Law - Access to Justice LLM

Overview

The LLM in Access to Justice (A2J) is a distinct and unique clinical legal education course in Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland, there being no comparable courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level. The course gives students the opportunity to develop legal advice and advocacy skills by allowing them to represent appellants in Industrial and Social Security Tribunals. Students may also assist in Family Law proceedings and will receive training in client care and management, representation, Dispute Resolution and Family Law. Students will also have the opportunity to engage their interest in the provision of legal services more generally as they are required to develop and manage the ‘Ulster University Law Clinic’.



The function of the course is to supplement the existing range of legal service providers by focusing on, and meeting, ‘unmet legal need’ in the fields of Employment Law, Social Security Law and Family Law. In doing so, students are tasked to analyse ‘unmet legal need’, the availability and consumption of legal services and reflect on wider issues of access to justice, ‘equality of arms’, and dispute resolution.



Work placement / study abroad

Student clinicians will have placement with the Ulster Law Clinic. Students will undertake training and will providing specialist legal advice and representation on social security cases employment law cases and family law cases. Students may also have the opportunity also engage in placement through the Social Justice Hub and/or collaboration with advice giving partners.

Year one

ADR & Employment Tribunal Representation

Social Security Law and Policy

Employment Law

Clinical Legal Practice

Dissertation

Employment Compliance and Development (optional)

Family Law in Practice (optional)

International Migration Law (optional)

You must satisfy the General Entry Requirements for admission to a first degree programme, and hold a GCSE pass in English at grade C or above (or equivalent).



Admission Requirements

Applicants must:

(a) have gained (i) a second class honours degree or better in law or law related discipline from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the National Council for Educational Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or (ii) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in law or an approved alternative qualification; or (iii) a degree in a relevant discipline with appropriate work/professional experience in the field of access to justice; or (iv) a comparable professional qualification; and



(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent); or, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b):



(c) In exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.



• For English language requirements go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/english-language-requirements



• For Your country go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/country



Exemptions and transferability

For a variety of reasons, not least the issue of insurance, no exemptions are granted for prior study, including from employment law and social security law.

Your Application

You can apply directly to Ulster at any time of year. We advise that you submit your application no later than two weeks prior to your course start date. This is to ensure there is sufficient time for your application to be reviewed and, should you be made an offer, time for you to complete all the necessary pre-enrolment tasks.



Some programmes will have specific deadlines as additional selection (e.g. interview, portfolio submission etc) is required, so please check the course page to ensure you have sufficient time to complete your application.

Attendance is available in part-time and full-time modes.

Start Date: September 2026.

Careers and Opportunities

You will develop skills highly relevant to legal practice, and to policy, research and advocacy roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors in the UK, Ireland beyond. Successful completion may also open up a range of further study and research options.



The LLM A2J allows you to develop the analytical skills prized by employers in a wide range of career pathways within the United Kingdom, Ireland internationally. Students obtain experience in all aspects of legal practice, from client-handling and case-related research, to advocacy and representation, as well as developing and managing a working Law Clinic. The degree is relevant to legal practice and policy, and to research and advocacy roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors. Successful completion also opens up a range of further study and research options.



We are proud to state that all our graduates to date have transitioned into employment, practice or further academic study. The connections created by the referral network have generated opportunities for our graduates in the form of trainee solicitor positions with members of our referral network and advice organisations. Graduates have also been employed as research interns in the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Other students have taken up funded PhDs examining issues and concepts arising from their LLM studies, and continued working across the legal advice field.