BA in Dutch Law

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Maastricht University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in Dutch Law is a three-year, full-time programme designed to build a solid foundation in the Dutch legal system while developing the analytical and critical thinking skills essential for a successful legal career. This programme suits students who are analytical, academically challenged, and eager to develop strong legal reasoning in an intimate, personal learning environment.

Curriculum Structure

Year One: Building Your Legal Foundation

Your first year establishes core competencies across the main legal disciplines. You'll dive into an introductory course on legal studies covering 15 fundamental subjects including constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, procedural law, and philosophy of law. Alongside this, you'll complete Legal Research and Reasoning, which teaches you essential skills for studying law successfully—including problem-based learning (PBL), legal research methodologies, and the IRAC method for analysing cases and applying them to practical scenarios. These foundational courses prepare you to think like a lawyer from day one.

Year Two: Deepening Your Knowledge

In your second year, you'll expand your expertise across specialised areas of Dutch law while strengthening your analytical capabilities. You'll study constitutional law in greater depth, exploring the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights protection within the Dutch context. Private law courses introduce you to family law, contract law, property law, and tort law through a comparative lens, using German, English, French, and Dutch legislation and case law to illustrate principles. These courses develop your ability to apply legal rules from diverse sources and understand how private law facilitates and regulates society.

Year Three: Specialisation and Professional Skills

Your final year allows you to specialise in areas that align with your career aspirations while refining practical legal skills. You'll have opportunities to develop expertise in specific domains of Dutch law and engage in legal challenges—team-based projects exploring substantive legal topics under expert supervision. Throughout this year, you'll participate in moot court competitions and advanced legal skills training in negotiation, mediation, and legal writing, positioning you for immediate professional impact.

Focus Areas

Dutch legal system expertise, constitutional and administrative law, private law (family, contract, property, tort), legal research and reasoning, comparative legal analysis, and practical legal skills development including negotiation, mediation, and advanced writing.

Learning Outcomes

Analytical and critical thinking skills for understanding the Dutch legal system; ability to analyse, compare, and reflect on legal choices; competence in legal research, writing, and advocacy; practical experience through case work and moot court participation; and readiness to apply legal knowledge to complex professional scenarios.

Professional Alignment

The programme is accredited as a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, a three-year full-time qualification recognised across Europe. Graduates are positioned to build careers in the public or private sector, work at government institutions, international organisations, or NGOs, with Maastricht's Faculty of Law recognised for producing graduates equipped for real-world legal practice.

Reputation & Employability

Maastricht University's Faculty of Law has built an excellent reputation through its small-scale, international learning environment and outstanding performance in legal competitions, including first prizes in the European Law Moot Court Competition and the VAR Moot Court Competition. The university's problem-based learning approach and emphasis on practical skills development prepare graduates effectively for professional legal careers across national and international contexts.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Maastricht University, our BA in Dutch Law (BSc Rechtsgeleerdheid) immerses you in practical legal training right from the start through our signature Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach, where you'll tackle real-world cases in small, international groups to build hands-on skills like legal analysis, teamwork, and problem-solving. You'll have access to top-notch facilities in the heart of Maastricht, including the Faculty of Law's modern building equipped for interactive sessions, research, and skill-building in European and national law contexts. This setup ensures you're not just learning theory—you're applying it like a real lawyer from day one.

Here's how experiential learning comes alive in the program: through targeted projects, collaborations, and resources tailored to Dutch Law:

- Group projects via PBL: Work in small tutorial groups (10-15 students) on authentic legal cases, developing competences for future legal careers—straight from the Faculty of Law's core teaching method.
- Internships: Opportunity for internships as part of your studies, especially through the International Law Department, giving you real professional exposure.
- Moot court trainings: Hands-on simulation of legal proceedings to sharpen advocacy and reasoning skills, offered at undergraduate level.
- Dedicated faculty facilities: Study and research in the Faculty of Law's central Maastricht building, with small-scale teaching spaces linking directly to European/Dutch law research.
- Library and research support: Full access to UM libraries and the faculty's research-focused environment, including empirical law labs and institutes for European/international law.
- Electives and minors: In your fifth semester, choose specialized minors with practical components, applied via the Student Portal for group-based legal exploration.

Progression & Future Opportunities

At Maastricht University, our BA in Dutch Law (BSc Rechtsgeleerdheid) immerses you in practical legal training right from the start, using our signature Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method where you'll tackle real-world cases in small, international groups to build essential skills like legal analysis, teamwork, and problem-solving. You'll have access to top-notch facilities in the heart of Maastricht, including our modern Faculty of Law building equipped for interactive sessions, research, and skills training tailored to Dutch and European legal contexts. This hands-on approach ensures you're not just learning theory—you're preparing for a career in Dutch law, with opportunities to gain civil effect (civiel effect) for professional qualifications when combined with a master's.

Here's how experiential learning comes to life in the program: through PBL tutorials, internships, and specialized department resources that connect you directly to practice:

- Problem-Based Learning (PBL) group projects: Work in small teams (usually 12-15 students) on authentic Dutch legal cases, developing competences for future roles like lawyer or judge—it's the core of every course.
- Internships: Available through the International Law Department (which supports Dutch Law students), giving you real professional experience alongside your studies.
- Moot court trainings: Simulate courtroom scenarios to hone advocacy and argumentation skills, offered at undergraduate level.
- Faculty of Law facilities: State-of-the-art building in Maastricht city center with spaces for small-scale teaching, research labs focused on European law and tech, and empirical legal studies.
- Library and research support: Full access to the university library and faculty research program linking teaching to ongoing projects in Dutch and EU law.
- Minors and electives: In your fifth semester, choose practical minors via the Student Portal for specialized group work and interdisciplinary projects.