Program Overview

Introduction to the Master's Law & Finance Programme

The Master's Law & Finance programme at the University of Amsterdam aims to raise the bar for what may be expected of legal and financial professionals. This programme combines courses on financial law and corporate law and regulation, taught from a combined legal-financial perspective. The integration of law and finance encourages innovative thinking and provides a unique legal-financial viewpoint, while encouraging students to think and practice in a thoroughly interdisciplinary manner.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured into two semesters, each with multiple blocks of classes and exams. The courses include:

• Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 EC)
• Business Organisations and Corporate Finance Law (6 EC)
• Financial Economics and Quantitative Methods (3 EC)
• Foundations of Finance and Corporate Governance (6 EC)
• Securities and Markets Regulation (6 EC)
• Insolvency Law and Corporate Finance (3 EC)
• Institutional Aspects of EU Financial and Monetary Law and Regulation (3 EC)
• Finance: Capital Structure and Corporate Reorganisation (6 EC)
• Prudential Regulation of Banks and Shadow Banks (6 EC)
• Financial Contracting (6 EC)
• Master's thesis (12 EC in total)

Semester 1

• Block 1 (8 weeks):
  • Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 EC)
  • Business Organisations and Corporate Finance Law (6 EC)
  • Financial Economics and Quantitative Methods (3 EC)
  • Introductory phase of the LLM thesis programme
• Block 2 (8 weeks):
  • Foundations of Finance and Corporate Governance (6 EC)
  • Securities and Markets Regulation (6 EC)
  • Introductory phase of the LLM thesis programme
• Block 3 (4 weeks):
  • Insolvency Law and Corporate Finance (3 EC)
  • Institutional Aspects of EU Financial and Monetary Law and Regulation (3 EC)

Semester 2

• Block 4 (8 weeks):
  • Finance: Capital Structure and Corporate Reorganisation (6 EC)
  • Prudential Regulation of Banks and Shadow Banks (6 EC)
• Block 5 (8 weeks):
  • Financial Contracting (6 EC)
• Block 6 (4 weeks):
  • Master's thesis (continuation and completion) (12 EC in total)

Unique Features of the Programme

The programme is unique worldwide because it is offered by two faculties and provides truly interdisciplinary education at the intersection between law, economics, and finance. The main goal is to educate students in both fields of law and finance. The programme has its own student association, ALFA, the Amsterdam Law and Finance Association.

Academic Year

The academic year at the University of Amsterdam is divided into two semesters, each with three blocks of classes and exams. Most courses are offered once a year. The education days and holidays can be found in the academic calendar.

Student Testimonial

"The programme's challenging curriculum, combining law and finance, sets this Master's programme apart from other programmes. It gives me a unique position and clear advantage on the job market." - Jorrit Posthuma de Boer, Netherlands, Master's student Law & Finance

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes this Master's unique?
  • The Amsterdam Law School and the Amsterdam Business School joined forces to offer a challenging curriculum. It's unique worldwide because it is offered by two faculties and provides truly interdisciplinary education at the intersection between law, economics, and finance.
• What does an academic year at the UvA look like?
  • The academic year at the UvA is divided into two semesters, each with three blocks of classes and exams. Most courses are offered once a year. Check the academic calendar.