International & European LAW - The Hague University (THUAS)

The programme
During your four years in the English-taught Law programme of The Hague University you’ll gain the skills employers look for which will enable you to have a successful international career in the legal field. That’s why at THUAS they also lay emphasis on your personal and professional development, in particular on developing global awareness. The first two years lay the foundations for your future career, when you’ll learn about law through theory and practice in a comparative setting. Then in year three, you further specialise and deepen your legal skills and knowledge; you are able to follow a specific minor or a module in a legal field of your choosing. Alternatively you can go abroad, as you have the opportunity to study a semester at one of the partner universities of THUAS. In your final year you’ll do an internship and a final project. Upon graduation you’ll have perfected how to analyse a legal question, advise a client, and how to represent a client.

Year 1
You start with the basics. Year one (the propaedeutic year) introduces you to the foundations of International and European law. During the first three weeks you’ll follow a course specifically designed to introduce you to the legal field, the basic skills, our programme, the university and The Hague. From there on, you will focus on EU Law, Public International Law, Tort, Company, and Family Law, building a solid foundation for the next three years.
At THUAS they believe you should apply in practical and professional assignments what you have learnt from your law books. As a result, you will work on professional skills from day one. You will take courses on legal writing, reasoning and negotiating as well as learning the tools of the trade, from writing memoranda and letters of advice to draft decisions and legal analysis. All things that an outstanding international legal professional does well. You will encounter professional scenario’s that either directly come from practice or mirror legal practice.
Topics: Legal Analysis / Public International Law / Constitutional Law /Introduction to Law / Project 1: Model United Nations Nations / Legal Advising / Criminal Law / Administrative Law / Contract Law / International Financial Management and Control / Corporate Law / Property Law / Tort Law / EU Law / Human Rights Law / EU Decision Making / Project: EU Parliament / Decision making

Year 2
During year 2, you’ll strengthen and consolidate your legal skills when you’re introduced to International Criminal Law, International Trade, Labour Law and more. Then you will take part in group Moot Court projects representing fictitious corporate clients, assisting them with legal issues, like mergers and acquisitions. Or you will defend, or prosecute, an international war crime suspect. You’ll gain a perfect balance of theory and practice during our programme. There is even a chance to make a final plea at the Court of Justice in The Hague where judges will assess your performance.

Year 3
Your third year is all about exposing you to complex, real life issues and how law can positively or negatively affect topical challenges. To that end, we offer various modules that will propel you to the top in the job market. The module choices are broad, you can specialise in anything from Commercial Law to International Criminal Law, from Environmental Law to Human Rights. Two examples: In Human Rights you can learn about the challenges refugees and other minority groups face. In the Compliance Minor you will learn the latest about anti-money laundering and data protection. Many of our students also take advantage of studying abroad during a part of their third year. By doing this they are able to expand their experience and knowledge of law in a different setting.
Minors
In year three you’ll have the opportunity to choose from the wide range of minors offered by the university. This Law programme offers a number of minors covering important current developments in law and practice: Dispute Resolution, Cyber Security, Legal Technology and Compliance.

Year 4 - Internship and graduation
It is no secret that the international law job market is fiercely competitive. But the good news is that our law graduates are particularly successful at finding jobs within a year. That is because The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice, hosts multiple prestigious international institutions, NGOs, embassies and international companies. Thuas also organises an employment network event, where you can meet and network with legal professionals and look for internships and jobs.
Our partner institutions and companies advise us on our curriculum, internships and graduation projects, so we always stay relevant to current market demands. This culminates in year four when you work on your final graduation project and go on an internship for at least 100 working days.

Career prospects
The opportunities in the international legal field are endless with your law degree. You could become a contract manager, privacy officer, trade policy analyst, researching trade-related policy at the OECD in Paris or become legal advisor in European and international organisations. You will be a step ahead in job interviews and an asset to any organisation or company having spent four years perfecting your legal skills.