Advanced studies in Public International Law (LL.M.)

Each year approximately thirty students from all over the world join the LL.M. (adv.) Programme in Public International Law. For one year they become fellows of the student community of the oldest University in the Netherlands and in one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Europe. 

The LL.M. (adv.) Programme in Public International Law has been designed to provide a flexible framework for graduate study in public international law and is of particular interest to participants wishing to pursue a career in international organisations, governmental institutions, international non-governmental organisations or within an academic setting. Practitioners in the private sector, e.g. international trade and finance and transnational litigation, will likewise benefit from the programme.

Staff members of embassies, of international organisations or other interested individuals working in The Hague may be offered the opportunity to participate in the programme on a part-time basis.

Recent developments in international cooperation in:

- The suppression of international crimes
- The establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
- The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) 
- The adoption in July 1998 of the Statute to create a permanent International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague

have promoted new interest in the study of international criminal law as a branch of public international law.

The Campus of Leiden University is ideally situated for graduate study in international criminal law as the ICTY, the Appeals Chamber of the ICTR and the ICC are conveniently located in The Hague. In 1999 the programme launched its International Criminal Law Specialization (ICL). The ICL programme is designed for those students who want to deepen their knowledge in this rapidly developing branch of law.

The close proximity to, and the many links the University has with the different international organisations and institutions, provide our students with the unique opportunity to observe international law in practice, to draw from the resources of these institutions and to construct enduring contacts for their future careers. 

More information

For a detailed description of our programme, the courses, application procedure, please visit the Faculty of Law.