The Curriculum
Getting started
The year kicks off in September, when you arrive in Utrecht for the start of the LLM programme in Law and Economics. During your first week, you take part in a special Welcoming Programme, which includes a tour of the faculty buildings, an introduction to staff and a chance to meet your fellow international law students in a social setting. Then the real work starts! Lectures and tutorials begin in September. During Semester 1, you have the opportunity to complete a language course at the James Boswell Institute.
In-depth knowledge
The LLM in Law and Economics consists of six compulsory modules, all of which are marked according to Utrecht University’s grading system. Each module represents 7.5 ECTS credits (with 1 ECTS credit requiring approximately 28 hours of classes and independent study). These classes are designed to give you a broad foundation of knowledge in the laws and economics of competition, market supervision, regulation and corporate governance. They also provide more in-depth insights into scientific and practical aspects of the subject, such as market supervision and regulation. During Semester 2, you write a Master’s thesis (link naar 1.4) worth 15 ECTS credits. This is a unique opportunity to focus closely on topics of the law and economics of competition, market supervision, regulation and corporate governance that particularly interest you under the supervision of leading experts in the field.
Professional links
Around 30 students are accepted onto the LLM programme in Law and Economics every year. As part of this group, you attend formal lectures, but you also take part in smaller tutorial sessions together with just two or three of your fellow students, enabling you to make the most of a small-scale, supportive atmosphere. You are expected to arrive at all of your classes well prepared, and able to actively participate in discussion. The programme puts an emphasis on both theoretical and practical training. Considerable attention is paid to the development of your academic English, for example, and you are taught essential skills in debating and reporting. Thanks to the excellent professional contacts of our staff members, the programme also gives you a close link with professional practice. You have the chance to speak with leading practitioners about your research and career interests, and you visit a number of major legal and economic organisations to see the law in action for yourself.
Teaching methods
As a student on the programme in Law and Economics, you have up to six hours of compulsory teaching time each week as part of a small group of students. You are also set a number of independent study assignments for each individual module. This work is varied – one week you might write an essay, while another week, you might give a presentation, present a relevant case-study or take part in a debate. As part of the course, you are trained to communicate in professional and academic English. You are also encouraged to conduct your own research into areas of the law and economics of competition and regulation that interest you. In addition, your supervisors will be happy to help you develop your best academic essays into papers suitable for publication.