Dr. Sonja Meijer

Professor

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Biography

Sonja Meijer is a Full Professor of Criminal Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Professor of Penitentiary Law at Radboud University Nijmegen. She has been the substitute head of the Department of Criminal Law and the programme director for the Empiricism and Norm research programme. Meijer's academic pursuits encompass both teaching and research, with a focus on criminal law, particularly sanctions law, detention law, and penology. Her work emphasizes the interconnectivity of criminal law and societal issues, exploring criminal justice responses to criminal behavior, which include prosecution, conviction, and alternative resolutions like mediation. She has led multiple WODC studies and has published extensively, contributing to the understanding of the implications of criminal convictions on fundamental rights. Meijer is also engaged in various editorial roles within academic journals. With a strong commitment to education, she holds qualifications in teaching and welcomes research proposals in criminal and penitentiary law from potential PhD candidates.

Research Interests

Experience

Full Professor of Criminal Law

2021-09-01 — Present

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam • Amsterdam, NL

Leading the Criminal Law department and conducting significant research on criminal law and its implications.

Professor of Penitentiary Law

2021-09-01 — Present

Radboud University Nijmegen • Nijmegen, NL

Teaching and researching the aspects of penitentiary law.

Deputy Judge

2013-06-01 — 2021-06-01

Amsterdam District Court • Amsterdam, NL

Served as a deputy judge handling various cases in criminal law.

Substitute Head of Department

2019-06-01 — Present

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam • Amsterdam, NL

Oversaw the operations and academic activities of the Criminal Law department.

Requirements for Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:100
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field 12 ECTS in Research Methods/Statistics 12 ECTS in Clinical Diagnosis/Assessment
Application Checklist
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Official Transcripts
  • Motivation Letter
  • Proof of English Proficiency
Specialization Notes

Administered under the Department of Clinical Psychology for Master's in Clinical and Developmental Psychopathology.