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3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program
Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamThe Bachelor's in Law in Society at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is an exciting international program that equips you with a broad legal perspective to tackle global challenges like migration, sustainability, security, and the globalisation of markets—blending law with social sciences like criminology, sociology, psychology, and AI for real-world impact. It's perfect if you're socially engaged, open-minded, and eager to fight injustice through interdisciplinary research and diverse group work alongside students from around the world.
Curriculum structure
Year 1 dives into the foundations, building your skills across the program's four key themes—migration, sustainability, security, and globalisation of markets—while introducing how laws intersect in real societal issues. You'll explore core modules like *Introduction to Law in Society* to grasp legal basics from multiple angles, *Research Methods 1* for hands-on quantitative and qualitative skills, and *Criminology Basics* to understand crime's social roots, setting you up to analyze problems like a pro from day one.
Year 2 ramps up with deeper dives into how laws play out in practice, sharpening your ability to spot gaps in regulations and propose solutions. Key courses include *Law and Sustainability*, where you'll examine environmental laws' societal effects; *Migration Law and Policy*, tackling border challenges through legal and social lenses; and *Security and Human Rights*, blending psychology and law to address threats like cybercrime—all while honing research in mixed international teams.
Year 3 focuses on advanced application and specialization, letting you lead your own projects on pressing issues and prepare for the workforce. You'll tackle modules such as *Globalisation of Markets and Law*, analyzing trade regulations' impacts; *AI and Regulation*, exploring tech's legal frontiers; and elective seminars like *International Crimes*, drawing from criminology to study conflicts—culminating in a capstone where you craft policies backed by interdisciplinary evidence.
Focus areas
The program revolves around four core themes: migration, sustainability, security, and the globalisation of markets—explored through intersecting laws and social sciences for practical, impactful insights.
Learning outcomes
You'll gain a broad international legal perspective, research skills in quantitative/qualitative methods, and the ability to develop well-informed policies on societal challenges, ready for diverse global teams.
Professional alignment (accreditation)
This LL.B. opens doors to Master's like International Business Law or Criminology at VU or elsewhere; Dutch speakers can add the Voorbereidend Civiel Effect (VCE) for bar eligibility, leading to Dutch LL.M.s and legal professions.
Reputation (employability rankings)
VU's Faculty of Law, established 1880 with alumni like ICJ judge Peter Kooijmans, boasts strong employability—grads land at KPMG, Deloitte, Heineken, NGOs like ActionAid, and intl. orgs like Kosovo Specialist Chambers, often as legal advisors in tech, finance, or sustainability.
In the Bachelor's in Law in Society at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you'll dive into hands-on experiential learning right from your first year, building real-world legal skills through interactive seminars, practical simulations, and exposure to social legal practice. Facilities like seminar groups emphasize active participation, preparation, and collaboration, while specialized resources such as the Amsterdam Behavioral Law & Economics Lab let you explore empirical legal studies with cutting-edge tools for qualitative and quantitative research on law's societal impact. You'll also get insights into social advocacy and notarial practice through events organized by the Faculty of Law, preparing you to tackle diverse legal challenges with clients from day one.
This practical focus shines through in specific program elements like these:
- Mandatory seminar groups in first-year courses, where you prepare assignments, scan QR codes via Academy Attendance for registration, and actively debate legal topics to develop professional skills—attendance is key to mastering academic legal practice.
- Group projects and presentations, such as in courses like Foundations: Law & Technology & Economics, where teams represent stakeholders (e.g., European Commission or big tech) in pleadings on digital markets, using computational tools like machine learning and network analysis, followed by joint seminars and Canvas-submitted work.
- Empirical Legal Studies (ELS) training, integrated into the program with new courses, research tracks, an ELS help desk, and the Amsterdam Behavioral Law & Economics Lab for collaborative experiments blending law, behavioral economics, and data-driven analysis of legal effects in society.
- Social advocacy workshops, like two-day Faculty of Law events exploring labor, tenancy, and family law in real-world settings, including visits to legal aid centers, advice clinics, and social notarial offices to see dynamic client work and accessibility initiatives.
- Legal Skills Learning Trajectory, a structured path designed specifically for Law in Society students, featuring core courses that build practical abilities through tailored activities led by experts like dr. Janna Wessels.
In the Bachelor's in Law in Society at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you'll dive into experiential learning right from your first year, building real-world legal skills through hands-on seminars, advocacy simulations, and practical workshops that mirror actual legal practice. Facilities like seminar groups emphasize active participation, preparation, and group discussions, while specialized initiatives introduce you to social advocacy and notarial work with insights from practicing professionals. You'll use digital tools for attendance tracking and course platforms like Canvas for assignments and presentations, all designed to sharpen your empirical legal skills in a supportive environment.
Here's how this plays out in specific program features:
- Mandatory seminar groups in first-year courses, where you prepare assignments, scan QR codes via Academy Attendance for check-ins, and actively debate legal issues to develop professional skills—attendance is key to mastering these.
- Group projects and presentations, such as simulating pleadings for the European Commission or Big Tech in courses like Foundations of Law, Technology & Economics, or proposing fixes to EU regulations using computational tools like machine learning and network analysis.
- Workshops on social advocacy and notarial practice, including two-day events with real practitioners covering labor, tenancy, and family law, plus visits to legal aid centers and advice clinics for early client-facing experience.
- Empirical Legal Studies (ELS) training integrated into the curriculum, with access to the Amsterdam Behavioral Law & Economics Lab for collaborative research on law's societal effects using qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Legal Skills Learning Trajectory, a structured program developed specifically for Law in Society by Director Janna Wessels, blending core courses with practical application across migration law and beyond.
The full International Baccalaureate Diploma (Diploma Programme)3 (international) GCE A-levels completed in general, academic subjects* with an A* , A, B or C grade, Mathematics: A-level Mathematics or A-level Psychology (or AS level Mathematics grade A-C)Motivation to join our multidisciplinary Law programmeProof of sufficient proficiency in mathematicsScan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only)Conditional admission until certified diploma copy is received and conditions in admission decision letter have been metMathematics entry test (Dutch VWO mathematics C) or OMPT-E online exam (60%) required if mathematics requirement not metPositive Binding Study Advice (BSA) of a minimum of 42 credits at the end of the first yearIELTS (academic): 6.5 overall. Note: the IELTS Online Academic and the online IELTS Indicator tests are not accepted. IELTS One Skill Retake is also not accepted.TOEFL internet-based test: 92 , Note: TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted. MyBestScore is also not accepted.Germany: Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife, mathematics, written or oral examination, at least 3 hours during the Orientation CycleUK: GCE A-Levels: mathematics A-level or AS-level at grade A, B or CUSA GPA: VU does not state a fixed GPA for Law in Society; use around 3.0/4.0 or higher as a safer indicative estimate, with strong AP resultsChina: Senior middle school graduation certificate (Gaozhong), a high Gaokao score and at least 1 year of credits in academic education obtained at an internationally recognised universityIndia: (CBSE) with A1, A2 or B1 grades in 5 academic subjects, (CISCE) with at least 5 academic subjects and a minimum grade of 75% for each subjectA Level: Minimum 3 full GCE A Levels in accepted academic subjects, normally with grades A*–C / A–C; AS Levels, BTECs, and EPQ do not replace full A LevelsIB: Full IB Diploma required; no fixed points stated by VU, but use 24–30 points overall as a safer indicative range, with any IB Mathematics subject accepted.Legal advisorPublic policy analystGovernment affairs officerCompliance officerCorporate legal assistantRegulatory affairs specialistLegal researcherPublic administration officerInternational relation
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