Overview

Advance your expertise with specialized courses on climate law, environmental technologies, biodiversity protection, environmental litigation, and (EU) markets. The curriculum blends rigorous legal training with interdisciplinary insight, integrating economics, public governance, technology and natural sciences so you graduate equipped to assess real-world solutions to complex environmental problems.

• You will be taught by top international professors in their field, renowned for their interdisciplinary expertise and ability to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries.
• Because this program is part of the LLM Interational and European Law, you will always look at issues from an interdisciplinary and international angle.
• The program focuses on three relationships, shaped by law:
  • Between (global and EU) markets and the environment
  • Between technologies and the environment
  • Between human rights and justice and the environment
• This program emphasizes climate justice, redistribution of knowledge and wealth, and access to justice for citizens. Training you to translate legal expertise into tangible social impact.
• The track features a distinctive year round thesis trajectory: over the course of the year you will develop a research problem into a viable, original LLM thesis under supervision from an expert faculty member.

Career prospects

Environmental law profoundly affects and shapes business, contract, investment, property, trade and human rights law, making graduates highly sought after across sectors. Career paths include advising on environmental due diligence for banks and investors, shaping compliance in global supply chains, litigating environmental human-rights and public-interest cases, or working on policy and projects for e.g. climate adaptation, water or air quality, or ecosystem restoration.

• Environmental lawyer (private practice or in-house) advising on compliance, permitting, and litigation
• Regulatory/compliance officer for banks, insurers, or corporations
• Policy advisor or legal counsel in government or environmental tech companies
• International environmental law specialist at intergovernmental organizations, such as the European Union, United Nations or United Nations Environmental Programme
• Corporate sustainability & legal manager
• Environmental impact assessor or legal adviser for infrastructure and energy projects
• Nature conservation lawyer working on rewilding, protected areas or species protection for example
• Climate litigation strategist and researcher
• Human-rights and environmental justice advocate
• Researcher in environmental law and policy at universities or think tanks

Accreditation

#35 in Law worldwide, #4 in the Netherlands (Times Higher Education Ranking, 2026)

#5 in Law in the Netherlands (QS World University Ranking by subject, 2026)