2025-2027 European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE), Erasmus+

Students can choose to follow one of three different tracks in the EMLE programme: the ‘Economic Analysis of Markets, Corporations & Regulators track’ (MCR), the ‘Economic Analysis of Public & International Law track’ (Public), and the ‘Economic Analysis of Innovation and Intellectual Property track’ (IP). While in the first term the courses are the same across all tracks and universities, specialization starts in the second term with two specialized courses per track and three courses that will be the same across the different tracks and university partners. The third term finalizes the chosen specialization with two courses that are unique to the chosen track and university, and the final thesis written under supervision of a professor from the third term University. Below you can find more information about the courses of each of the tracks. For a visual overview of the structure, please click here.

Students are not obliged to follow a track but will earn a recognizing certificate if they do so. If students decide not to follow a track, they may choose the universities to study at freely, always based on availability of spots per university. In this, however, they need to follow the general mobility rules of the programme: all students need to study at least at two different European universities. Therefore, students who wish to study at either Haifa or Mumbai, our two non-European partners, will have to choose two other European partners to spend their EMLE year. It is therefore not possible to study both at Haifa and Mumbai during the year, and likewise, it is both not possible to spend the first term in Haifa followed by two terms in Hamburg, or also spending the two first terms at the same European partner (e.g. Rotterdam or Hamburg) to go to Mumbai in the third term.

Advantages

The EMLE programme not only provides a rare opportunity for students to synthesize and improve upon their knowledge of law and economics, but it also blends academic excellence with a high level of internationality.

In addition, the EMLE structure allows for idea exchange and networking between students and scholars, lawyers, economists and businesspeople.

The programme covers one academic year, and its Master’s level curriculum is not only documented through the use of a constitutive method (economic analysis) on a particular subject (law) but by the fact that this economic analysis is based on a continuous legal comparison.

The functional approach of the economic analysis of law is well suited to compare different solutions to problems, which are in their essence identical. Since differences between national laws have been at the core of European policy making, the EMLE Master’s course offers unique value concerning the EU’s central ambitions.

Academic Excellence

The European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE) programme provides a level of academic excellence recognized by Erasmus Mundus as well as additional academic experts. The programme has recruited distinguished scholars from across Europe and the rest of the world to share their knowledge and instruct the next generation of lawyers, economists, and policy makers.

Accredited by numerous institutions in Europe, the programme also provides a supreme level of internationality in its professors, universities and its students.

Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus

The highest ranked students will be offered an Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) Scholarship by the European Commission. EMJM scholarship holders will receive a monthly contribution of maximal 1400 Euro to cover all costs related to travel, visa, installment and subsistence costs for the duration that students will be on the programme (depending on the date of return to the home country). Please note that monthly contributions will not be paid if scholarshipholders do not adhere to the basic mobility rules of the programme. Besides payments from the European Commission, the EMLE consortium will provide all EMLE students with insurance coverage over the whole period of the EMLE academic year.

For the academic years 2022/2023 up to 2027/2028, the programme may award 60 full scholarships (approximately 10 per academic year). Scholarships will be awarded based on merit, established by the ranking of all applicants who submitted their application complete and within the deadline. There is no distinction between applicants from EU or non-EU countries, though overall there is a maximum number of scholarships awarded to the same nationalities. In addition, the programme may award 30 scholarships for Erasmus+ Programme targeted regions of the world (approximately 5 per academic year). Therefore, in total, the programme may award up to 15 full scholarships annually. For the remaining duration of the funding period (2025-2026 until 2027-2028, we are especially (but not exclusively) looking for excellent students from the Sub-Saharan Africa-region and the Western Balkans (Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kosovo).

We also may offer financial support for students with special needs (e.g. pre-existing medical, physical, psychological impairments) from funds of the European Commission. Students interested in this opportunity must come up with a detailed overview of the needed support and envisioned costs.

If you are interested in applying for the scholarship and have not received an EMJM scholarship from the EMLE or any other EMJM-programmes before, please indicate your interest in our application form by ticking the relevant box.

Accreditation

The EMLE programme has been recognized by several accreditation authorities as an outstanding educational concept. In addition to Erasmus Mundus accreditation, the Dutch Flemish Accreditation Agency NVAO in 2004 accredited the EMLE programme at the Universities of Rotterdam and Ghent, while the EMLE programme at the University of Hamburg was accredited in 2005 by ZEvA, the Central Accreditation Agency of the Federal State of Lower Saxony.

Internationality

As the world becomes more integrated, it is of great significance that our future leaders experience the world on a larger scale. The EMLE programme provides this through its multi-dimensional approach to internationality.

• First, the opportunity to study and live in foreign countries and encounter different cultures is an educational challenge, which cannot be taught in a classroom.
• Second, our scholars and lecturers have divers backgrounds regarding nationality, professions, and life experiences. Many of them are also former EMLE students.
• Finally and perhaps most importantly, our students are also a very international group. On average per academic year, our students come from 30 different nationalities, which creates a global working atmosphere while providing constant opportunities to improve social skills and cultural competences. 

Structure

The master level of the programme is documented through the use of a constitutive method (economic analysis) on a particular subject (law) combined with the fact that this economic analysis is based on a continuous legal comparison.

The programme duration is one academic year, consisting of three terms; the first term comprises introductory courses as well as core courses on the major topics in the economic analysis of law, although the composition and structure of the materials used in the courses vary slightly. In the second term students take specialized courses, within the specialization of their chosen track. In the third term further specialized courses are offered and students will write their master’s thesis.

The programme is steered by the EMLE Management Board, which supervises the management and handles decision-making on key matters.

Duration

The programme covers one academic year, for which successful students will receive 60 ECTS.

The academic year (1 October – 30 September) is divided into three terms. The first term starts in the first week of October, and lasts until the end of December. The second term lasts from January until the end of March. The third term starts in the first week of April and the last classes are generally in June. The thesis deadline is in mid-August each year. The unique international and interdisciplinary character of the EMLE Programme is secured through an intensive co-operation between no less than eight European Universities and two non-European partners.

Students may study at up to three different universities but cannot spend all terms at the same location. In the first two terms students can choose among three teaching centres. This leads to an average class size of up to 35 students, given a maximum of 105 admitted students in the entire program. In the last term students have the choice of seven different locations.

Terms & Courses

The first term courses and most of the second term courses are introductory courses as well as core courses on the major topics in the economic analysis of law. In the third term, students take specialized courses and write their master thesis.

The program includes three kinds of courses:

• Economics Courses: In order to make law students more familiar with basic economic reasoning, some courses are more economics-oriented.
• Comparative Law Courses: Some courses deal with comparative law in order to internationalise the legal background of the students. Please note that all references to law in all courses will be of a comparative kind, due to the all-European character of the programme and the international composition of the student body.
• Law and Economics Courses: Most courses deal directly with the economic analysis of the most important branches of private, public, international and European law. The students will be confronted with examples of their native and foreign systems.

The EMLE is a full time programme and we discourage taking a side job, since you have to be available for classes during the week. Class attendance is obligatory (apart from the introduction to law and to micro lectures), except in case of absence for documented medical reasons, mutually agreed absences or other exceptional circumstances.

All courses are taught in English. The thesis has to be written in either English or the third term local language, provided that the latter is not the student’s mother tongue.

Multiple Degrees/Joint Degree

One of the key features is that the students who participate in the EMLE programme will receive an official degree from every partner university where they have spent a term. This means that students will receive double or even triple degrees, depending on their allocation.

Students will receive a joint degree issued by the universities of Barcelona, Ghent, Hamburg and Rotterdam.