JUS | Infoevent LL.M. Programme in Public International Law

1. What is the LL.M. in Public International Law at Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna?

The LL.M. in Public International Law is a one year, 60 ECTS Master of Laws programme offered by Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna in cooperation with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR. It combines advanced academic study in public international law with practical exposure to international institutions, diplomacy, and Vienna’s wider international legal environment.

2. Who is the programme designed for?

The programme is designed for students and professionals seeking serious academic study in international law and a deeper understanding of its contemporary challenges. It is particularly relevant for those interested in international organisations, diplomacy, government, academia, advocacy, international legal advisory work, and related professional fields.

3. What makes this LL.M. distinctive?

The programme is built around two connected pillars: advanced academic study and meaningful exposure to international practice. Students receive rigorous instruction in public international law while also engaging with the institutions, practitioners, and professional environments that shape international law in practice.

4. Why study public international law in Vienna?

Vienna is one of the world’s leading centres of diplomacy, international organisations, and multilateral law making. Students study in a city shaped by the United Nations, the OSCE, diplomatic missions, international organisations, human rights work, security cooperation, and a wider community of lawyers, officials, advocates, and scholars working across international fields.

5. Is the programme available only in person?

No. The programme is offered in person, online, or in a hybrid format. This allows students to choose the mode of study that best fits their professional, academic, and personal circumstances.

6. Can online students also experience Vienna in person?

Yes. Online students are not separated from the Vienna dimension of the programme. They may come to Vienna for intensive in person teaching, UN immersion, site visits, and direct engagement with institutions and practitioners. This allows students to combine flexible online study with meaningful on site international exposure.

7. Is the online option a different degree?

No. The online, in person, and hybrid options are different ways of participating in the same LL.M. programme. Students follow the same academic programme and work toward the same degree, while choosing the form of participation that best suits their circumstances.

8. What subjects are covered in the programme?

Students engage with advanced coursework in public international law, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international organisations, diplomacy, conflict analysis and resolution, comparative public law, and related fields. The programme is designed to give students both a strong legal foundation and a broader understanding of the institutional and political context in which international law operates.

9. Who teaches on the programme?

The programme is taught by a strong faculty of scholars and practitioners. Students learn from instructors who bring together academic expertise, institutional experience, and practical insight into the real challenges facing international law today.

10. Does the programme include research and thesis work?

Yes. Students are expected to develop as researchers. The LL.M. includes substantial thesis work, academic writing, supervision, and the opportunity to pursue a sustained research project in an area of public international law.

11. How does the programme combine theory and practice?

The programme combines academic rigour with practical exposure. Students study the principles, structures, and debates of public international law, while also encountering international law as a field of professional practice through institutional engagement, site visits, in person teaching opportunities, and interaction with practitioners.

12. What kind of practical exposure does the programme offer?

Students benefit from engagement with Vienna’s international environment, including international institutions, diplomatic settings, and practitioners working in fields connected to public international law. This may include institutional visits, site visits, UN immersion, and exchanges with professionals from international organisations, foreign ministries, humanitarian organisations, international legal institutions, and related fields.

13. What career paths can this LL.M. support?

The programme can support careers in international organisations, diplomacy, government, academia, advocacy, international legal advisory work, and related professional fields. It provides a strong foundation in legal theory while also giving students insight into the professional environments in which international law is used, interpreted, and developed.

14. What kind of student community does the programme attract?

Students come from different countries, professions, and legal traditions. Over the course of the programme, they study with scholars and practitioners, engage with international institutions in Vienna, and become part of a genuinely international academic community shaped by diverse perspectives and shared engagement with public international law.

15. Is there a single path into public international law?

No. There is no single path into public international law. Students come to the field from different academic, professional, and national backgrounds. Strong teaching, close access to faculty, research training, and the opportunity to study in one of the world’s great diplomatic capitals provide an excellent foundation for those seeking to enter or deepen their work in the field.

16. Why choose this programme rather than another international law LL.M.?

This programme offers a distinctive combination of academic depth, flexible study, UNITAR cooperation, and access to Vienna’s international legal and diplomatic environment. Students may study in Vienna, online, or through a hybrid format, while benefiting from a programme designed around both rigorous legal education and meaningful exposure to international practice.

17. Are applications open now?

Yes. Applications are open for the 2026/27 LL.M. in Public International Law, subject to the applicable deadlines and available capacity.