Master of Laws (Adv.) – (LL.M.)

The programme was launched in 1990, modelled on the programmes law schools in the USA. The Leuven LL.M. continues the tradition of enabling you to study alongside the international body of students who come to Leuven via Erasmus and other exchange agreements, thus expanding the international exposure which the LL.M. group already offers you. However, the LL.M. also offers you an increasing amount of courses, tutorials and clinics which are exclusively organised for the small group of LL.M. students.

There is evidently no hiding the fact that an important part of our focus lies with European law. Anything else would be foolish, as Leuven lies in the shadows of the EU institutions and can tap into a large network of professionals with daily exposure to, or activities in, the European institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Council or the Court of Justice of the European Union. Indeed, we are proud that the first permanent President of the European Council, Mr Herman Van Rompuy, is an alumnus of our Faculty of Law.

Applicants have obtained a law degree. They can think critically about the nature and purpose of rules, they have the analytical skills needed to assess factual situations and have a general understanding of the operation of law in society. Students are expected to show an interest in being taught in an international environment, and to engage in guided self-study and research.

Admitted students choose two of the following options: European Economic Law, European Financial Law, European Human Rights, and the EU in International Relations. The organisation of intensive seminars (called ‘clinics’), led by top experts in their field, is the latest enhancement of your exclusive research and teaching experience. These seminars will crown your know-how in your chosen fields of specialisation, and will allow you to conduct high level discussions on these issues in a small group of fellow LL.M. students. These seminars, as well as other tutorials, will also offer you a platform to meet practitioners and experts in your specialisation.

The faculty has an established tradition of receiving various visiting professors from all over Europe and other parts of the world, among others through our Global Law School programme. Their courses provide students with a unique opportunity to obtain first-hand knowledge of other legal systems by leading specialists.

The Faculty of Law also has a European, international and comparative orientation in its research activities. Its staff members have a tradition of publishing authoritative articles in various languages in a number of European and international law journals.

Optional focus on EU-China relations

The InBev Bailet-Latour Chair 'European Union-China', under the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies of K.U.Leuven stimulates interdisciplinary research and education in the field of EU-China relations. These three courses are taught in different faculties (Law, Social Sciences and Economics) but they all belong to the category of elective courses of the LLM programme. They consist of a series of lectures from European and Chinese academics, on both private and public legal aspects of the issues discussed.

Excursions

Every year, visits to the most important European and international institutions are organised for our students: the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. All of the visits take place during the academic year before the Easter holidays, and do not involve any extra cost for LLM students.

Masters of Laws from Leuven are active in a wide variety of European and International institutions and other governmental bodies, companies and last but not least (often international) law firms.