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faculty of law amsterdam law school master s programmes 2011-2012

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contents university of amsterdam general information 3 4 international and european law 5 public international law track international trade and investment law track european union law track european union business law track european competition law and regulation joint programme amsterdam law school and columbia school of law 10 european private law research master public international law practical matters 12 13 14 cover photo llm student hayat azzahimi in the faculty courtyard at oudemanhuispoort

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university of amsterdam university of amsterdam the university of amsterdam uva is a modern university with a rich history its predecessor the athenaeum illustre was established in 1632 by the amsterdam city council today the athenaeum illustre has grown into a world-class research and teaching university the uva offers a broad range of bachelor s and master s programmes it has now more than 170 master s programmes covering almost every discipline many of which are taught in english the uva is thus able to attract a large number of international students and has countless nationalities represented in its student population city of amsterdam the capital of the netherlands amsterdam is an exuberant smallscale metropolis where you quickly feel safe and welcome famous for its historical buildings and canals amsterdam is a multi-faceted city bustling with knowledge commerce creativity and innovation amid a modern climate of forward-thinking professionalism education plays a vital role in dutch culture the uva as one of the largest centres of study and research in the netherlands continues to be one of the key players many of the uva s facilities such as the university library and the student cultural organisation crea are located in the heart of amsterdam with the cultural and scientific institutes and uva facilities spread across the city in this way amsterdam itself can be said to be the uva s true campus the llm programmes are designed to qualify graduates for careers in european and international institutions international business law firms government and non-governmental organisations they also provide a strong basis for those seeking to pursue a phd in the fields of international or european public or private law the graduate school of law offers a wide variety of specialised courses faculty members of the law school are active members of the various research institutes and bring current insights and developments into their teaching this brochure gives a brief overview of the llm programmes as well as practical information about admission criteria fees and deadlines for application for more information please visit the website of the amsterdam law school at www.studeren.uva.nl/law-programmes studying at the amsterdam law school the home of the graduate law school is the `oudemanhuispoort a 400-year-old building in the centre of amsterdam the amsterdam law school als of the uva has a long-standing tradition of offering llm programmes taught in english these draw students from around the world bringing a truly international atmosphere to the law school or contact the amsterdam law school s international office through als-fdr@uva.nl or phone +31 020 525 3359 for all additional questions 3 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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general information the academic year the academic year of the uva runs from september to mid-july and is divided into two semesters of 21 weeks each the first semester runs from the beginning of september to early february the second from early february to mid-july credit system the university of amsterdam uses the european credit transfer system ects this makes it possible to more easily transfer credits between european academic institutions the european credits transfer system is based on student workload this not only involves lectures and seminars but also self-study each credit involves a time investment of 28 hours a course is worth either 5 or 10 ects credits a full-time course for one academic year consists of 60 ects credits corresponding to 1,680 hours of study applications and deadlines applications for admission to the llm programmes commencing in september 2011 should be submitted before 1 may 2011 application forms can be downloaded from www.studeren.uva.nl/law-programmes grading system grading system 10 excellent 9 very good 8 good 7 satisfactory 6 pass 1 to 5 fail with the exceptions of the master international criminal law and the research master in public international law applications will only be processed after receipt of the administrative fee of 100 this fee should be transferred to the following account the bank transfer costs must be paid by the applicant abn-amro bank account no 50.90.95.402 faculty of law amsterdam law school p o box 1030 1000 ba amsterdam iban no nl30abna0509095402 bic/swift code abnanl2a please also include the reference number c.2110.0005 the administrative fee will be reimbursed to those students enrolled in the september 2011 programme 4 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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master s programmes international and european law title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english curriculum admission requirements this master s programme seeks to develop an understanding of the theory and practice of international and european law it consists of two components international law and european law which share a number of mandatory courses there are also a number of optional courses this structure allows for specialisation in either of the components while taking into account their common foundation the teaching methods and evaluations focus on developing writing analytical and communicative skills as well as knowledge of black letter law consequently greater emphasis is placed on written and oral assignments than on traditional examinations the faculty includes highly qualified international and european lawyers students are exposed to a wide range of international institutions and are assisted in pursing internships and other career opportunities during and after completion of the programme this master s programme has four tracks n public international law n international trade and investment law n european union law n european competition law and regulation these share a core curriculum consisting of law of public international organisation and international and european law in the national legal order in addition each track has its own mandatory courses and electives internships the amsterdam law school offers a prerequisite course in european union law to address any shortfall in candidate s qualifications this is provided by the law school in september credits earned in this courses are not included in the required 60 ects credits the amsterdam law school does not offer a similar course for public international law career prospects a maximum of 10 ects credits may be obtained through internships that have been approved and supervised by the department of public international law and european law english language requirements the master s programme in international and european law is taught in english and the master s thesis is written in english only a limited number of electives are taught in dutch so students will need strong english language skills a wide range of careers are open to graduates of this master s programme for those