• The majority of the time, the law is not practiced in the courtroom – it’s practiced in the political and diplomatic sphere. Human rights NGOs, the military, governments, and international organizations all invoke the language of law in political struggles and negotiations. In today’s world, it’s impossible to grasp the field of international security without an understanding of the nexus between international law and politics.
  • That’s why this multi-disciplinary Master’s program is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences, whose staff and teaching are deeply interconnected. So students can expect a unique perspective combining both law and politics.
  • In this one-year interdisciplinary Master’s program, students will learn how to ask the right questions to increase their understanding of the complexities involved in these dilemmas. These questions are legal, political, and ethical at the same time. International law is not treated as an abstract set of rules but as a professional practice. Students will therefore study what it is to be a lawyer in a variety of professional contexts, including litigation, legal advisory, and diplomatic negotiations. 
  • The program is made up of four compulsory core courses, two electives, and a Master’s thesis. We also offer interesting, related, extracurricular activities, such as the opportunity to be on the editorial board of the Amsterdam Law Forum.