Law - Business Law - LLM

Course Outline
The course combines a focus on realities of business law in practice with a broader discussion of relevant theoretical and policy issues. The course builds on the School's wide range of expertise and knowledge in a broad range of aspects of business law, including banking, commercial, corporate, financial services, and insolvency, and in regulation and compliance in the business area. Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to engage with the practical operation of business law. Students also complete a research dissertation in their chosen aspect of business law under expert individualised supervision. Students will also benefit from guest seminars with experts from legal and business practice, relevant Government departments, regulatory bodies and legal practitioners and international experts in this field.

Applicants for the LLM (Business Law) Degree also have the option of registering for a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Law. Students take 60 credits of taught masters' modules from those on offer for the LLM (Business Law). The Postgraduate Diploma can be completed over 9 months full-time or 18 months part-time.

This shorter programme may be attractive to legal professionals and others who may prefer not to make an initial commitment to a full master's programme. Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma may further progress their studies by completing a 15,000 word research dissertation and graduating with a Masters in Law (LLM).

Course Practicalities
LLM classes are in seminar format. This participative and interactive format of teaching is suitable for postgraduate level. Students receive advance reading lists and/or materials for each seminar. Seminars generally take place in 2-hour blocks with one seminar per week in each module. Seminar times are between 9:00am and 6:00pm, Monday to Friday. 10 credit modules run for 12 weeks and 5 credit modules run for 6 weeks. Some modules/classes (1 or 2 only) may be on Saturdays and online.

The course includes a core Business Law in Practice module where students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage with business law in practice. Students can choose from a range of postgraduate business law modules, business modules and undergraduate law subjects.

Full-time: Students take 90 credits.

Part-time: Students take 90 credits, completing a total of 40 credits (including LW6646) in Year 1 and 50 credits (including LW6594) in Year 2.

Core Modules Students take core modules to the value of 40 credits.

LW6594 LLM (Business Law) Dissertation (30 credits)

LW6646 Business Law in Practice (10 credits)

Elective Modules Students take modules to the value of 50 credits from the list of electives set out below. At least 40 credits must be chosen from List A. Students may choose up to 10 credits from List B.

List A: LLM (Business Law) Modules Students must choose at least 40 credits from the following:

LW6536 Intellectual Property Law (10 credits)

LW6574 Intellectual Property and Internet Regulation (10 credits)

LW6578 Consumer Rights: Law and Policy (5 credits)

LW6579 Law of Credit & Debt (5 credits)

LW6619 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5 credits)

LW6622 Sale, Insurance and Carriage of Goods at Sea (5 credits)

LW6636 European Corporate Restructuring, Insolvency and Rescue (5 credits)

LW6639 FinTech: Law and Regulation (5 credits)

LW6640 E-Commerce Law (5 credits)

LW6641 The Role of Law in the Future of Europe - Critical Perspectives (10 credits)

LW6643 Negotiation and Mediation (10 credits)

LW6644 Managing Complex Disputes (10 credits)

LW6647 IT Law Clinic for Start-ups (10 credits)

LW6650 Contemporary Issues in EU Competition Policy (10 credits)

List B: Non-Law Modules and Undergraduate Business Law Modules Students may choose up to 10 credits from the following:

FE6601 Co-operatives and the Third Sector (5 credits)

FI6001 Treasury Risk Management (5 credits)

FI6002 Regulation and Compliance in Capital Markets (5 credits)

LW2254 Commercial Law (10 credits)

LW2269 Privacy and Data Protection Law (5 credits)

¹LW3312 Employment Law: Contracts, Termination, Collective Labour Law (5 credits)

²LW3313 Employment Law: Rights Protection, Equality, Specific Categories of Employees (5 credits)

LW3316 Financial Services Law and Regulation (5 credits)

LW3345 Company Law I: Fundamental Concepts and Doctrines (5 credits)

LW3346 Company Law II: Management, Finance and Insolvency (5 credits)

LW3347 Contemporary Issues in Corporate Law (5 credits)

LW3368 Principles of Revenue Law (5 credits)

LW3369 Income Tax Law (5 credits)

Notes:

· ¹ LW3312 is not available to students who have previously passed LW3301.

· ² LW3313 is not available to students who have previously passed LW3302.

· Students may not choose a module from List B if they have already taken that module or equivalent subject matter at undergraduate level.

· Students may not choose modules from List B which involve a timetable clash.

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

· In certain cases, with the permission of the Programme Director, students may elect to take 10 credits from the modules available in the LLM (Taught) (other than those listed above) (see here) in substitution for 10 credits of elective modules from those in List B above.

· 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.

Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our Book of Modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Modules

Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our Book of Modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar

You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Candidates must be approved by the School of Law and must normally:

(a) hold a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours Law degree (NFQ, Level 8);

or

(b) have such other relevant third level educational qualifications and/or professional experience as, in the opinion of the School of Law, qualifies the candidate under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to undertake the LLM (Business Law) Degree.

If you are an overseas candidate you are welcome to apply and your qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis as above.

*Note: Where appropriate, the Academic Programme Director will identify, in consultation with the candidate, certain elective modules to be taken by a candidate admitted under entry criterion (b) above. The taking of specified modules may be made a condition of acceptance of a candidate's application.

The number of places available in any given year is dependent on resources and all qualified candidates may not be admitted.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Please visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 30 June 2023

How Do I Apply
1. Check Dates: Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.

For Irish and EU applicants we operate a rounds system and you can check the rounds closing dates here.
Note that not all our programmes are subject to the rounds system so check the opening and closing dates for your specific programme in the fact file boxes above.

2. Gather Documents: Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.

3. Apply Online: Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.

Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Please enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Skills and Careers Information
Graduates of this degree will be well placed to seek employment in any area of business law, within Ireland, Europe or internationally. Employment opportunities include specialist legal practice in the commercial and corporate fields as well as general legal practice, regulatory bodies, business regulation and compliance, the financial services sector, the insolvency sector, law reform and research. Because of the transferrable knowledge and skills which this programme develops, graduates may also avail of crossover opportunities using their LLM to pursue careers in the business world.