to confront these issues. Sometimes legislation is used to have a direct impact, for example taxes or subsidies or direct regulation used to alter behaviour. Sometimes the arrangements are more indirect, such as contracts to bind partners to work towards common goals. This minor programme gives students knowledge of this legal toolbox that governments use. Students can use these insights in their own field when operating in the public domain, either from within government positions, or when engaging with governments from the outside.

For students of IRIO, Sociology, Data science and Society, and University College Fryslân participation in the minor may enable students to become eligible for the LLM Governance and Law in Digital Society at Campus Fryslân. You can read more about what students think about this LLM in our Blog Governance and Law in Digital Society. There you can also find a blogpost on the Governance and Law minor.

Which legal domains are covered?

The legal toolbox of contemporary governments is made up by various legal domains. In this minor, the main domains are covered: public international law, administrative law and market regulation and contract law. Related topics range from managing international challenges of an economic nature, privatisation of public tasks and liability of risk in contracts with those private parties.

What does the programme look like?

The minor Governance and Law is taught at the Faculty of Law. The programme consists of a package of four courses of 30 ECTS in total. You can find an overview of the programme below.

* These courses are taken together with the students of the Faculty of Law. Students of the minor choose one of the two subjects. IRIO students need to contact their study advisers about the possibilities to follow this minor.

Please note: The courses of the minor cannot be taken individually!

Who can participate?

The university minor Governance and Law is open to all bachelor students of the University of Groningen who have passed their first year.

PLEASE NOTE: For students of the bachelor IRIO: Access to the university minor Governance and Law (Faculty of Law) is only possible under certain conditions for students of the bachelor's programme in IRIO. The minor contains two courses that overlap with compulsory major components of the bachelor IRIO, therefore IRIO students cannot use these courses in their minor. They can still participate in the remaining 25 ECTS of this minor:  Administrative Law and Market Regulation  (10 ECTS),  Property Law  (5 ECTS),  Data Protection and Human Rights  (10 ECTS). For the remaining 5 ECTS, the IRIO study advisers (study.advice.irio rug.nl) can assist in finding a new course.  

How to register?

You register for the minor via Progress from the day of the annual University Minor Fair. Registration opens on May 26 at 12.00 and closes on July 7, 2023 at 23.59. The minor can be found at Enrolments / Minors / Law. Please note there are a limited number of places available to enroll in this minor.

More information?

Please contact the Coordinator of the minor, Dr. Barbara Brink.