Nick Rurangwa Nshimiyen

My name is Nick Rurangwa Nshimiyen and I am a 22-year old Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies student. I am originally from Rwanda, and grew up in Belgium where I did all of my pre-university schooling. For my bachelor’s I attended Tilburg University and completed the LL.B. in Global Law. This programme was heavily focused on training students for a career in law at an international level. With the help of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies, I was able to further substantiate my interest in an international career in law through a study of its theoretical foundations. My main focus has been on topics within the philosophical track of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

I chose this LL.M. programme because the curriculum offers a great variety of options for those with a non-traditional interest in law. I felt convinced that this would allow me to delve into my various legal interests without having a strict specialisation in a single area of law. In addition to that, I had plans to continue my legal studies after the LL.M. programme, which made it easier to choose one that is as theoretically-concentrated as Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

I have greatly enjoyed the LL.M. programme. Before starting the LL.M. programme, I never thought I would become as interested in legal philosophy as I am today. At first, the LL.M. programme felt like a big challenge due to the amount of readings and intensive classes, but this all took a positive turn once I got acquainted with the teaching style of the professors. The small classes and emphasis on class discussions offer an opportunity for students to not just learn from their lecturers, but from their fellow students as well. This organisation of the LL.M. programme reassured me of my own skills and abilities throughout the year in great new ways. One thing that I do remain critical of is the age of the LL.M. programme. Since the LL.M. programme is still fairly new, I struggled to feel confident about my career possibilities with the degree. However, I was recently informed that a solution is in the works which I am excited about. The faculty is working towards establishing an alumni network for Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies graduates where experiences can be shared directly between alumni of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies and students participating in this programme. I think it is essential that prospective Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies students have someone to talk to when insecure about the job perspective with a degree as theoretical and broad as Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

The only significant tip that I have for prospective students is to make sure that you organise your time carefully. Although you will learn a great deal, you must remember that the LL.M. programme is demanding in terms of mandatory literature that needs to be read in preparation for each class. To ensure that you still have sufficient free time next to your studies while living in the great city of Rotterdam, you have to use your time carefully and remain organised throughout the year!