Amsterdam - Pre-Law Certificate Program

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Amsterdam [1]

Country:

The Netherlands [2]

Program credits:

15-19 per semester (3-4 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Language prerequisites:

None

If you are eager to take an independent, fresh look at the world and at yourself, let Amsterdam redefine your perspective. This progressive city is defined by its cutting-edge contributions to the arts, business, politics, and social policy, and its importance in the history of Europe and the world.

Enroll in the Pre-Law Certificate Program and take the IES Abroad co-sponsored law seminar plus two or three Universiteit van Amsterdam law-related courses. Designed for students who are interested in attending law school or simply interested in law, this program approaches law from an interdisciplinary perspective to give you a broad understanding of comparative international law. You will receive a UvA-endorsed Pre-Law certificate upon successful completion of the program.

Amsterdam will also be your classroom. With an important place in European history, the city is far from frozen in time—many forward-looking public policies originated here. Explore the city’s well-known museums, such as the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum, to find out more about this diverse culture. Welcome to study abroad!

We want you to feel at home in Amsterdam, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life here. Our goal is to give you every resource you need to make the most of living and learning in Amsterdam.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

Designed for students who are interested in continuing on to law school after graduation, this program approaches Law from an interdisciplinary perspective to give students a broad understanding of comparative international law.

In the Pre-Law Certificate Program, you enroll in the IES Abroad/Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) co-sponsored core course: Seminar on Law & Legal Practice in an International and Comparative Perspective.

In addition, you enroll in one to two Law-focused UvA courses for a total of 15-19 IES Abroad credits. Please note that UvA courses are listed in ECTS credits. 2 ECTS equals 1 IES Abroad credit. For example, a course that is worth 12 ECTS is worth 6 IES Abroad credits.

Required Core Course: LW/PO350 Seminar on Law and Legal Practice in an International and Comparative Perspective
This IES Abroad-taught seminar is an introduction to international and Dutch law, with comparisons to U.S. law, culminating in a supervised research project. The course includes visits to Dutch and international courts.

Law-Related Electives
In addition to the required core course, you will enroll in law-related course electives at the UvA to earn a total of 15 - 19 IES Abroad credits.

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

Partner Institution(s)

Universiteit van Amsterdam
www.uva.nl/en [3]
The Universiteit van Amsterdam prides itself on its wide range of multidisciplinary offerings and its strong focus on internationalization. These qualities are reflected in the large number of international and study abroad students at the Universiteit. Rooted in 17th century Amsterdam, the university is known for its rich intellectual, artistic, and commercial history, and for its contributions to contemporary scholarship, business, and politics.

The IES Abroad Pre-Law Program is part of the Undergraduate Certificate Program (UCP) in the College of Social Sciences (CSS) at the UvA.

Courses
Most students select courses within the "Conflict, Cultural Diversity and the Law" cluster. Click here [4] to see courses that may be offered during your term abroad within this cluster.

Past students have enrolled in:

    • European Union Law, An Introduction
    • Globalization and Islam: Rethinking Political Islam
    • Introduction to Argumentation Theory
    • Introduction to Conflict and Peace Studies
    • Introduction to European Integration
    • Introduction to Islamic Law
    • Islam and Modernity
    • Public International Law
    • Race, Culture, and Religion: Myth of Dutch Tolerance?
    • Regulating Cultural and Religious Diversity in the Netherlands: Institutions, Ideas and Policies
    • Seminar on Conflict and Negotiation
    • Violence in Peace and War: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

A final list of UvA courses will become available closer to the start of the term. You may also enroll in the IES Abroad Dutch Language and Culture course.

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Amsterdam, it will feel like home.

Apartment
Live in a spacious studio apartment that has its own kitchenette and bathroom. Most rooms are shared, but there are some single rooms available for an additional fee. Local Resident Assistants live in the apartments to provide assistance with our housing. Meals are not included. Most students cook meals in their apartments or eat in student canteens and restaurants.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Amsterdam is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is the orientation program that makes you feel prepared, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The program begins with an orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Amsterdam staff, your fellow students, and the city of Amsterdam. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during this time.

Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.

A field trip is also organized to introduce you to other parts of the Netherlands and to Dutch pastimes. Past trips have included an excursion to the Zaanse Schans and Utrecht.

In the first few weeks of the program, you participate in a volunteer activity that creates a sense of community with your fellow students, offers you deeper insight into life in Amsterdam, and gives you a point of contact if you’d like to continue participating in volunteer projects throughout the semester.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Redefine the way you live and learn in Amsterdam through cultural events, such as:

Seeing the windmills in the Zaanse Schans
Going to a cheese market
Touring Keukenhof: Tulip Garden
Visiting the National Park’t Hoge Veluwe
Bicycling to Volendam and Marken
Exploring the Medieval Castle Muiderslot and the Isle of Pampus

Field Trips

Although your adventure begins in Amsterdam, our field trips take you to other great cities in the Netherlands to provide contrast and content for what you are learning in Amsterdam. You share a portion of the cost with IES Abroad. Past destinations are listed below.

Island of Texel
2 Days| Fall
Tour the island by bike, visit a seal rescue center, and take a trip on a shrimp boat.

Maastricht
2 Days | Spring
Tour the city, explore the famous caves of Limburg, and take a country walk in the beautiful hilly countryside.

Rotterdam
1 Day | Fall & Spring
Take a guided walking tour and visit the famous cubic houses.

Center

IES Abroad Amsterdam [5]

The IES Abroad Amsterdam Center is housed in a university building within a short walking distance from Dam Square.

Near the Center, you have access to:

Libraries and computer rooms
Student lounges
Restaurants and canteens
Student clubs and sports teams

Center staff:

Chantal Omloo
IES Abroad Director
Chantal Omloo earned an M.A. in History of International Relations at the University of Utrecht and an MSc in Development Studies at the School for Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Her academic focus was centred on economic development in Sub Saharan Africa and she has published a number of articles in this field. Prior to joining IES Abroad in 2001, Chantal worked for Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), a NGO based in the United Kingdom. Chantal managed customized programs out of the IES Abroad London Center before moving back to her native Netherlands to take up the IES Abroad Amsterdam Center Director’s position.

IES Abroad Staff
Anabelle Goulette
Student Affairs and Office Coordinator

Diana Kaekebeke
Academic and Student Affairs Coordinator

Faculty
Depending on your program, you will be taught by faculty from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, IES Abroad, or the Universiteit van Amsterdam.

Cost