who have obtained a bachelor s in law at the uva the completion of the programme results in `civiel effect in the netherlands meaning it gives access to the dutch bar and magistracy potential employers include government departments dealing with international and european law the institutions of the european union and international non governmental organisations including the united nations world trade organisation and international courts and tribunals graduates are also qualified to pursue careers in law firms that advise in such areas as cross-border mergers and takeovers international criminal law european competition law investment disputes and international arbitration finally the master s degree forms an excellent basis for an academic career in international or european law 5 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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international and european law public international law track title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english the public international law track of the master s programme in international and european law aims to provide a solid understanding of the general principles and structures of international law and to allow students to acquire expertise in diverse areas of international law including criminallaw and economic law curriculum the programme allows students to combine their study of the theoretical aspects of international law with its practical application for example by participating in the amsterdam international law clinic or in moot court competitions the wide variety of electives allows students to design their programme to follow their specific interests and ambitions the programme consists of 20 ects credits for core courses such as law of public international organisation and state responsibility 30 credits for electives and 10 credits for a thesis please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl career prospects application deadline the public international law track is designed to prepare graduates for an international career in european or international institutions international business law firms government departments or non-governmental organisations it also provides a strong basis for those seeking to pursue a phd in a field of international law admission requirements before may 1 2011 contact for more information about this programme please contact dr rosanne van alebeek r.vanalebeek@uva.nl bachelor of laws a positive assessment by the examination board costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers 6 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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international and european law international trade and investment law track title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english international trade and investment are driving forces in the world economy and its increasing global interdependence this track focuses on the international legal rules of conduct that govern these economic relations for states and regions curriculum international investment law arbitration has also become an important part of this programme in this subject a large network of bilateral investment treaties bits set the legal frameworks for the treatment of foreign investors and for the settlement of their disputes by international arbitration the growth of investor-state arbitral awards is evidence of the emerging importance of international investment law the first semester deals with aspects of wto institutional and dispute settlement as well as the core international and european law substantive principles governing the international trading system the second semester introduces on the study of international investment law other second semester courses extend the study of the wto to include the role of domestic regulation and the treatment of developing countries in the international trading system this track consists of 50 ects credits for core courses and 10 credits for a master s thesis please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl students may apply for participation in moot courts dealing with wto or investment arbitration a three-day study trip to geneva is planned for the spring at students own expense career prospects the international trade and investment law track is dedicated to providing graduates with a solid foundation that will allow them to pursue a career as a legal adviser or a post-graduate study in international economic law admission requirements a significant part of the programme concerns the geneva-based world trade organisation wto wto provides the legal framework for the multilateral trading system for goods and services including its advanced system of dispute resolution a significant body of wto case law rules on the balance between the trading rules and other societal objectives such as the protection of human health or the environment wto agreements also go beyond traditional market access issues into the realm of domestic regulation to consider intellectual property rights and international product and food safety standards bachelor of laws candidates require a positive assessment by the examination board costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers application deadline before may 1 2011 contact for more information about the programme please contact dr james mathis j.h.mathis@uva.nl 7 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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international and european law european union law track title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl the european union is possibly the most advanced international institution in the world its constant development produces new legal problems and solutions almost daily making it an endlessly fascinating subject of legal research and teaching curriculum career prospects graduates will be qualified to enter careers in european business law practices or the public service either in their home countries or in brussels luxembourg strasbourg or other cities admission requirements the european union law track allows for specialisation in the fields of european substantive law including competition law environmental law law of the internal market the programme also allows for specialisations in the field of institutional law including european constitutional law law of the economic and monetary union eu legal remedies lawmaking in the european union it also offers many other specialised courses in european law such as european integration european company law international and european law in the national legal order european consumer law european contract law european state aid law european moot court european human rights law bachelor of laws a positive assessment by the examination board costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers application deadline before may 1 2011 more information for more information about this programme please contact dr ronald van ooik r.h.vanooik@uva.nl 8 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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international and european law european competition law and regulation title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english the programme consists primarily of compulsory courses and a thesis for 10 ects credits career prospects european competition law and regulation focuses on the european public regulatory framework which applies when doing business in europe the european union ec treaties define the rights and obligations of undertakings and individuals in terms of the free movement of goods services capital