MA/MS in Law: Public International Law

Leiden's one-year Public International Law programme, taught in English, covers the body of law governing relations within the international community. Historically concerned mainly with relations between states, the field now extends to international organisations, peoples, businesses, and individuals as global society has grown more interconnected. Teaching takes place across both Leiden and The Hague, allowing the programme to draw on expertise available at institutions based in The Hague, including the International Court of Justice, along with the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, plus the international Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Students examine the fundamental doctrines of the field from both theoretical and practical angles and are encouraged to develop independent positions on the role international law plays in an increasingly complex global order. The location and institutional links give the programme a strong grounding in how international law functions in practice.