Polar Law, LLM/MA/Diploma

Is Polar Law for you?

• Are you interested in the legal regimes for the polar regions?
• Are you interested in the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other inhabitants of the Arctic?
• Do you want to know more about environmental protection in the polar regions?
• Do you want to learn about management of resources in the Arctic and Antarctic?
• Do you have good written and spoken English language skills?
• Do you want to hone your academic research skills?
• Would you like to study in an international environment?

Emphases in the programmes

UNAK’s Polar law programmes examine the ways in which Peoples, environment and resources are governed in the Arctic and the Antarctic. They consider the State-based system in the Arctic in contrast to the treaty-based system for the Antarctic continent. The programmes examine how tensions are kept to a minimum through the application of the rule of law and strong cooperation between States, Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic, International Organisations and other participants.

Students learn about the international legal frameworks, including the law of the sea, environmental law and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. They are also introduced to Peoples of the Arctic, principles of economic development and good governance.

You can view the organisation of the studies in Ugla, the intraweb of the University.

On completion of studies

Studies in Polar Law prepare students for work in the public and private sectors, for example, government departments, international organisations, the NGO sector, with Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic, and with universities and research institutions.

The Master’s programmes (LLM and MA) also constitute good preparation for doctoral studies or further research on Polar law and related fields.

Admission requirements

Students must have successfully completed a minimum 3-year university degree corresponding to the Bologna Process first cycle (180 ECTS). 

How to apply?

Programmes in Polar Law are open for applications every other year through our online application portal.  

Please note that applicants who are not from the EEA require a study permit from the Directorate of Immigration and keep in mind the time necessary to gather the necessary documentation as well as the Directorate’s estimated processing times. The University of Akureyri is not responsible for any decisions or delays at the Directorate. Applicants who are not EEA nationals are required to pay a 50 Euro processing fee. The fee is non-refundable. 

The next round of applications will be in Spring 2023 for a Fall 2023 start. The application deadline for all Polar law applications is 1^st April 2023. 

• Application process