Philosophy of Law and Governance (Master Degree)

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam the Netherlands

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The award
Master Degree

How long you will study
1 Years

Domestic course fees
EUR 2143 per year

How you will study
full-time

Course starts
September

International course fees
EUR 16630 per year

All study options

About Philosophy of Law and Governance at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Discover the why behind the law

How can we respond to grave injustices committed by the state in the past, like slavery and racism? What does it mean to be a free and equal citizen in a modern democracy? What are the ethical considerations behind euthanasia and abortion laws?

If you have a legal background, but you've found yourself asking questions about the underlying justice behind legal assumptions and provisions, you've come to the right place.

In the Philosophy of Law and Governance specialisation of the two-year Master's in Philosophy, you'll tackle challenging questions like these, gaining a deeper understanding of the systems of law and justice in Western society.

Learn More About This Course

There is more information about this course available on the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam website

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Study options for this course

The award How you will study How long you will study Course starts Domestic course fees International course fees
The awardMaster DegreeHow you will studyFull-timeHow long you will study1 year
Course startsSeptemberDomestic course feesEUR 2143 per yearInternational course feesEUR 16630 per year

Entry requirements

To be admitted to the programme, you should have a Bachelor's degree in Law. With a broad university bachelor with a legal track of at least 60 EC (such as Liberal Arts and Sciences or PPLE) you may also be eligible for admission. The Admissions Committee will invest this.

Do you have another university bachelor's degree that is relevant to the specialization you want to follow? And do you have knowledge and insight into a sub-area of law, at least at the level of the final attainment levels of the VU Bachelor Rechtsgeleerdheid? And can you demonstrate this with at least 60 ECs in legal courses or knowledge or experience gained in the legal field? Then you may be eligible for admission. This will be investigated by the Admissions Committee.

English language requirements

You must always present official test results proving your proficiency in English. You can apply online without having the test results, but in case you haven't taken a test yet we advise you to plan a test date as soon as possible. The qualification or test result must have been awarded no more than two years prior to the proposed date of enrolment. Below you will find the minimum English test scores for the English taught programmes at the Faculty of Humanities:

TOEFL score 600 paper based with a minimum of 55 in each of the subtests plus 4.0 in TWE, score 250 computer based or score 100 internet based with a minimum of 20-23 in each of the subtests).
IELTS score of 7.0 overall band score (with none of the separate section scores dropping below a minimum score of 6.5).
Cambridge English: Cambridge Proficiency Exam with score A, B, or C; or Cambridge Advanced Exam with score A, B, or C.

Exemptions from providing the English test scores are applicable to students, who:

have completed an English-taught secondary or higher education degree in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia; or
have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an English-taught programme accredited by NVAO in the Netherlands, or
have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an accredited English-taught programme in another member state of the European Union

The required evidence should, if possible, be included with the complete application. If either unsatisfactory or no evidence of English language proficiency has been provided with the application, admission will be conditional upon the provision of such evidence. This condition will be clearly indicated on the offer letter and must be fulfilled before enrolment at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.