LLM in European Criminal Justice in a Global Context
Utrecht, Netherlands
LLM
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 20,605 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for Non-EU/EEA students (institutional fee) | Dutch and other EU/EEA students (statutory fee, full-time) 2025-2026: € 2.601
Key Summary
This LLM in European Criminal Justice in a Global Context offers you:
- an advanced academic teaching curriculum, linking national criminal justice systems to EU criminal law, EU constitutional law, EU administrative law and international law;
- an active international community of staff and students;
- both research-focused and skills-based learning activities, including academic writing, negotiations, moot courts, blogging and knowledge clips, to prepare you for today's dynamic job market;
- a full range of possibilities to develop your own profile via elective modules (‘capita selecta’) and individual thesis supervision by our staff throughout the year;
- a direct contact to legal practice, via excursions to EU institutions and agencies, guest lectures from practitioners, and the extensive networks of our teaching staff;
- great job opportunities at the national, European and international level.
Integrated criminal justice: opportunities and challenge
Digitalisation, internationalisation, and European integration pose challenges to criminal justice in all European countries. EU law and criminal law have entered into a dynamic interaction, which is redefining their very foundations, principles and concepts. Practice shows that there is an ever increasing need for practitioners and academics that properly understand these challenges and are able to transform them into opportunities for a fairer and more efficient legal system. Thorough knowledge of the EU dimension of criminal law has turned into an asset for any professional career in criminal justice. Our alumni are not only working at key European institutions – such as the EU Commission, the European enforcement agencies (the European Public Prosecutor's Office, Eurojust, the anti-fraud office OLAF), or the European judiciary – but also at the national level, such as for national prosecution services, the police, courts, law firms and government agencies, all over Europe.
Content of the programme
- the constitutional foundations of criminal justice in a Europeanized setting, including the fundamental rights dimension and the harmonisation of defence and victims’ rights and safeguards across EU Member States;
- the impact of EU law on domestic criminal justice, as well as its relationships with administrative law enforcement in areas such as anti-money laundering or financial fraud;
- European and international enforcement cooperation and exchange of information, including the European Arrest Warrant, European Investigation Order, and European Production Order;
- the relationship between national criminal justice and EU authorities such as Eurojust, OLAF, the EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA, to be established) or the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO);
- the role of the EU and its Member States as global actors in criminal justice in areas such as the fight against terrorism or war crimes.
Participating in this program at Utrecht University is an opportunity to:
- gain profound knowledge of EU criminal law and its interaction with national criminal justice systems and the international legal order;
- develop a solid understanding of the EU Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, as well as its founding principles and concepts;
- learn how to apply those principles and concepts in criminal cases, also purely national criminal cases;
- evaluate the impact of EU policies and legal instruments to combat transnational crimes, also in light of their fundamental rights dimension;
- learn to navigate in the complex web of judicial cooperation in criminal matters;
- prepare for legal practice at the national, European or international level, by developing your oral and written communication skills and your ability to give and receive feedback;
- develop a critical and reflective stance on pressing societal topics.
Your pathway to a first-class legal career
There is a growing demand, both in the governmental and wider public sector as well as private practice, for talented law graduates who are capable of looking beyond the boundaries of national criminal law and policy. The unique knowledge and skillset developed through the LLM in European Criminal Justice in a Global Context allows graduates to work in diverse and wide-ranging areas of law and administration. You could find yourself working in legal practice at a national or European level, or in a wider international context. Whether you intend to work within national legal practice, or perhaps the EU or further afield, the LLM in European Criminal Justice in a Global Context provides an excellent springboard for a successful legal career.
Our alumni have found positions at:
- EU institutions and agencies (including the European Commission, OLAF, Eurojust, the EPPO, and the EU Council);
- Council of Europe institutions (European Court of Human Rights);
- National judicial bodies;
- National prosecution services;
- Internationally, as well as nationally oriented law firms,
- National police services.
Compulsory Courses
- The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
- Transnational Criminal Law Enforcement: Cooperation in Criminal Matters between the EU Member States
- Enforcement of EU Law
- The EU and International Criminal Justice
- Capita Selecta European Criminal Justice: Research Proposal
- Research and Thesis Trajectory European Criminal Justice in a Global Context
Elective Modules
The elective modules (Capita Selecta) comprise short modules of three weeks each (worth 2.5 EC), focussing on topical issues of European criminal justice. Students choose five modules out of a broader range of topics on the basis of their own preferences. The modules are designed to help you master a specific topical issue quickly (a key competency of any good lawyer) and allow you to develop your own personal profile.
The topics of these models vary from year to year, depending on current developments and the research of our staff.