The master’s programme International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology aims to train students both to acquire the necessary intellectual skills to take a multidisciplinary en interdisciplinary approach to international crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and other gross human rights violations and to teach them how to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the
real world. Conflicts lead to looting, killing, recruitment of child soldiers, genocide – and even terrorism. They can also lead to cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, kidnappings and wildlife crimes. International organisations, NGOs and governments are confronted with questions about how to prevent and respond to these criminal acts, and how to deal with their harmful consequences. But a lack of knowledge means that effective responses often never get off the ground. This Master’s programme is unique in several ways: literally, in that it’s not offered by any other university in the world. But also in its scope, because you’ll learn to combine insights and methodologies from several different disciplines: criminology, law, psychology, sociology and political science. And finally, VU Amsterdam is close to The Hague – home to the UN’s International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court – the legal capital of the world. This programme will truly prepare you for an international career in the field. The programme trains students to become both academics and professionals. After finishing the programma, you will be able to objectively assess empirical data and critically comment on theoretical notions on the one hand, and draft policies, develop preventive strategies and do field work on the other. International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology is a one-year, full time programme. It is taught fully in English.
