Hello all! I was conditionally admitted to Leiden for Adv PIL in Int'l Criminal Law. I am hoping to get some feedback/insights from people who has finished or are currently in this study program and also to hear from individuals who are professionally engaged in International Criminal Law.

Are students free to choose classes or does the program dictate the subjects to be taken by the students? If the subjects are already set - What are the classes like? Is it a narrow or more focused on Intl criminal law or is it open for othee related PIL subjs as well?

How about career prospects? I intend to pursue a career in Intl Human Rights and Intl Criminal Law. I'm eyeing International Courts and specialized tribunals. Will Leiden assist students into getting internships at such institutions?

To those who have taken this program or maybe knows someone who has taken it, were you able to get a placement bec of this program? Would you recommend this program or do you have any other program in mind which you think would be more beneficial for someone who hopes to work at intl courts?

Insights and experience in Intl law practice and staying at the Hague is also very much welcome.

Hey, how are you?
I can answer some of your questions since I am finishing the programme this year. :)
My experience in Leiden was incredible. I did not have a lot of knowledge in public international law before, and the studies at Leiden introduced me to this field of law. It was a great experience and very open-minded!We had a lot of interesting materials to read in advance to prepare for classes, we were always encouraged to engage in discussions, and we also had some practice during the masters to understand even better the theory! One thing that caught my attention during the studies was the expertise of our professors. They are often cited at the international tribunals or even advocating before them, which makes the experience in class very enriching. Also, they were very prepared and always encouraging the students to be part of the class, listening to our observations and points of view. My experience there was very positive!
Regarding living in The Hague, I enjoyed it a lot. You need to bear in mind how the weather in The Netherlands is :) But I loved the experience of cycling to UNI and living in an international city like The Hague.
We had nine courses throughout the year (and they were pre-determined, which included public international law, human rights law, international humanitarian law, etc.). We had two courses per month, which means that, depending on each course credits, we had 2-3 classes per week. Since I was on the ICL track, I had two specific courses about this subject at the end: Advanced International Criminal Law and International Criminal Litigation (more about practice).
Finally, about career prospects, the programme does provide career events where you can meet alumni students and people from different international organisations. If the coordinator and professors know about internships or fellowships, they announce to us. Therefore, they help us by providing networking and accessing vacancies.
I hope this answers some of your questions :)

[Edited by Lígia Monaco on May 02, 2020]