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LLM in Corporate Law: Law, Markets & Behavior

LLM in Corporate Law: Law, Markets & Behavior
  • VU University Amsterdam
  • Responsable(s) de la formation : Rik Mellenbergh
  • Contact administratif : Laura Smit
  • Adresse : Main building VU University Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands, Amsterdam
  • Téléphone : +31205989898
  • Email administratif : [email protected]
  • Site Internet : Consulter

Application

The admission requirements are as follows:


  • Applicants must have at least a Bachelor degree in Law.
  • Applicants who do not meet the abovementioned requirement can also apply, provided that they have a sound academic background and considerable experience in the field of (international) law (the Admission Board would select such applicants only in exceptional circumstances).
  • Language proficiency requirements: VU University Amsterdam requires all applicants to take an English test and to submit their score as a part of the application. Exceptions are made for students who have completed their education in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia. For Dutch students or foreign exchange students already residing in the Netherlands it is possible to take the institutional TOEFL test offered by the VU University Amsterdam.


The applicant’s previous education is compared to, and valued through, the UK Naric comparison system and, if necessary, through the Nuffic comparison and validation programmes. Especially students from non-EU countries should consider the possibility that a relevant Bachelor degree in Law might not be sufficient to enter into this IBL Master's programme, and their application could result in a rejection. The Faculty of Law of VU University Amsterdam does not offer any (English or Dutch) pre-Master's programmes. 

The Admission Board will need to receive your complete file in order to make a good assessment of the application and of the applicant’s ability to follow and to successfully complete the IBL Master's programme. In the case of doubts, the Admission Board can invite the applicant to provide other additional documents in order to make a final decision. Incomplete files and files handed in after the deadline cannot be taken into consideration. 

Criteria for selection 


The main focus of selection will be on GPA or an overall grade average. Students should have at least a B+ or 7.8 as an overall average, or a GPA of at least 3.25.

Application

The admission requirements are as follows:


  • Applicants must have at least a Bachelor degree in Law.
  • Applicants who do not meet the abovementioned requirement can also apply, provided that they have a sound academic background and considerable experience in the field of (international) law (the Admission Board would select such applicants only in exceptional circumstances).
  • Language proficiency requirements: VU University Amsterdam requires all applicants to take an English test and to submit their score as a part of the application. Exceptions are made for students who have completed their education in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia. For Dutch students or foreign exchange students already residing in the Netherlands it is possible to take the institutional TOEFL test offered by the VU University Amsterdam.


The applicant’s previous education is compared to, and valued through, the UK Naric comparison system and, if necessary, through the Nuffic comparison and validation programmes. Especially students from non-EU countries should consider the possibility that a relevant Bachelor degree in Law might not be sufficient to enter into this IBL Master's programme, and their application could result in a rejection. The Faculty of Law of VU University Amsterdam does not offer any (English or Dutch) pre-Master's programmes. 

The Admission Board will need to receive your complete file in order to make a good assessment of the application and of the applicant’s ability to follow and to successfully complete the IBL Master's programme. In the case of doubts, the Admission Board can invite the applicant to provide other additional documents in order to make a final decision. Incomplete files and files handed in after the deadline cannot be taken into consideration. 

Criteria for selection 


The main focus of selection will be on GPA or an overall grade average. Students should have at least a B+ or 7.8 as an overall average, or a GPA of at least 3.25.

Curriculum

Study programme

Law, Markets and Behavior is a track within the VU Master's programme Corporate Law. This legal Master’s programme has deep-rooted multidisciplinary perspectives. Law is the vantage point of our thinking. Classical fields such as Contract Law, Tort Law, the Corporate Form, Insolvency Law and Regulatory Law will be taught in depth. In order for you to operate in an international context, we will focus on the principles; details of national laws will not be dealt with. 

The non-legal perspectives will be interwoven in these courses. For example: there is a course on contract law, half of which will be about the (psychological) dynamics of contract negotiations. A similar approach is taken in other subjects, where traditional legal subjects are combined with insights from other disciplines. The goal of the masters’ programme is to enhance the students understanding of the law as it functions in practice, with the ultimate goal of training better, more skillful lawyers. The student will write several papers and prepare oral presentations during the academic year.     

Master in Law (LLM)

The degree of Master in Law (LLM) is conferred upon students who satisfactorily achieve a minimum of 60 European Credits (EC). This includes writing a Master's thesis that students will defend at the conclusion of the programme. The programme directors as well as the programme coordinator will monitor the students’ performance during the programme. In July, VU University Amsterdam hosts the graduation ceremony of the programme during which the students receive their Master diploma. Families and friends are warmly invited to join this special event.