and persons across the union common policies operate to support these freedoms including competition rules and policies governing corporate behaviour curriculum this track offers a coherent set of courses on subjects that will prepare graduates for careers in the legal service divisions of modern european companies international business law practices the legal service divisions of european union institutions or member state ministries dealing with european business law admission requirements bachelor of laws a positive assessment by the examination board costs the curriculum includes a coherent set of strongly interrelated and for that reason compulsory courses european competition law european company law goods and services in the ec international and european law in the national legal order european legal remedies in addition the liberalisation of european markets is dealt with in a `capita series of competition law and regulation which addresses the liberalisation rules for eu telecommunications and energy markets eu banking directives eu public procurement eu social policy intellectual property rights and competition policy private international transactions regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers application before may 1 2011 contact for more information about this programme please contact dr kati cseres k.j.cseres@uva.nl 9 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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international criminal law joint programme amsterdam law school and columbia school of law in internships als students and columbia law school students complete the programme as a group spending the first semester at columbia law school and the second at the als the programme consists of both compulsory and elective courses 30 ects credits are obtained at columbia law school for compulsory courses such as comparative introduction to american law genocide and colloquium on war and crimes thirty credits are obtained at als for courses such as international criminal law international criminal tribunals substantive aspects international criminal tribunals procedural aspects and workshop prosecution of international crimes in practice title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english columbia university school of law and the amsterdam law school offer a joint llm programme in international criminal law the master s programme in international criminal law is the first programme to focus on international criminal law as a distinct field of legal study the central aim of the programme is to train a new style of international criminal lawyers by offering a broad and deep understanding of relevant issues and supporting the development of academic skills through analysis of such issues the programme is unique because of the dual perspective it offers on international criminal law the common law and criminal law-oriented focus from columbia university and the civil law and criminal law perspective offered by the als curriculum the international criminal law programme combines the study of the theoretical aspects and foundations of international criminal law with its practical application by offering a workshop in criminal tribunals and providing opportunities to engage 10 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl application deadline before may 1 2011 contact columbia summer programme in american law career prospects for information about the master s programme in international criminal law please contact als als-fdr@uva.nl this programme prepares students for a career in international criminal law graduates will be singularly qualified to assume leadership roles in the world of international criminal tribunals the icc national legal institutions and law firms international criminal law academia and ministries of foreign affairs justice and defence admission requirements for more information on the content of the programme please contact ms annemieke van verseveld a.vanverseveld@uva.nl since 1963 the law schools of columbia university the university of leiden and the uva have organised summer programmes in american law in even years the programme takes place in leiden in odd years it is held in amsterdam the four-week programme is taught by faculty from columbia university s school of law and comprises subjects such as contracts american institutions of public law statutes and regulations constitutional law remedies us corporate law and governance the programme is intended for legal professionals and advanced law students the 2011 session will be held in amsterdam please see the website for details for more information on this programme including on courses faculty extra-curricular activities and fees please visit www.columbiasummerprogram.org bachelor of laws because there are only twelve places available each year applicants are also subject to a selection procedure for more information about admission requirements please visit www.studeren.uva.nl/law-programmes please note that the first semester cls starts half august and the second semester starts the second week of january costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books readers and visa for the usa living expenses in new york are higher than in amsterdam or contact ms jikke verheij at j.k.verheij@uva.nl 11 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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european private law title master of laws llm type of programme regular master duration of programme 1 year credits 60 ects language of instruction english private law in europe has undergone rapid transformation during the last two decades from a branch of law that was scarcely affected by eu legislation it has become the object of a multitude of harmonisation measures so much so that the idea of a european civil code is now high on the political agenda as a result of this development there is a growing demand in legal practice national and eu institutions and academic research for lawyers with a thorough understanding of existing european private law and the ongoing europeanisation process curriculum the programme consists of 30 ects credits for core courses such as european contract law and european company law 20 credits for electives and 10 credits for a thesis please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl private law on account of their unique familiarity with both eu private law and leading national systems of private law admission requirements the european private law programme provides a thorough understanding of the developing multi-level system of private law in europe in addition to broaden and deepen the debate relevant insights from other disciplines e.g economics politics are integrated into the discussion of legal questions this programme therefore offers an opportunity to specialise in european private law it is based on a coherent set of courses the topics at the heart of the europeanisation of private law career prospects this master s programme is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career in one of the various legal professions either in or outside the european union employment opportunities will be open to graduates in internationally oriented law firms in-house law departments in multinational companies around the world european union institutions national public institutions responsible for private law legislation adjudication bodies and academic research there is a growing demand in the labour market for experts in bachelor of laws students must have an understanding of european union law the amsterdam law school offers in september a prerequisite course to address