Joint Nordic Master Programme in Environmental Law

The Joint Nordic Master Programme in Environmental Law (NOMPEL) gives you a competitive degree in environmental law. The programme provides knowledge in environmental law at three levels: internationally, within the EU and in the different Nordic countries.

The goal is to create good conditions for those who are interested in legal work in the field of environment, nationally or internationally, but also for those who wish to study for a PhD in environmental law.

You will study in three Nordic countries: first at Uppsala University in Sweden, then at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu, and finally at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. This gives you international experience within and alongside the education. Each university has its own cultural and social environment. The programme provides a financial contribution to travels between universities.

The programme gives you basic theoretical and methodological knowledge in environmental law. You acquire special legal knowledge and skills within two key environmental fields: management of natural resources and the protection of biodiversity, and climate change and energy transition.

Key information

Level of degree: Master's degree
Programme duration: 2 years / 120 ECTS credits
Language of instruction: English
Programme start: Autumn 2021
Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee; non-EU/EEA nationals. Uppsala University: SEK 50 000/autumn semester 2021. UEF: EUR 4000/spring semester 2022. UiT: no tuition fee.
Study campus: Uppsala (Sweden), Joensuu (Finland) and Tromso (Norway)

The Master's degree programme is administrated through the Uppsala University. All the important information related to the admission can be found at the website of the Uppsala university.

Partners

We can offer an exciting and challenging master programme in environmental law, where you will have the best expertise of three different Nordic universities. At the same time you will get to know Nordic culture and society.

Seita Romppanen

Senior Lecturer

Studies

Three phases

The NOMPEL programme gives the students basic theoretical and methodological knowledge in
environmental law.

NOMPEL includes three main phases in accordance with a progression in learning outcomes.

First Phase
The first phase entails a broad introductory course, basically a discussion on the Role of Law in Environmental Policies (Uppsala). The student will learn the functions and potentials of different environmental legal instruments and principles, as well as how legislation and legal principles can counteract implementation of environmental objectives and green growth. The student will also learn how international and EU environmental law interact with national law and the basic structures and challenges in environmental law, in all Nordic states.

Second Phase
Building upon a general understanding of environmental law (i.e. the influence of international and EU law and the basic legal similarities and differences between the Nordic states), the second phase (end of the first and the entire second and third semesters) provides the student with a specialisation in two environmental legal areas: effective management of natural resources, including the protection of biodiversity and climate change and energy law. Both are of fundamental importance from an international, EU and Nordic perspective.

Third Phase
With specific competencies in biodiversity law and climate and energy law, the student shall produce a thesis in either of the two legal fields; but with a specific thesis topic demanding their own empirical research and analysis, covering, inter alia, the Nordic perspective. The student is continuously supported by a supervisor from any of the three universities. Seminars, during the course, advise the student in legal methodology, structuring and writing skills (as a follow-up to the introductory course). Students receive feedback on draft papers, presented in seminars, in the middle of the semester. The final thesis is subject to opposition, during seminars, at the end of the course and is evaluated and graded by a professor other than the students supervisor. The final seminars also include a summing up of the entire Masters Programme.

Degrees

Students who have successfully completed the programme will be awarded a joint degree (120 credits), named:

Master of Legal Science (Uppsala University)
Master of International and Comparative Law (University of Eastern Finland)
Master of Laws (UiT The Arctic University of Norway)

In Finland, the MICL degree does not qualify the graduate for positions in the judiciary or to practice law (e.g. as a judge or a lawyer). These positions require a Finnish Master of Laws degree (oikeustieteen maisteri, OTM).

Students holding a Finnish Bachelor of Laws (oikeusnotaari, ON) degree from a Finnish university can be awarded the degree Master of Laws (OTM).

The Programme degree requires the completion of all Programme courses.

Language of the programme

The language of the programme is English. Students are required to complete all of the courses in English.

NOMPEL is in brief structured as follows:

First semester: Uppsala University

Introduction - The Role of Law in Environmental Policies (15 ECTS)
Law on Management of Natural Resources and Protection of Biodiversity (15 ECTS)

Second semester: University of Eastern Finland

Climate Change Law and Policy (5 ECTS)
WTO: Environment, Clean Energy and Natural Resources, Trade and Resources (5 ECTS)
International Environmental Law II (5 ECTS)
International Law and Forests (5 ECTS)
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (5 ECTS)
International Water Law (5 ECTS)

Third semester: UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Energy and Climate Change Law (15 ECTS)
Protection of the Marine Environment with Focus on Marine Living Resources Law (15 ECTS)

Fourth semester: No obligation for students to stay in Uppsala, Tromsø or Joensuu

Master thesis in Environmental Law (30 ECTS)

Students will follow the regulations and procedures of the university at which they attend courses and sit for examinations, in a given semester. They will be provided with the same academic resources and support services that are available to all students at the university.

: General instructions concerning studies at the UEF Law School can be found in Moodle and Smart Start Guide.

: University of Uppsala

Lee Holmström

lawmaster@jur.uu.se

Telephone: +46 18 471 28 56

For admissions-related or general information, please contact the applicant support team: masterprogrammes@uu.se

University of Eastern Finland

Leader of the programme

Seita Romppanen, Senior Lecturer in International, Environmental Law

email: seita.romppanen@uef.fi

office: Aurora B, room 2075 (2nd floor)

mobile: +358 50 442 3430

The Center for Climate Change, Energy & Environmental Law (CCEEL)

Administrative coordinator

Hanna Partinen

email: hanna.partinen@uef.fi

office: Aurora B, room 2061 (2nd floor)

mobile: +358 50 478 0055

Course-specific information In questions pertaining to a particular course, please contact the teacher of the course.

How to apply?

: The Master's degree programme is administrated through the Uppsala University. All the important information related to the admission can be found at the website of the Uppsala university.

Admission Requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor of Law or another equivalent university degree, corresponding to at least three years of full-time study (180 ECTS credits). The degree must be relevant to the programme and include at least 90 ECTS credits in legal science.

Language requirements

IELTS 6.5 (min. 5.5 in writing)/TOEFL pBT 580 (min. 4.5 in writing)/TOEFL iBT: 90 (min. 20 in writing).

: The Master's degree programme is administrated through the Uppsala University. All the important information related to the admission can be found at the website of the Uppsala university. NOTE that the application to the programme is submitted to Uppsala University only.

: Selection criteria

Students are selected based on: a total appraisal of quantity and quality of previous university studies; and a letter of motivation (1 page), including information on previous education, work and other experience.

Students are admitted to the NOMPEL programme at Uppsala University. The students are also registered at the University of Eastern Finland and UiT The Arctic University of Norway in order to gain study rights as a degree student and to gain access to student services.

: If you are not a citizen of a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees.

Application fee

To apply for the programme, there is an application fee of SEK 900.

Tuition fees

Uppsala University

Tuition fee for the first semester at Uppsala University is currently SEK 50 000.

University of Eastern Finland

Tuition fee for the second semester at University of Eastern Finland is EUR 4000.

The tuition fee covers the studies included in the degree (personal study plan), studies-related supervision and counselling, and studies-related supporting services offered by the university. In addition, students are entitled to the services of the Finnish Student Health Service by paying the membership fee of the Student Union.

Tuition waivers are awarded now to all selected applicants who are responsible to pay tuition fee. The tuition fee waiver covers the tuition fee partially (70 % in studies that begin on 1 August 2021).

General information about the waivers is available at the university webpage.

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

At UiT The Arctic University of Norway, there are no tuition fees. Students only need to pay a semester fee, currently NOK 590 NOK.

The programme may grant scholarships for covering travel expenses.