International Justice (BA Major of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges)

Home to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, The Hague is the perfect backdrop to explore conceptions of justice in our global society. Questions of human rights, peace, security and the environment present legal and policy challenges for governmental and non-governmental actors, international institutions, and civil society that extend beyond national borders and single disciplines.

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Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges (BA/BSc)

The Major BA International Justice is part of the Bachelor's programme Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges at Leiden University College in The Hague. Students choose a Major at the end of their first year and their focus is largely on their Major in the second and third year of their studies.

Joris Larik

Major Convener International Justice

''In the International Justice Major students learn to look beyond the “law in the books” by placing it in a wider social, political, and economic context, and analysing how they deliver results in practice.''

Frenkchris Sinay

International Justice Alumn

''The most rewarding part of following the International Justice major has been being taught about law and politics by lecturers who are renowned to be specialists in their respective fields. Visiting their current or previous jobs at international courts or international organisations has clearly added a new dimension to the way I approach my coursework.''

“The most rewarding part of following the International Justice major has been being taught about law and politics by lecturers who are renowned to be specialists in their respective fields. Visiting their current or previous jobs at international courts or international organisations has clearly added a new dimension to the way I approach my coursework. I also had a great opportunity to assist in a project through a research clinic, which was conducted for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.”

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The International Justice Major

The International Justice (IJ) Major at Leiden University College The Hague It explores challenges to justice and the rule of law in a globalizing and pluralistic society. These include the realization of human rights, climate justice, ending impunity for war crimes and economic and political integration. While international law and institutions serve as the starting point for many key issues, the International Justice Major focusses also on national and regional legal orders as well as relevant transnational and local norms and actors. Moreover, the Major analyzes how norms, laws and institutions operate in practice through comparative and interdisciplinary approaches that combine legal research with socio-legal and other approaches from the social sciences.

In this major, we examine questions such as....

Why are the commitments of the Paris Climate Accord not being implemented?
How can a society transition out of protracted conflict and move towards sustainable peace?
Who is liable if a fully autonomous weapon (e.g. a drone) commits a mass atrocity?

Core tracks of the International Justice major

What does the future hold?

Due to the broad nature of the Liberal Arts & Sciences degree and the strong interdisciplinary skills developed in the programme, graduates are in demand on the labor market. Liberal Arts & Sciences students go in many different directions after graduation. Your major is a key stepping stone in your path towards a Master's degree or future career.

For Dutch-speaking students, the major can be combined with an LLB degree at Leiden Law School in the framework of our double degree programme. You have the opportunity to complete both degrees within four years. Students who also obtain the Bachelor's in Dutch Law have civiel effect and can choose to pursue a profession in legal practice.

It is common for Liberal Arts & Sciences graduates to pursue a master's degree, to further challenge themselves and to specialize. The master's builds on knowledge gained in the major as well as the programme as a whole. Some examples of master's programmes that students with a major in International Justice pursued:

LLM in International Law @ University of Oxford, UK
JD (Global Law Scholars programme) @ Georgetown Law, USA
PhD in Law of the Sea @ Arctic University, Norway

Students who completed this major have embarked on careers in policy, advocacy, and research (e.g. at (inter-) governmental organizations, development agencies, think tanks and NGOs) as well as in legal practice. Students may also choose to complete an LLM and embark on a career in legal practice.

Human rights NGOs
International courts
Top-tier law firms

Curious?

Read more about this unique study programme on the programme website, see our upcoming events or read how to apply!