Extracurricular options

From year 2 onward, you are allowed to participate in other UG law courses, which are not part of your own programme or track. Check:

• the courses are at bachelor level
• they are not offered in year 1

If you would like such courses to appear on your degree certificate, make sure to apply for approval with the Board of Examiners.

From your 2^nd year, you select one of two tracks. If you want to pursue both, you can enrol in all courses for each track. Check the available courses in Ocasys and the LLB Teaching and Examination Regulations.

• You only need to complete the Research Colloquium once.
• Always discuss your study plan with a study adviser.

By the end of your 1^st year, select your main track in Progress. Contact your study advisers to register the second track.

In the middle of 3^rd year, we’ll ask you to submit your list of courses to the Board of Examiners for approval. Choose both tracks when applying, include all courses and add a note that you’re completing both tracks. You’ll receive one Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. Both tracks will appear on your diploma supplement this way.

You can switch tracks until 1 August of your 1^st year. After that, contact your study advisers for guidance and planning. They can also update your track selection in Progress.

Contact your study advisers to discuss your options.

‘Law in Practice’ is the umbrella term for all modules in which you put theory into practice. Whether you want to undertake an internship, provide legal advice at a legal advice centre, or take part in moot court competitions: here you’ll practise skills that are essential for the legal profession. Discover all the options available to you during your bachelor’s degree on the Career Services Law website and in Ocasys.

Most students who choose a Law in Practice course unit take up (extracurricular) internships.

Only ‘Law in Practice’ course units listed in the LLB programme in Ocasys can be awarded ECTS. These ECTS will always be extracurricular and can be added to the extra-curricular courses section on your degree certificate. To receive these ECTS, you must meet the following conditions:

• The course unit must have been approved in advance. For an internship, follow the internship step-by-step. In this case, the internship coordinator must approve your internship in advance. Your internship plan must meet the requirements set out in the Law in Practice Regulation.

• Employment may not be counted as an internship.

• Multiple internships and/or papers (or a combination of these) may not cover the same topic.

• One activity can only earn ECTS once.

• A Law in Practice course unit has a minimum of 3 ECTS and a maximum of 10 ECTS. You can participate in several Law in Practice course units and add them to the extracurricular courses section on your degree certificate.

Please note: all further requirements can be found in the Law in Practice Regulation.

Contact your study advisers.

An internship gives you hands-on experience and clarifies your career path. It also strengthens your job applications, as employers value practical work experience.

The best time to do an internship is during your final bachelor’s year or your master’s degree programme.

Boost your readiness by attending free workshops from UG Career Services. Find them on Brightspace under: Career > Events > UG Career Services (RUGConnect).

Workshops cover:

• LinkedIn optimisation
• CV and cover letter writing
• Networking
• Pitching yourself
• Professional self-analysis

• Follow the internship roadmap for ECTS to ensure your internship counts toward your degree.

• Check the Law in Practice Regulation for more detailed information.

Each track has an internship coordinator for guidance. For general questions, contact the Faculty internship coordinator.

The Faculty’s Law in Practice Regulation outlines:

• Internship duration
• Supervision requirements
• Approval process
• Non-disclosure and insurance guidelines

Approval process

1. Formal approval: your track’s internship coordinator must approve your internship before it starts.
2. Board of Examiners: add your internship to your course list for final approval.
3. Meet requirements: ensure your internship and final report align with the Law in Practice Regulation.

Explore opportunities on:

• RUGConnect
• Going Global

 Access both platforms via the Career tab in Brightspace.

Contact the internship coordinator of your track or the Faculty Internship Coordinator through CSL rug.nl.

As an LLB student, you cannot include a minor in your degree programme. However, you can take individual courses from other faculties or universities and have them approved as extracurricular courses, provided they are 2^nd or 3^rd year courses.

Check the entry requirements and enrolment procedure at the faculty or university offering the course.

If you want the course to count as an extracurricular course in your programme:

• Request approval from the Board of Examiners before starting the course.
• You can add the course under extracurricular courses on your list of courses.

Contact the Board of Examiners at BoE-Law rug.nl.

Want to include a summer school, winter school, or Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on your degree certificate? You must request approval from the Board of Examiners. These programmes are not part of your regular curriculum but can be recognised as extracurricular courses on your diploma supplement. They will appear on your list of courses but will not affect your GPA.

