Last year when I was deciding which program to apply for at
Utrecht University, I was full of expectations and indecision. The LL.M Human
Rights and Criminal Justice caught my eye right away and I was impressed by the
overall description on the university website. Of course, choosing a Masters is
no easy task. I valued the chance to study an intensive international law
program, but other factors played on my mind. Not having a Law bachelor, financial
costs and which track to choose, to name a few. After I read and
re-read the website, I sought advice from program alumni and after receiving a
place in the program, I contacted the administration to learn how best to
prepare.
As usual, it doesn’t matter how well you prepare for
something, there will always be a few surprises. Now that I am halfway through
the program (and have a week off to relax/think), I look back and see all of
the expectations I brought with me, whether about living in Utrecht, choosing
Utrecht University or deciding on my current Master’s program.
Since hindsight is often the clearest sight of all, here is
my take on what has been most enjoyable and what has been more difficult than
expected. Of course, this is only my experience. Everyone comes to the program
with their own expectations and leaves with their own impressions. Different
internships, courses and tracks mean we all experience studying at UU a little
differently.
Expectation #1:
Utrecht is an amazing city for international students.
Reality: This
expectation and reality are without doubt the same. For my Master’s degree, I
was determined to live in a great city (Utrecht preferably) and then find the
right program. I fell in love with Utrecht the first time I came to live here
on Erasmus and the second time has not disappointed. Utrecht is an excellent
city for international students. It’s beautiful, attracts students from all
over the world, and offers plenty of cultural events and activities.
Expectation #2: Doing
a Law Master's is a crazy thing to do if you have a non-law background.
Reality: This was
my biggest fear when deciding to do this Master’s program. I was concerned that I would fall behind or
be unable to do the work required. Fortunately, I’ve found that the skills I
learned in my undergraduate degree are very useful in the program. I am able to
keep up with the work, handle the long readings and successfully do legal
research. If you’re interested in the subject but don’t have a legal
background, I would say don’t be afraid to apply. Just be prepared for a steep
learning curve and some hard work.
Expectation #3: You
are in complete control of your own grades.
Reality: I have
always been used to being completely independent in my work and the mentality
that if you work hard you will succeed. This is still true at UU, but there is
a very big element of group work in the program, which means you are not always
able to fully control the outcome. The upside is that you develop your teamwork
skills and get used to the dynamics of working in a group.
Expectation #4: It is
very difficult to achieve high grades.
Reality: The
introduction to the program left us with the impression that very high grades
are near-impossible with the repeated phrase ‘9 is for the teacher and 10 is
for God’. While it is certainly difficult to get a 9 in your work, and an 8 is
a very high grade, it is not impossible to excel. Somehow, knowing it is at
least possible makes working for the top grade a little bit easier.
Expectation #5: The
people in your program will become your closest friends.
Reality: This is
certainly true in a lot of cases because you spend a lot of time together in a
small program, but is not the only way to make friends. Even if you don’t find
your closest friend in your program, the huge number of students living in
Utrecht means you can meet friends in unlikely places and there is always an
event to attend. Every student experiences homesickness or loneliness at one
point or another, but here there are a lot of ways to meet people, get out of
the house and get over international blues.
Expectation #6: Studying
as an international student you will meet people from all over the world.
Reality: This was
one of the reasons I wanted to study abroad and I am happy to say it is true.
My program consists of people from all different backgrounds, and at Utrecht
University there are international students from all over the world. Studying
international law, it is hard to miss the hub of international students and
professionals working in the Netherlands.
Expectation #7: The
program will require dedication and hard work.
Reality: With big
deadlines and lots of reading, this is true. The university doesn’t hand out
Master’s degrees for free. Be prepared to work and learn a lot in a short
amount of time. The good news is that if you’re willing to put in the effort, the
classes are very interesting and it is very rewarding work.
Expectation #8: There
will be barely any holidays.
Reality: At
first, the year looks a little daunting. The four blocks amount to a much
longer academic year than I am used to, but in fact there are a few (well-deserved)
breaks between the blocks and on public holidays. Although the first two blocks
have no break, it gets much easier in the second half.
Expectation #9: The
Master’s brings a lot of opportunity.
Reality: I
intended to get some work experience from the program and have been given every
opportunity to do so. The majority of people in my program are currently doing
an internship or externship. While I am working for the Netherlands Institute
of Human Rights as part of the clinic program, my colleagues are doing
internships at the ICTY, the ICC and Amnesty International. There is no
shortage of opportunities and the internships range from six months to one
year.
Expectation #10: No
matter which direction you choose to go in, you will not regret choosing this
program or studying at Utrecht University.
Reality: This one
is simple. Even though I’m not sure which direction I will take after I am finished
the program, I am glad I chose to study at UU and followed this LL.M.
So there you have it. A few bumps along the way and a few
lessons learned, but overall it’s impossible to have any regrets about the
choice I made last February when looking at the long list of Master’s offered
by the university.
My best advice for choosing the right program is to follow
what you find interesting, make realistic choices based on your expectations of
the program, and don’t be afraid to study abroad. There is certainly no lack of
options at UU. I was accepted into three very different Master’s programs at
the university (hence the early indecision), but looking back now it’s hard to
imagine that I could have ended up anywhere else.
Until
the next time/Tot de volgende keer!
Erin
