University of Akureyri

The University of Akureyri is offering the following studies in Polar Law: a 120 ECTS Master Programme leading to a M.A. degree; a 90 ECTS Master Programme leading to a LL.M. degree; a 60 ECTS study at the master level leading to a graduate diploma; a 60 ECTS study at the bachelor level leading to an undergraduate diploma; and individual courses in Polar law leading to a certificate.

International cooperation
In offering this programme, the University of Akureyri is working closely with the University of the Arctic and with universities in Alaska (USA), Canada, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom. The University of Akureyri cooperates with the University of Iceland and the Reykjavík University when possible.

Programme description
The programme provides a unique focus on polar law. It comes about in a timely fashion, when climate changes are having a dramatic effect on the Arctic and Antarctic, when the opening of the new shipping routes is becoming possible, when current and potential boundary disputes on land and sea remain unresolved, when issues and questions of national and local governance are moving forward on national and international agendas, and, last but not least, when multiple threats to the environment are sending serious danger-signals and calling for urgent measures. One of the interesting areas of study to which this program can contribute concerns possible lessons that the legal regime for Antarctica could provide for solutions in the Arctic.

In the programme, emphasis is placed on areas of international and domestic law concerning the Polar regions. Issues of environmental law and biodiversity, human rights law, the law of the sea, the law of sustainable development and resources are addressed, including questions of sovereignty and boundary disputes on land and sea, the rights of indigenous peoples in the North, self-government and good governance, and land and resource claims in the Polar regions.

Every effort is made to ensure that all courses in this programme are gender-sensitive.

Students who have not yet completed an introductory course in public international law do so during their first semester of study.

Courses are taught by Guðmundur Alfreðsson, Niels Einarsson, Malgosia Fitzmaurice, Lauri Hannikainen, Tómas Heiðar, Lassi Heininen, Jon Haukur Ingimundarsson, Timo Koivurova, Joan Nymand Larsen, Natalia Loukacheva, Tavis Potts, Kári á Rógvi, Margrét Heinreksdóttir and other leading academics and practitioners in the field of Polar law.

The deadline for the submission of applications is April 1, 2010 for residents outside the EU/EEA
June 5, 2010 for EU/EEA residents

The deadline for individual courses (certificate) – June 5 for the Fall semester and November 1 for the Spring semester.

Studies toward a M.A. degree in Polar Law (120 ECTS)

Students complete 60 ECTS of coursework and write a substantial master thesis (60 ECTS). An academic expert in the relevant field supervises the preparation of the thesis that should constitute individual and independent effort in a chosen area of specialization within Polar Law. Students graduate with a M.A. degree in Polar Law (cycle 2, level 4), which gives access to doctoral studies (cycle 3).

• Admission requirements for the 120 ECTS M.A. program: a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field within the humanities or social sciences (cycle 1, level 2).

Studies toward a LL.M. degree in Polar Law (90 ECTS)

Students complete 60 ECTS of coursework and write a master thesis (30 ECTS). An academic expert in the relevant field of law supervises the preparation of the thesis that should constitute individual and independent effort in a chosen area of specialization within Polar Law. Students graduate with LL.M. degree (cycle 2, level 4), which gives access to doctoral studies (cycle 3).

• Admission requirements for the 90 ECTS LL.M. program: A bachelor’s degree in law (cycle 1, level 2) or equivalent.

Studies toward a graduate diploma in Polar Law (60 ECTS)

Students complete 60 ECTS of coursework and graduate with a diploma at master level (cycle 2, level 3).

• Admission requirements for the 60 ECTS graduate diploma: A bachelor’s degree in law (cycle 1, level 2) or equivalent.

Studies toward an undergraduate diploma in Polar Law (60 ECTS)

Students complete 60 ECTS of coursework and graduate with a diploma at the bachelor level (cycle 1, level 1).

• Admission requirements for the 60 ECTS undergraduate diploma: One year (60 ECTS) of university studies at the bachelor level in a relevant field within the humanities or social sciences, or a high school diploma plus significant relevant work experience.

On completion of studies

Studies in Polar Law prepare students for work in the public and private sectors, with different levels of government, with international organizations, the NGO sector, with indigenous peoples in the Arctic, and with universities and research institutions. The Master’s Programs (LL.M. and M.A.) also constitute good preparation for doctoral studies or further research on polar issues.