LLM in Energy and Climate Law
Groningen, Netherlands
LLM
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 May 2027*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
EUR 22,000 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Dutch, EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students
** non-EU/EEA | EU/EEA: € 2695
Key Summary
About: The LLM in Energy and Climate Law at The University of Groningen covers legal frameworks shaping energy markets, climate law, and emerging technologies. It examines EU law's influence, compares jurisdictions, and addresses liberalization, market-based instruments, decarbonization, digitalization, and legal dilemmas from these technologies. Research-active faculty and Centers of Expertise give current legal and regulatory insights.
Career Outcomes: Graduates move into roles in energy and environmental law, regulatory affairs, policy advising, compliance, in-house counsel, NGOs, academia; they work on renewable projects, carbon markets, grid liberalization, climate policy, and cross-border regulation. Career opportunities include energy lawyer, climate policy advisor, regulatory specialist.
Today, the energy sector is changing as a result of climate change concerns, technological innovation, and digitalisation.
Our specialised LLM in Energy and Climate Law presents the main legal principles of energy markets, clarifies the impact of new technologies on energy law, and explains how climate law affects the energy sector. The EU is often used as an example in comparison with other jurisdictions around the globe. Some of the questions this program examines will include:
- How does EU law influence national laws in relation to energy and climate change?
- How does the EU compare to other jurisdictions in regulating energy and climate change?
- What are the consequences of liberalisation for the energy sector?
- What is the impact of market-based instruments on climate action?
- Which legal dilemmas result from new energy and climate technologies?
- How should energy producers and consumers become climate-neutral?
Research
The Faculty of Law conducts research in very many fields of law.
Almost all teaching staff have an appointment to both teach and do research. The Faculty's research is organised into several research programs. In addition to this, the Faculty houses several Centres of Expertise.
All Faculty researchers are linked to or more of these programs and/or centres and as a result, students will always hear the latest information with regard to academic research done in the area of their LLM.
Year 1
The program covers both energy law and climate law, plus related fields like environmental law and economics of regulation. In the seminar, you will be improving your (research) skills while working on topical issues in the field of energy and climate law.
Courses
- Economics of Regulation (6 EC)
- Energy Law and Policy (6 EC)
- Seminar in Energy and Climate Law (6 EC)
- Climate Law (6 EC)
- Energy Market Law (6 EC)
- European Environmental Law in a Global Context (6 EC, optional)
- International Environmental Law (6 EC, optional)
- Law in Practice (6 EC)
- Master's thesis (12 EC)
- Energy Investment and Trade Law (6 EC)
Study abroad
- Study abroad is optional
All master's students can go for a semester abroad, albeit extracurricularly.
Job prospects
The Faculty conducts an alumni survey regularly, in which we check where the alumni of our programs are currently working.
The Energy and Climate Law program is taught in the middle of the 'Energy Valley' of the Netherlands, an award-winning European Hydrogen Valley, which gives ample opportunity for students to learn from leading experts who both work in the energy law sector and teach in our program.
This program also offers a dual degree with the Law School of The George Washington University in the United States of America.