Philosophy of Law, Governance and Politics (MA)
This master’s programme introduces the student to philosophical issues arising at the intersection of law, politics, and policy. This master’s programme is meant for students who wish to combine a master’s in Law, Political Science, Public Administration, or an adjacent discipline with a master’s in Philosophy Law, Governance, and Politics. Only students with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Administration, or an adjacent discipline (or an equivalent degree) are admissible.
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Why study Philosophy of Law, Governance, and Politics at Leiden University?
Leiden University is home to an internationally ranked Law School as well as excellent institutes for Political Science and Public Administration. Combined with the Institute of Philosophy, these institutions form the perfect setting for the study of issues on the intersection of law, politics, and public policy. In this programme students will learn about the philosophical, methodological, systematic, and normative questions that come up in the study of law, politics, and policy. Questions such as the authority of the state and its laws, democratic representation, or the implementation of political ideals in a non-ideal world are included in the courses. The combination of these courses with graduate work in law, politics, or public policy, is inspiring and thought-provoking.
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What are your career prospects?
Successful completion of the master’s programme can lead to PhD research and an academic career, or in the public, private or non-profit sectors. 75% of our students choose to enter a PhD programme after their studies, primarily in the Netherlands, the UK, the US, Germany or France. The remaining 25% already have a job when they joined the programme and were seeking to enhance their performance.
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Is Philosophy of Law, Governance, and Politics the programme for you?
You should have a background in legal or social sciences and a strong interest in more abstract and theoretical questions that come up in studying law, policy, or politics. A love for reading both classical and modern texts on these subjects, and discussing these intensively with your fellow students, is essential. If, moreover, you are ambitious and not averse to hard intellectual work, you have what it takes to complete this programme successfully.
Do you want to find out if you are eligible for this Master's programme?