Credits

Credits are listed according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This system is based on student workload, which includes hours spent in class and hours spent on studying, writing papers and completing assignments. A full academic year is equivalent to 60 EC (two semesters).

Schedule

The regular academic year in the Netherlands runs from 1 September through the end of June, followed by the closing ceremony in July. Please notice that all schedules are subject to change!

Internship

Some students opt for a student internship at an international company or law firm located in the Netherlands. Normally, such internship is extracurricular (i.e. no ECTS credits are awarded). Although the students must arrange such internships themselves, companies sometimes provide information to VU University Amsterdam in this respect. In such case, relevant information will be published on Blackboard. Moreover, the directors and the coordinator of the programme can provide advice to the students with respect to an internship. 

Master's thesis

Students will complete the programme by writing and defending a Master's thesis. The student will select the topic of the Master's thesis himself/herself in cooperation with the supervisor of the Master's thesis. Many students are inspired by subjects covered in the courses when choosing the topic of their Master's thesis. Normally, a Master's thesis requires between eight and ten weeks of research work and includes approximately 12.000 words. 

Supervisors will encourage the student to choose an appropriate topic, and the student will learn how to write an academic Master's thesis according to the accepted standards of legal research. During the research and writing process the supervisor will provide the student with guidance by giving the student advice and by commenting on how to modify and improve the research. All students will defend their Master thesis during seminar sessions attended by academic staff and other students in June. The Master's thesis will be reviewed by a second professor (the second reader). The supervisor and the second reader will decide upon the final grade jointly.

Curriculum

Study programme

Law, Markets and Behavior is a track within the VU Master's programme Corporate Law. This legal Master’s programme has deep-rooted multidisciplinary perspectives. Law is the vantage point of our thinking. Classical fields such as Contract Law, Tort Law, the Corporate Form, Insolvency Law and Regulatory Law will be taught in depth. In order for you to operate in an international context, we will focus on the principles; details of national laws will not be dealt with. 

The non-legal perspectives will be interwoven in these courses. For example: there is a course on contract law, half of which will be about the (psychological) dynamics of contract negotiations. A similar approach is taken in other subjects, where traditional legal subjects are combined with insights from other disciplines. The goal of the masters’ programme is to enhance the students understanding of the law as it functions in practice, with the ultimate goal of training better, more skillful lawyers. The student will write several papers and prepare oral presentations during the academic year.     

Master in Law (LLM)

The degree of Master in Law (LLM) is conferred upon students who satisfactorily achieve a minimum of 60 European Credits (EC). This includes writing a Master's thesis that students will defend at the conclusion of the programme. The programme directors as well as the programme coordinator will monitor the students’ performance during the programme. In July, VU University Amsterdam hosts the graduation ceremony of the programme during which the students receive their Master diploma. Families and friends are warmly invited to join this special event.

Credits

Credits are listed according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This system is based on student workload, which includes hours spent in class and hours spent on studying, writing papers and completing assignments. A full academic year is equivalent to 60 EC (two semesters).

Schedule

The regular academic year in the Netherlands runs from 1 September through the end of June, followed by the closing ceremony in July. Please notice that all schedules are subject to change!

Internship

Some students opt for a student internship at an international company or law firm located in the Netherlands. Normally, such internship is extracurricular (i.e. no ECTS credits are awarded). Although the students must arrange such internships themselves, companies sometimes provide information to VU University Amsterdam in this respect. In such case, relevant information will be published on Blackboard. Moreover, the directors and the coordinator of the programme can provide advice to the students with respect to an internship. 

Master's thesis

Students will complete the programme by writing and defending a Master's thesis. The student will select the topic of the Master's thesis himself/herself in cooperation with the supervisor of the Master's thesis. Many students are inspired by subjects covered in the courses when choosing the topic of their Master's thesis. Normally, a Master's thesis requires between eight and ten weeks of research work and includes approximately 12.000 words. 

Supervisors will encourage the student to choose an appropriate topic, and the student will learn how to write an academic Master's thesis according to the accepted standards of legal research. During the research and writing process the supervisor will provide the student with guidance by giving the student advice and by commenting on how to modify and improve the research. All students will defend their Master thesis during seminar sessions attended by academic staff and other students in June. The Master's thesis will be reviewed by a second professor (the second reader). The supervisor and the second reader will decide upon the final grade jointly.