Overview

NFQ Level 9, Major Award

The degree of LLM (Taught) is examined by a dissertation and prescribed assessments and examinations.

The LLM (Taught) is a full-time programme running for 12 months or a part-time programme running for 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme. A full-time candidate may not, during the currency of the LLM, simultaneously pursue any other form of education, training or employment, without the advance permission of the School of Law.

Presentation of Dissertation/Submission Dates

The dissertation must be submitted for examination at the Winter Board, on a date in September to be specified by the School of Law at the commencement of the programme.

Exit Award

Postgraduate Diploma in Law

Upon successful completion of modules to the value of 60 credits, registered LLM students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (NFQ Level 9, Major Award).

Programme Requirements

For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements. 

Programme Requirements

Full-time: Students take 90 credits over one calendar year.

Part-time: Students take 90 credits over two calendar years, completing a total of 40 credits in Year 1 and 50 credits (including LW6652 and LW6659) in Year 2.

Module List

Code	Title	Credits
Students take 90 credits as follows – 60 credits of taught modules and 30 credits of research modules:
Research Modules
Core Modules
Students take 30 credits as follows:
LW6652	Legal Research Methods and Writing	5
LW6659	LLM Dissertation	25
Taught Modules
Elective Modules
Students take modules to the value of 60 credits from the following: 1, 2, 3		60
LW6200	Law of EU Foreign Policy (5)
LW6507	Comparative Family Property Law (5)
LW6536	Intellectual Property Law (10)
LW6544	Criminology: Core Theories, Context and Critique (10)
LW6545	Penology (10)
LW6550	International Criminal Law (10)
LW6560	Law of Cybercrime (10)
LW6563	Child Protection Law (10) 4
LW6566	Contemporary Issues in International Law (5)
LW6568	The Family and the Law (10)
LW6574	Intellectual Property and Internet Regulation (10)
LW6581	Method in Environmental Law (5)
LW6592	Mental Capacity Law (5)
LW6606	International Human Rights Law (10)
LW6609	Mental Health Law (5)
LW6617	International Biodiversity and Ecosystems Law and Policy (5)
LW6618	Climate Change Law and Policy (5)
LW6619	Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5)
LW6620	Introduction to the Law of the Sea (10)
LW6622	Sale, Insurance and Carriage of Goods at Sea (5)
LW6623	Global Maritime Security (5)
LW6627	International Environmental Law (5)
LW6633	Public International Law (5)
LW6634	Refugee and Forced Displacement Law (10)
LW6643	Negotiation and Mediation (10)
LW6644	Managing Complex Disputes (10)
LW6650	Contemporary Issues in EU Competition Policy (10)
LW6651	International Law and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (5)
LW6655	Foundations of International Children's Rights (5)
LW6657	Law and Policy of the EU Digital Market (10)
LW6660	Digital Finance and FinTech: Law and Regulation (10)
LW6668	Business and Human Rights (5)
LW6670	International Child Justice (10)
LW6671	Children's Rights and Climate Justice (5)

¹

It may be that not all modules listed above will be offered each year and/or other options may become available.

²

In order to ensure a reasonable distribution of workload, when choosing modules for all programmes, students should take a balance of credits between Semester 1 and Semester 2. Students who wish to deviate from this rule must seek permission from their Programme Director.

³

Undergraduate Modules: In certain cases, with the permission of the Programme Director, students may elect to take 10 credits from the list of undergraduate modules available for the LLB degree.

⁴

There is a quota of 20 students for LW6563. Preference will be given to students from the LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law) and any remaining places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Examinations

Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Programme Learning Outcomes

Programme Learning Outcomes for LLM (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials including legislation, case-law and academic commentary;
  
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics;
  
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems;
  
• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking in relation to legal issues;
  
• Connect changing values and sentiments in society with legal developments;
  
• Formulate research questions and develop appropriate research methodologies and research methods;
  
• Undertake independent scholarly legal research on legal questions and themes;
  
• Conduct research on a chosen legal topic and write a masters-level dissertation;
  
• Prepare and deliver presentations on legal topics;
  
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
  
• Express complex legal and/or policy in an appropriate legal style, in accordance with legal writing standards.