Bachelor European Law School

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Maastricht University

Program Overview

The BA (Hons) Law at Maastricht University is a three-year bachelor’s programme designed for students who want to explore law from a strong European and international perspective while developing practical legal skills. It’s ideal for curious, analytical students who want to study how law works across borders and build a solid foundation for careers in international law, policy, or further legal studies.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1
In the first year, students build a strong foundation in legal thinking and the European legal system. Core modules such as Foundations of Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law, and European Law introduce key legal principles while helping students understand how national and EU legal systems interact. Through Maastricht’s Problem-Based Learning approach, students analyse real cases, discuss legal questions in small groups, and develop essential research and argumentation skills.

Year 2
During the second year, the focus shifts to deeper legal analysis and specialised areas of European law. Students typically study subjects such as European Internal Market Law, Comparative Constitutional Law, and Public International Law, gaining insight into how different legal systems operate and interact. This stage strengthens critical thinking and comparative legal reasoning while encouraging students to apply legal theory to real-world situations.

Year 3
In the final year, students refine their expertise and prepare for professional or postgraduate pathways. Courses such as Private International Law, European Competition Law, and the Bachelor’s Thesis allow students to specialise further and conduct independent legal research. By the end of the programme, students graduate with strong analytical skills and a broad understanding of international and European legal frameworks.

Focus areas: European law, comparative law, international legal systems, legal research and analysis, cross-border governance.

Learning outcomes: Develop strong legal reasoning and research skills; understand the interaction between national and European legal systems; analyse complex legal problems from an international perspective; communicate legal arguments clearly in both written and oral formats.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The programme is delivered by the Faculty of Law at Maastricht University and follows recognised European higher-education standards. The degree provides a strong academic foundation for master’s programmes in law and international legal careers.

Reputation (employability rankings): Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law is internationally recognised for its expertise in European law and its innovative Problem-Based Learning approach, with graduates frequently pursuing careers in European institutions, international organisations, and global law firms.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Maastricht University, our BA Hons Law (offered through the renowned European Law School) puts you right in the heart of real-world legal practice from day one, thanks to our signature problem-based learning (PBL 2.0) approach. You'll dive into tutorials tackling actual case studies, court simulations, and comparative law problems across European jurisdictions, building hands-on skills like legal reasoning, research, source analysis, negotiation strategies, and communicating solutions—just like a practicing lawyer. Interactive lectures and group work sharpen your ability to synthesize theory with practice, while Faculty of Law initiatives ensure you're prepped for the global legal stage with tools like guided choice reports and ECtHR case law analysis.

Here are some standout ways our program delivers that practical edge::

- Moot Courts and Client Consultation Competitions (Faculty of Law): Simulate international disputes, draft pleadings, strategize as a team, and argue cases—honing advocacy and teamwork in realistic courtroom settings.
- Maastricht Mediation Clinic (service learning via ECA): Work with professional mediators at Trajekt to handle real mediations for disputing parties, gaining ethical judgment and social responsibility skills.
- Honours+ and Bachelor Honours Programme (Faculty of Law): Tackle advanced experiential challenges, including ICC Mediation Competitions and role-playing exercises that build transformative engagement.
- Skills Track Courses: Master legal research, comparative law, translation, and academic writing through PBL tutorials, presentations, case studies, quizzes, and research papers—no generic drills, just European-focused practice.
- Group Projects and Negotiations: Collaborate on comparative research papers, negotiation strategies, and pre-trial procedural rights analysis, including plea bargains and evidence challenges from ECHR jurisprudence.

Progression & Future Opportunities

At Maastricht University's BA Hons Law (offered through the European Law School), you'll dive into experiential learning right from the start, building real-world legal skills through hands-on activities that go way beyond textbooks. Our problem-based learning (PBL) approach has you tackling actual cases in small tutorial groups, honing skills like legal research, reasoning, comparative analysis, and even court simulations to bridge theory and practice seamlessly.

This sets the stage for practical experiences tailored to law students:

- Moot Courts and simulations: Participate in international moot courts like SSC2024, where you draft pleadings, strategize with teams, argue cases, and present in simulated disputes—perfect for mastering advocacy and international law.
- Maastricht Mediation Clinic (service learning): Get real-life mediation experience at Trajekt, guiding disputing parties to resolutions under professional mentors, building social responsibility and negotiation skills.
- Honours+ and Bachelor Honours Programme: Dive deeper with advanced experiential projects in the Faculty of Law, including competitions like the ICC Mediation and Client Consultation, plus role-playing in legal philosophy and international business law.
- Skills Track courses: Develop core abilities through dedicated modules like Legal Research and Reasoning, Comparative Law, Legal Translation, and Academic Legal Writing, using case studies, presentations, quizzes, and research papers.
- Court and negotiation simulations: Practice procedural rights, plea bargains, confrontation rules, and ECtHR case law via interactive tutorials, negotiation strategies, and guided reports on pre-trial challenges.