To qualify for approval, your summer school, winter school, or BIP must meet three criteria:

• The course must have legal relevance (content related to law).
• The course must be offered by an accredited institution.
• The course must include an individual assessment (exam, presentation, paper, etc.).

Courses that do not meet these criteria cannot be approved. However, you can still include them on your CV to highlight your extracurricular activities.

Submit your request using the online approval form.

If approved, the course will be registered as a separate course. Make sure to add it to your list of courses.

Contact the study advisers for further assistance.

The world is more interconnected than ever, and the Faculty of Law is committed to preparing you for it. Our Global & Intercultural Engagement Distinction (GIED) is designed to enhance your language and intercultural skills, making you more competitive in the global job market. The Faculty of Law is the first at the University of Groningen to offer this extracurricular programme. Discover how GIED can benefit you and take the first step toward expanding your horizons.

To earn the Distinction and have it recognised on your diploma supplement, you must complete all five categories, totaling 30 ECTS. Each category requires 168 hours of work (1 ECTS = 28 hours of work). Note that you can only start GIED after receiving a positive BSA.

The GIED-structure:

1. Intercultural Competence course (6 ECTS)
2. International or intercultural courses (6 ECTS)
3. International or intercultural work experience/internship (6 ECTS)
4. Foreign language learning and proficiency (6 ECTS)
5. International study (6 ECTS)

All categories are subject to approval by the Board of Examiners of the Faculty of Law. You can find the approval (and exemption) forms on the GIED page.

Ready to take on the challenge? Enrolment is simple:

• Enrol for the intercultural competence workshop (Category 1) in Ocasys.
• Workshops are offered every block and labelled as "GIED Block X".
• Act fast. Spaces are limited per block!

For more information check the GIED page. Contact the study advisers.

Lokin courses are small-scale, interactive courses of 3 ECTS and are specifically there for students who would like to explore a specific area of law. Taught by expert lecturers, each course offers limited seats to foster in-depth discussion, critical thinking, and interactive learning.

You’ll collaborate in a small group with a lecturer who specialises in the subject. Prepare to:

• Study literature or sources in advance
• Engage in group discussions on current and historical legal issues
• Explore diverse perspectives in a dynamic, interactive setting

Each course reflects the lecturer’s expertise or research interests, providing considerable in-depth knowledge in the subject. Assessment methods vary from written assignments to presentations and are announced at the start of the course. Your 3 ECTS and grade will appear on your diploma supplement as an extracurricular course.

The topics and content of the Lokin courses will be announced on 1 November each year at the latest. The courses will be offered in the second semester

• Deepen your knowledge in unique or less commonly studied legal fields
• Learn in a small, motivated group with lots of room for interaction
• Gain inspiration for your thesis or future research
• Earn additional ECTS to highlight your engagement

To enrol, you must have obtained at least 80 ECTS. First-year students are not eligible.

• Contact the lecturer of your chosen Lokin course or use this form
• The registration deadline will be announced on 1 November each year

Contact the lecturer or email Rozemarijn Post at education-policy-law rug.nl.

In the 2^nd and 3^rd years of your LLB, you can put together your own individual study programme. This is known as an Open Degree programme. You will then follow a unique pathway that differs from the standard specialisations within the LLB. The content of your final examination will therefore differ from that of standard Bachelor’s degree programmes in Law.

Approval of an Open Degree programme is subject to strict conditions:

• Year 1 is always the same: you begin the customised programme in year 2

• Scope: the programme comprises 120 ECTS and aligns with the programme’s learning outcomes

• Coherence: the programme must form a logical whole in terms of content

• Law modules: at least 50% (60 ECTS) must consist of law modules

• Deviation: the programme must deviate by a minimum of 42 ECTS (35%) and a maximum of 48 ECTS (40%) from an existing track

• Bachelor-concluding course unit: the programme must include an appropriate bachelor-concluding course unit, such as the Research Colloquium (10 ECTS), at the UG Faculty of Law

• Accredited course units: only course units from accredited degree programmes may be included in the Open Degree programme

Would you like to follow an Open Degree programme? If so, you must submit a request to the Board of Examiners at least three months before the start date. If the request is submitted too late, the Board of Examiners may decide not to consider it.

The Board of Examiners also determines which accredited Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme your Open Degree programme falls under. That decision determines which degree you will ultimately receive.

Check article 4.8 of the Teaching and Examination Regulations for the LLB programme for the full requirements.

Questions

Contact the Board of Examiners via BoE-Law rug.nl or your study advisers.