any shortfalls in candidates knowledge credits earned in this courses are not included in the required 60 ects credits costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers application deadline before may 1 2010 contact for more information about this programme please contact dr odavia bueno díaz o.buenodiaz@uva.nl 12 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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research master public international law title master of laws llm type of programme research master duration of programme 2 years credits 120 ects language of instruction english the two-year research master s programme in public international law aims to give students a knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of public international law and in particular the key areas of the international rule of law legal science and international legal research at the same time students will acquire the skills they need in order to be able to apply their knowledge in these areas to conduct fundamental and applied research graduates of the research master may apply for an accelerated three year phd track curriculum master classes help students to improve their writing presentation debating and argumentation skills in the second year students will have the opportunity to specialise in a topic within the theme of the international rule of law for example in the field of human rights criminal law or humanitarian law either in amsterdam or at a foreign law school in europe the united states or elsewhere students take part in a research seminar and are intensively supervised as they conduct research for their theses the theses are expected to meet high academic and scientific standards please see the digital course catalogue for a detailed and up-to-date description of the programme curriculum www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl admission requirements bachelor of laws applicants are also subject to a selection procedure for more information about admission requirements please visit www.studeren.uva.nl/law-programmes costs regular tuition fee plus expenses for books and readers application deadline before may 1 2011 contact for more information about this programme please contact the amsterdam law school the academic supervisor of the research master s in public international law is dr catherine brölmann rm-pil-fdr@uva.nl during the first year students gain an understanding of the foundations of public international law and more specifically the international rule of law they are also trained in theories and methods of legal research under the supervision of a senior researcher students form small groups that contribute to research projects being carried out within the amsterdam center for international law acil career prospects this research master s programme trains students for a career as a researcher either inside or outside academia students also learn the skills needed to write a dissertation due to a combination of training in substantive law analytical skills and theoretical reflection students will have excellent prospects for various types of intellectually demanding careers in public international law graduates can expect to work international organisations government institutions universities international and domestic courts and law firms 13 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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practical matters for questions on practical matters please contact the international office of the amsterdam law school at als-fdr@uva.nl or by phone at +31 020 525 3359 the dutch immigration rules may exclude proficiency tests from certain countries applicants are advised to ascertain the applicable rules prior to applying for information on the applicable immigration rules please visit the nuffic website at www.nuffic.nl/index-en.html application and admission admission criteria the programmes are open to students with a bachelor s degree in law or a comparable level of legal education applicants must also have n a sound understanding of public international law this is not a prerequisite for those candidates applying for european private law n a basic knowledge of european law applicants without this may be admitted if they take the introductory course in european law offered by the als credits earned for this course are not included in the ects credit requirement for individual programmes for all programmes proficiency in the english language is a prerequisite the school accepts the following tests n toefl minimum scores of 100 for the internet based test 250 for the computer based test and 600-603 for the paper based test n cambridge examination certificate of proficiency in english cpe a minimum level of c n ielts with a minimum of 6.0 on each scale please be advised that if you are required to obtain an entry visa known as an authorisation for temporary stay machtiging tot verlopig verblijf mvv this may take a considerable amount of time depending on the country from which the application is submitted please also note that the dutch immigration authorities do not issue a temporary residence permit for part-time students who are non-eu eea citizens please note that for the research master in public international law and the master in international criminal law admission criteria differ from those listed here please check the website for up-to-date information visa in accordance with an agreement between the uva and the dutch immigration service ind all students who have been accepted into a programme at the uva can apply for an mvv using the priority procedure offered by the uva the procedure takes approximately two months 14 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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citizens of eu/eea countries or of australia canada japan monaco new zealand south korea the united states of america or vatican city are not required to obtain an mvv citizens of any other country are required to have an mvv in order to enter the netherlands please note that students can not apply for an mvv after arrival in the netherlands nor is it possible to study at the uva on a tourist visa information about the application procedure will be sent after the applicant has been accepted to the als you will be asked to submit specific documents and pay part of the mvv fee in advance for more information visit www.uva.nl/visa visa for schengen countries if an mvv to enter the netherlands is required one should request a `d+c multiple entry mvv as this will enable you to travel in the schengen countries www.nuffic.nl see `international students `preparing your stay `visas and permits to apply for a residence permit a number of documents are required for an overview of the required documents please visit www.uva.nl/visa residence permit non-eu/eea students who plan to stay in the netherlands for a period of three months or longer must apply for a residence permit after arrival the uva will submit the application for a residence permit for the purpose of study on behalf of the applicant applicants do not need to contact the dutch immigration service ind themselves the uva is legally required to inform the dutch immigration service ind of the duration of the registration of all international students in its programmes if a student stays for longer than three months and does not apply for a residence permit the ind will therefore know the student is residing illegally in the netherlands for questions please contact the als at als-fdr@uva.nl 15 university of amsterdam amsterdam law school

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