Law

Students who do the Law track typically register for at least three law courses at different levels, considering the prerequisites on levels two and three. For example, students must follow Introduction to Law if they seek to register for Property law and contract law (level 2) and subsequently want to register for International Commercial Arbitration. Likewise, students must have followed either Introduction to Law or Law, Society and Justice if they seek to register for International Law (level 2) and subsequently want to register for International Human Rights Law and/or European Union Law (both level 3). In the end, students who have completed the law track typically have gained knowledge and insight of the basic aspects of private and public law, and/or foundations of law, and have gained a deeper understanding in more specific areas of law. In addition, they have familiarized themselves with certain basic legal skills, such as case law analysis, legislative analysis, legal argumentation and legal writing as well as legal problem-solving (case method). These could be considered the specific end objectives of the law track, considering the learning objectives of individual courses.

Track suggestions
Based on the learning objectives of the law track, a number of track suggestions can be spelled out. The suggestions are designed based on a particular field of law and with prerequisites taken into account to meet the track criteria in terms of levels. See the table below.

Double Degree in Law and Liberal Arts & Sciences

In the Netherlands, you need a Dutch law degree to qualify for the so-called toga professions – notary, judge, lawyer (civil effect). But a Dutch law program does not specifically cater to students with multiple interests, who wish to explore different talents and sample the diversity of the academic world. University College Utrecht (UCU) and the Utrecht University School of Law offer a solution in the form of a double degree program. After completion of this four-year programme, you have two fully accredited Bachelor degrees, one in LA&S and one in Dutch law. By doing both simultaneously you avoid paying the penalty for a second study program.

The four-year program encompasses 240 ECTS in course credits, of which at least 140 in law. You spend the first two years taking required and elective courses at UCU, in which you focus on law. This prepares you for a test you take before the start of the third year to assess your legal knowledge. Based on the test you are admitted to the double degree program. During the third and fourth year, you take courses at UCU and the UU School of Law. You conclude your program with a 15 ECTS Bachelor thesis. Upon completion, you are qualified to apply to all master’s programs in law (LLM) at Utrecht University, as well as many other universities, in the Netherlands and abroad. To get access to the legal professions in the Netherlands you need an LLM in Dutch law.

To take part in the double degree program you apply to UCU like any other UCU student.

Read more on the DDLL page.

The practice of law is one of the oldest professions, as is the study of Law. It has close ties to other disciplines including philosophy, political science, sociology, history, and economics. Its main distinguishing characteristic as an academic discipline is its interpretative and normative character. At UCU, students are encouraged to view and analyze legal concepts and dilemmas from a multidisciplinary perspective, and thus, are constantly challenged to bring those fields that relate to law to fully understand and address current legal dilemmas. For instance, the migration crisis that Europe has been facing during the last years, cannot be dissociated with the political, historical, and economic situation of countries from which people are fleeing.

Because of the large interest of University College Utrecht students in Law, including a substantial number that may enrol in Master's programmes in the field of Law, or even to pursue a full legal training, the quantity of courses offered has increased and has diversified in order to cater to these two groups: students taking courses purely as part of the Liberal Arts and Sciences education, and students wishing to pursue further studies in Law.  The University College Utrecht law track also allows students to opt for the Double Degree in Law and Liberal Arts & Sciences programme, which enables students who have signed up for this programne at the end of their first year to pursue two Bachelor degrees (Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor at University College Utrecht and Bachelor of Laws at the Utrecht Law School) in a four-year programme.

For an overview of Master's programmes in Law at Utrecht University, please visit the website of the School of Law. Please be aware that the majority of law Master's programmes (LLMs) across the Netherlands, and in Europe, require a minimum of 45 credits (ECs) on law course.